Avington Park

Winchester, Hampshire SO21 1DB

Tel: 01962 779260  Fax: 01962 779864

e-mail: enquiries@avingtonpark.co.uk
Website: www.avingtonpark.co.uk

One of the finest stately homes of England, Avington Park is a family home of great distinction that is open to the public at certain times for visits and is also available for hire as the perfect atmospheric setting for a grand event - reception, wedding, private party - or a conference. William Cobbett, author of Rural Rides, called it `one of the prettiest places in the county', an assessment that still holds true. The site of the original building goes back many centuries, perhaps even to Roman times, as Roman wine jars were found during work on the old cellar in 1927.

The banqueting hall, of which little survives, was built in the 16th century where the Orangery now stands; under the auspices of Charles ll, a frequent visitor to Winchester, the building was enlarged in 1670 by the addition of two wings and a classical portico and by enclosing the earlier part with a façade of the same brickwork. The State Rooms on view include the Ballroom, the Red Drawing Room and the Library, and each has its own unique attractions and points of interest. The main hall was decorated by Clermont in about 1780, and at the foot of the main staircase is a memorial to the Hon. Charles Rolls, who was killed in a ballooning accident in Bournemouth in 1911. The Ballroom, or Great Saloon, has a truly magnificent gold plasterwork ceiling, painted wall panels depicting the four seasons and many other remarkable paintings, as well as some imposing mirrors. In the striking Red Drawing Room are more marvellous panels, friezes and cornices, pelmets and especially fine mirrors. Among the features in the Library are original Delft tiles, painted panels of centaurs, a George lll round table, an 18th century samovar and a Dutch model of a man-of-war - and about 2,000 books. In the grounds, the iron bridge over the River Itchen is a rare feature dating from the 18th century.