THE GREAT ESCAPE
Richmond and Chiswick House

Adults: £10.60 Seniors: £9.75
Availability: April to October, Monday to Saturday
Coach miles: 5
Walking: Gentle
Wheelchair access: Good

English Heritage

Go west, young man' was the cry through the ages and today we explore the west side of London which the royals and gentry used as their bolt hole from city life for hundreds of years. The day starts in attractive Richmond where our guide will be waiting for you at 10.30a.m. After coffee we set off on a gentle walking tour. When Henry VIII took the decision to build a palace in Richmond fashionable London followed his lead. Although little remains of his palace today, all around where it stood are historic buildings and a delightful green and this is the area we explore. We stay in Richmond for lunch

and in the afternoon drive to Chiswick House. When the third Earl of Burlington built Chiswick House he never intended living there but had it designed as a place to have fun. It was somewhere to entertain his friends and to show off his taste and style to the world. Today this 18th century Palladian villa is striking in the contrast between the restrained white exterior and the sumptuous interior colours. Our guided tour will tell you all about the Earl, his friends, the artists he supported, and the beautiful house he built. After tea you will be saying goodbye to our guide by 4.30p.m.

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