Marble Hill House visit and walk

Five of us (Ken, Trevor, Laurel, Fozi & Richard) met at 11am at Richmond Station on a very warm and sunny Saturday 9th September 2023.

We strolled in the shade of the shops up to Richmond Bridge, crossed the bridge then followed along the Thames to Marble House Park, benefitting from the shade of trees and a slight river breeze.

The Thames itself was bustling with paddleboarders, canoeists and boats of varying sizes.

Leaving the Thames, we headed through the park, past youngsters playing football in the sweltering heat, up to the House itself. The House, though owned and run by English Heritage, is free of charge.

There were knowledgeable room guides bursting to tell some of the history of the House and it’s original owner – Henrietta Howard.

The building was quite cool inside due to the blinds used to protect furnishings and the general size of the rooms, there were also not too many other visitors so we could browse at our own pace.

After the house, we went to the café for some welcome refreshments, we then sauntered down to the river again, where we boarded Hammerton’s Ferry across to the other side and a stroll back to Richmond Station. We were informed that there were good views to be had from the top of Terrace Gardens, or probably better still, Richmond Hill, which has the only view protected by an Act of Parliament. However, we felt either option was best left for a cooler day. Indeed Fozi decided to catch a bus from the Gardens.

The remaining four carried on past the old Richmond Brewery buildings, then a unique Poppy Crossing (near the British Legion Poppy Factory) and back to the shops and station.

We covered about 4-4.5 miles, in total, which was plenty in the heat.

Richard.   10th September 2023