Stratfield Saye House
The country home of the Dukes of Wellington, gifted by Parliament to the victor of Waterloo in 1817.
Red brick front of Stratfield Saye House with formal lawns
What to expect at Stratfield Saye House
Bought for the 1st Duke of Wellington in 1817 with a £600,000 grant from a grateful nation, Stratfield Saye has been the country seat of every Duke since. It is emphatically not a museum — the 9th Duke lives here — but for about six weeks each summer the ground floor opens to the public. You see Wellington's own funeral carriage (made from melted-down French cannon captured at Waterloo), his library of 10,000 books, portraits by Lawrence and Wilkie, and the horse Copenhagen's grave in the grounds.
The house sits between Reading and Basingstoke, roughly 20 minutes' drive south of Reading Town Centre. There is no bus and the nearest station is Mortimer, still 15 minutes away by taxi, so a car or cab is essential. The very limited opening window means you must plan around it — check dates in April when the summer schedule is published. It's the single best Wellington/Napoleonic-era attraction in southern England.
Questions about Stratfield Saye House
$20 adult for house and grounds, $10 child, $50 family. Grounds-only ticket $10.
No. This is a private ducal residence and entry income supports the estate.
3 hours: 75-minute house tour plus grounds, gardens, and Copenhagen's grave.
Only about six weeks a year, typically Mon-Fri in July and early August, 11:30-15:30. Closed the rest of the year.
Yes — every visit is a timed pre-booked tour via the estate website. Same-day walk-ups are not accepted.
20-minute drive south via the A33. Nearest station is Mortimer (12 min from Reading), then a $20 taxi. No bus service.
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