Wandering Chartwell on Churchill’s birthday: A glimpse behind the curtain of Britain’s most influential prime minister

A walk exploring the 80-acre grounds of Chartwell and its house, reveals its hidden beauty and fascinating history.

Westerham, Kent. A picturesque civil parish dating back to the Doomsday Book. Just beyond it, amidst the vast woodland, is Chartwell, a country house with 660 years of history. From 1924 to 1965, it was the residence and often perfect solitary retreat for Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill.

Almost four decades later, arriving at Chartwell on the eve of Churchill’s birthday felt appropriate. Aside from the National Trust car park and coffee shop, the sense of tranquillity was distinguishable, something I’m sure Mr. Churchill would have appreciated on return from the chaos of the cabinet war rooms.

Greeted by the welcoming smiles of the Trust’s volunteers, my membership was scanned, and I wandered into the lives of Winston and Clementine Churchill.

In the gardens, a huge spherical swimming pool caught my gaze. I could imagine Winston enjoying a splendid Kent summer afternoon from the comfort of his 1930s heated pool.

A crooked lane revealed the Golden Orfe Pond, a secluded pond of magnificent beauty. Winston’s solitary chair inhabited a tiny bank across the stepping stones, which overlooked the surrounding greenery.

Delving deeper into the 80-acre garden, climbing the steep terrain, and navigating the walking trails, I discovered an exciting array of woodland activities: a wooden treehouse, cavernous crater left behind by a Second World War bomb, and Canadian play camp.

Commencing my ascent, I headed towards the statue of Winston and Clementine by the lake. Created by Croatian sculptor Oscar Nemon, the sunlight of the glorious autumn afternoon illuminated the bronze.

Conquering another arduous hill, Chartwell’s walled garden was a much-welcomed sight. I ambled among the beds of plants and lush vegetation of the garden, which Churchill constructed between 1925 and 1932. A volunteer informed me: “We keep the provisions and use them at the on-site café,” as I observed the harvesting of apples from the orchid and pruning of raspberries.

However, it was the Marycot, a tiny but beautifully designed play cottage, that was my favourite part of Chartwell. It was constructed by Winston for his daughter Mary, who recalled using the Aga to bake scones for Charlie Chaplin and Albert Einstein. Admiring the view of the Kent hills from the window filled me with a calm sensation and spurred me on to my final stop, Chartwell House.

Entering through the original door from 1923, the décor was as it would have been 60 years ago.

Clementine’s sitting room was small but cosy, paintings of Winston filled the blue walls. The drawing room was statelier, and the library contained shelves scaling to the ceiling with historical reference books.

Lady Churchill’s bedroom was immaculate, while I particularly enjoyed Winston’s 19^th century Boer War uniform in the museum, owing to the medals.

The study, with its wooden beams and furniture that predated Churchill, was the epicentre of one of the most famous speeches in history. While the dining room was extravagant, the 360-degree view of the gardens provided a visual spectacle to end my visit.