Syon House & Park
There are a few reasons to visit Syon Park, including Snakes & Ladders, but it’s all to easy to forget that there’s also an amazing house and gardens. Sion House was built in the sixteenth century on the site of an abbey is the spectacular home of the Duke of Northumberland, and is easily recognisable by the giant lion statue on top of the roof which you can see from across the river at Kew Gardens.
A tour of the house will bring you through the magnificent, grand rooms designed by architect Robert Adams in the eighteenth century. Including the Graeco-Roman splendour of the Great Hall, the deep vivid colours of the Ante Room and Red Drawing Room, the celebration of food and drink in the State Dining Room, and the pretty feminine Long Gallery, it’s a lovely and historically interesting place to wander through.
One of the things Syon House is most famous for is its incredible Great Conservatory. From the outside it looks like an impressive orangery, but its only when you venture inside that you can truly appreciate its beauty. It’s architect, Charles Fowler, utilised new metalworking technologies being developed in the early nineteenth century to create vast but intricate glass rooms and corridors that were once filled with exotic plants from all over the world.
All around the Conservatory there are gardens and lawns to picnic and play on – it’s a lovely place for children to enjoy. On the opposite side from the house, there is a lake surrounded by jungle-like plants to explore. There is also a cafe run by Birdie’s Kitchen, which has a great selection of snacks and meals.
Syon Park can be found by car via Park Road, Isleworth TW7 6AZ. There is one car park that serves the house and Snakes & Ladders, with everything clearly signposted. The house and gardens are open from March to October, with the gardens open every day of the week, and the house on certain days. For more information, take a look at their website.
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