West Horsley Place
West Horsley Place near Guildford is a Grade I listed building. Better known to some as 'Button House' from the BBC programme Ghosts, the house dates back to the 15th Century.
In 1931, it was acquired by Robert Crewe Milnes, the 1st Marquess of Crewe, and his wife, the Marchioness of Crewe. The Marquess died in 1945 and, on her death in 1967, his widow, Peggy Primrose, left it to their daughter, Mary Innes Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe.
The Duchess closed much of the house, living in a five room section.
When the 99-year-old Duchess died in 2014, it was "accidentally" inherited by her 80-year-old grand-nephew, broadcaster and author Bamber Gascoigne.
The Duchess was childless, but had numerous grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Gascoigne had no idea she had picked him to solely inherit the property, and learned of it when a solicitor contacted him after his great-aunt's death.
To raise money to restore the somewhat dilapidated 50 room house, Gascoigne arranged for the Duchess's possessions -some found under cobwebs in the closed up sections of the house, to be auctioned by Sotheby's in London and Geneva.
Originally expected to raise £2.2 million, the auction raised £8.8 million, with her Cartier diamond engagement ring selling for £167,000, 14 times its estimate.
Gascoigne subsequently transferred ownership of the house and estate to the West Horsley Place Trust.
It is now open for regular open days, and get's a lot more visitors thanks to the popularity of Ghosts.
West Horsley Place
West Horsley Place near Guildford is a Grade I listed building. Better known to some as 'Button House' from the BBC programme Ghosts, the house dates back to the 15th Century.
In 1931, it was acquired by Robert Crewe Milnes, the 1st Marquess of Crewe, and his wife, the Marchioness of Crewe. The Marquess died in 1945 and, on her death in 1967, his widow, Peggy Primrose, left it to their daughter, Mary Innes Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe.
The Duchess closed much of the house, living in a five room section.
When the 99-year-old Duchess died in 2014, it was "accidentally" inherited by her 80-year-old grand-nephew, broadcaster and author Bamber Gascoigne.
The Duchess was childless, but had numerous grand-nieces and grand-nephews. Gascoigne had no idea she had picked him to solely inherit the property, and learned of it when a solicitor contacted him after his great-aunt's death.
To raise money to restore the somewhat dilapidated 50 room house, Gascoigne arranged for the Duchess's possessions -some found under cobwebs in the closed up sections of the house, to be auctioned by Sotheby's in London and Geneva.
Originally expected to raise £2.2 million, the auction raised £8.8 million, with her Cartier diamond engagement ring selling for £167,000, 14 times its estimate.
Gascoigne subsequently transferred ownership of the house and estate to the West Horsley Place Trust.
It is now open for regular open days, and get's a lot more visitors thanks to the popularity of Ghosts.