Greys Court

Greys Court - History And Architecture All Rolled Into One!

Greys Court is one of the most forgotten houses in Oxfordshire as far as the tourism industry goes, but there is absolutely no reason why it should be. Many individual visitors simply like to visit Oxford and one or two towns and then they believe that they have seen all that Oxford has to offer. This is blatantly not the case when you take a look at this splendid old country house. It embodies the Tudor period completely and has as much cultural value as it does historical value.

Greys Court is easy enough to get to because it is just to the south of the Chiltern Hills and can actually be found right next to Henley-on-Thames. It is infinitely accessible so you can spend a few hours looking at the house and examining the interior as you see fit, but if you go you will never want to leave! The house is that appealing that you immediately feel like moving in and settling there for the rest of your days. The surrounding countryside is peaceful, but Greys Court has a character that belies that!

Build in the Tudor period, the National Trust has restored it to all of its former glory and it really does shine as a result. The architecture is magnificent and is easy on the eye, but the courtyard and gardens set it apart from the rest. You could literally wander around the gardens, enjoying the sunshine for hours and never get bored, but if you do then there is always the maze to pit your wits against. Yes, that’s right - there is a maze! Hours of fun!

There are tours and demonstrations of and within Greys Court all year round today so you can learn as you go and see how things were done in the 16th Century. They even have a donkey pulling a mill wheel in the summer to show visitors how the family living there would have to get water!

When you have had enough of Greys Court, or indeed if you do, then you could always check out the medieval tower that is dated back to 1347 instead. These remains are in the grounds and remind all visitors that there was once a castle on that very same land, and there for your pleasure!