Dorney Court
A pink-brick Tudor manor lived in by the Palmer family since 1530, where the first pineapple in England was grown in 1661.
Tudor brick and timber front of Dorney Court near the Thames
What to expect at Dorney Court
Sitting a mile from the Thames between Windsor and Maidenhead, Dorney Court has been in the Palmer family for 15 generations. The Great Hall with its 15th-century hammerbeam roof, the panelled parlour, the family portraits, and the story of gardener John Rose presenting Charles II with the first pineapple grown in England (still commemorated by a stone pineapple over the door) make this feel more like visiting a friend's very old family than a set-piece stately home. It's small, personal, and refreshingly unspoiled.
Dorney is a great half-day pairing with Windsor Castle — 15 minutes' drive between them. From Reading it's about 25 minutes by car via the M4, or Burnham train station (18 min from Reading) plus a $15 taxi. Opening is very limited — essentially August afternoons plus a scatter of Bank Holiday weeks — so check the website first. The garden centre and farm shop on site are open year-round and worth a stop even on non-opening days.
Questions about Dorney Court
$14 adult, $8 child (5-16), $35 family. Cash and card accepted at the door.
No, but the church next door (St James's) is free and worth 15 minutes.
90 minutes to 2 hours including the guided house route and the walled garden.
Very limited: mostly August afternoons plus May Bank Holiday week, some September Sundays, and the Christmas market. Always closed October-March.
Walk-ups accepted during public opening. Group tours (10+) must book by email through dorneycourt.co.uk.
Burnham (18 min by train), then a $15 taxi. Or drive from Reading in 25 min via M4 junctions 8/9 and 7.
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