Protecting, conserving and enhancing Lydiard House and Park

The Friends of Lydiard Park are an independent charity supporting and promoting interest, engagement and research into this important Palladian House, its beautiful grounds, the ancient church of St. Mary and the lives of people who have lived, worked and played here across the centuries.

News

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1955-2025 Lydiard House – A Historic Anniversary

Seventy years ago, on May 14th 1955, Swindon Corporation threw open the doors of Lydiard House, inviting the public to view the State Rooms for the first time. One shilling and sixpence for adults and nine pence for children bought you a ticket to cross the threshold of this once private mansion. A grainy film records those first Swindon visitors, curious to see the country house that had been rescued in their name.

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1955-2025 Lydiard House – A Historic Anniversary

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Events

Members Outing: Dorney Court, Home of Barbara Villiers Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine

Date: Wednesday, 9th July

Time: 10:00 am - 5:30 pm

Venue: Coach will depart and return from Lydiard Park, Hook Street Entrance

Visit Dorney Court, one of England’s loveliest houses. Renowned for its architectural importance and historical significance, the house includes beautiful gardens and fascinating portraits.

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Tales of Lydiard

Step into the story of Lydiard House and Park and explore the interesting, quirky and sometimes scandalous tales from its fascinating past and ongoing history.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte & the Battersea Connection
Published on: 28th May 2025
Prince George and Princess Charlotte attended pre-school at Thomas’s Battersea, a school historically connected with...
The Case of the Coronation Hand-me-downs.
Published on: 17th April 2025
The portrait collection at Lydiard House contains two pairs of portraits that have intriguing similarities. The first pair...
Victorian Taxes
Published on: 17th March 2025
On April 24th 1889, Viscount Bolingbroke of Lydiard Park was issued with this licence to keep a carriage. The carriage had...

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The Lydiard Archives

Visit the Lydiard Archives, our unique on-line collection of objects, portraits, records, manuscripts, photographs, memories, and ephemera related to Lydiard Park.

Battersea Manor

Although the Manor House of Battersea, the home of several noteworthy 17th and 18th century St.John family members, was demolished in the early 20th century, there remains a strong link between Battersea and Lydiard Park, with both churches (both named St. Mary's) adjacent to the site of the homes sharing many similarities. Read more

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Explore Lydiard

Discover this beautiful mansion and parkland through all the seasons. Enjoy our year-round Nature Watch, and fun family indoor and outdoor trails, and explore its historic features, landscape, and architecture.

June Brings Wildlife and Wildflowers

The long sunny days and short nights of June abound with wildlife. It’s a time when the baby birds are fledging, learning...

Bluebells and Garlic!

If you go down to the woods today – or to wooded parts of Lydiard Park – there are two wild flowers you may well find....

Snowdrops

Each January and February the display of snowdrops at Lydiard Park is a spectacle that many people travel miles to see. The...

Family Discovery Trails

Family Discovery Trails Put on your family detective hats and follow our three cartoon trails to explore Lydiard Park,...

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Do you have a story/photo of Lydiard?

We’d love to hear your memories of Lydiard. The house, park, and church have all featured in the lives of many local people, from early farming families to the residents of the 1950’s Lydiard Park Estate, and those who have grown up with the park as their playground and backdrop to memorable events. Do you have a story or photograph you’d like to share?

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Meet a Friend

When we asked Martin Holland to share his "Friend" story, we knew that he had an interest in nature photography, because over the years he has supplied us with some intriguing images of fungi he has discovered in Lydiard Park. So, when we set to writing Martin's story, it was only natural that we should include a selection of his glorious photographs.

Lydiard Park and the St.John Family

Lydiard House and Park are all that remain of a once great estate which belonged to the St,John family, Viscounts Bolingbroke, for over 500 years. You can see their portraits, from Elizabethan times onwards, in the elegant State Rooms of Lydiard House and monuments to them adorn the adjacent Church of St. Mary’s.

The St. John’s story is inseparable from the great events of British history, affected by their kinship to the Tudor monarchy and played out in their tragic involvement in the bloody Civil War. Political fame in the 18th century was followed by years of financial decline triggered by the 2nd Vsct. Bolingbroke’s penchant for gambling and lavish expenditure. As the St. John’s fortunes declined Lydiard House fell into increasing neglect, eventually leading to its sale to Swindon Corporation in 1943.

The St. John’s departure was by no means the end of the story. Swindon Corporation’s purchase and restoration of Lydiard House and Park, is a remarkable tale of vision and determination, shared and remembered by many thousands of people to this day.

Abundant further resources and information about Lydiard Park, the St.John family and their history can be found at The Lydiard Archives, the digital resource library created by The Friends of Lydiard Park. Members of the Friends of Lydiard Park also enjoy unlimited access to the online St.John Family Tree, with over five thousand people and fifteen hundred places related to the St.John Family dating back to the 8th Century.

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Membership & Support

Being a member of The Friends of Lydiard Park is a fab way of being informed of everything about Lydiard, past, present and future, with ample opportunities to take an active part in its upkeep and history.

Billy Beaumont

By joining the Friends of Lydiard Park you will be part of a large sociable group helping to ensure that this important part of our local and national heritage is more widely recognised, enjoyed and preserved for future generations.

  • Free entry to Lydiard House and walled garden
  • Reduced price entry to programme of talks & events
  • Invitations to social events in May and at Christmas
  • Summer outing to historic house/garden destinations
  • Private members access to St. John & related families database
  • Opportunities to get involved in special projects