Back in Time to Pyrford Court and its Magnificent English Gardens

Published on: 21 Aug, 2025
Updated on: 25 Aug, 2025

By Mark Coxhead with David Rose

The Grade II listed Pyrford Court and its grounds is probably best known as a location in the cult horror film The Omen, released in 1976 and starring Gregory Peck.

Rupert and Gwendolen Guinness.

Not far from the village of Pyrford, in the borough of Woking, Pyrford Court was originally the home of the 2nd Earl of Iveagh, Rupert Guinness (1874-1967), the head of the famous Irish brewing dynasty.

He married Lady Gwendolen Onslow (1881-1966), the daughter of 4th Lord Onslow of Clandon Park. The couple had six children.

Pyrford Court photographed by Peter Coxhead in 1986.

From 1906 onwards, they established the Pyrford Court Estate on land the earl had bought from Lord Onslow. Their red-brick country house in the Neo-Carolean style designed by Clyde Young, was finally completed in 1927.

The earl’s estate became a centre of agriculture excellence.

Guinness Dairy delivery van.

There was a substantial bothy to house trainee estate workers, an agricultural training school for Canadian emigres, and a pollinarium to study the effects of hay fever.

Guinness Dairy milk bottle.

Its Guinness Dairy supplied fresh milk to households in and around Woking.

Also, methane gas was extracted from farmyard manure, then piped into the house to fuel the ovens in the kitchen.

Country Life magazine published a glowing article on the beautiful gardens at Pyrford Court in its edition of May 7, 1964, written by Mr A. J. Huxley, under the heading of A GARDEN IN THE JEKYLL TRADITION.

It featured five black and white photos, while all the colour photos seen here were taken by Peter Coxhead in 1986 when the gardens were opened to the public, and show its true beauty.

Here are some extracts from the Country Life article…

The house at Pyrford Court photographed by Peter Coxhead, as were the following colour photos.

“The house and garden were created entirely from scratch. Lord Iveagh took on the role of architect for the house, while Lady Iveagh dedicated herself to designing the garden. She had long dreamed of establishing a wild garden and had ready access to expert guidance – Gertrude Jekyll, the pioneering figure in wild gardening, lived nearby in Munstead, near Godalming. Jekyll’s own garden shared similar conditions with Pyrford: light, sandy soil topped with peat, and native flora such as oaks, birches, and Scots firs.

Of the house: “The house itself is grand and assertive in the Queen Anne style. The north façade features a dramatic arch – covered entirely in Pyracantha lalandii like many other parts of the building –which spans the entrance drive. To the south, the house extends into orangery-like conservatories, while an elegant central staircase leads up to French windows that open from the main room.

Moving on to the lawn and terrace, Mr Huxley wrote: “Stretching out before the house is a long, slender terraced lawn that curves gracefully toward the valley, falling away just beyond its ornate balustrade.

“At one end lies a rectangular swimming pool, bordered by paved stone. Along the edge of the terrace runs a narrow bed of rock plants, which spill over the dry walls below – accessed via stone steps. “Thrifts, sun roses, campanulas, and other cheerful blooms create a lively border. Beneath the terrace wall stand massive camellias, once considered delicate when planted forty years ago, now thriving far beyond expectations.

Within the valley below the house was, in 1964: “A sweep of untamed heath. To the left, azaleas and rhododendrons blend gently into the native woodland. Venture down among them, and you will discover a hidden glade bursting with colour: carpets of wild bluebells, sweeping drifts of naturalised lily-of-the-valley, clusters of honesty, rampant pernettya, and self-seeded lupins flourishing in serene abandon.

“Looking out from the terrace toward the ridge on the right, one’s gaze is met by a stunning display of red-leaved Acer japonicum. A path carved through the woodland beyond offers a glimpse of a distant lake, drawing the eye outward.

Pyrford Court featured a formal southern garden, which was observed as hosting: “Wisteria branches extend into nearby trees, creating further spectacles throughout the gardens.

“Here we encounter the more formal expression of Gertrude Jekyll’s gardening philosophy. The area consists of an expansive, somewhat irregular four-acre lawn, framed to the east by trees and shrubs, and enclosed to the north and west by a towering 15-foot brick wall.

A woodland hid: “A maze of quiet paths, bordered with yew hedges, inviting exploration.

Then: “A meandering path leads back toward the house, weaving through a serene sequence of dell, rock garden, and water garden, where primulas thrive among banks of azaleas and rhododendrons.

“On the eastern edge of the grand lawn, a sprawling tree-and-shrubbery border bursts with lilacs, magnolias, and flowering cherry trees – a kaleidoscope of greens, pinks, reds, greys, and whites. Rising above this botanical backdrop is the striking white turret of the garage block.

There was more: “If one resists the temptation to retrace the steps through those captivating silver and golden borders, a different path unfolds – an arched walkway formed of espaliered apples, pears, and plums. This is one of two intersecting arcades within the walled kitchen garden. At its far end lies a striking border composed entirely of pegged-down roses, forming a low, blooming ribbon of colour.”

Finally: “Pyrford Court is quintessentially English – its spirit rooted deeply in the character of the land. No other country could provide such a setting. The style of wild gardening cultivated here, and the more formal expressions of horticulture found throughout, are purely native in origin, untouched by Continental fashions or influence. Few gardens like this remain. Fewer still offer such vistas in southern England.”

An aerial picture postcard view of Pyrford Court.

After the earl’s death, it appears Pyrford Court remained unoccupied until it was sold in 1977 and became a nursing home, which closed in 1999. Sources state that in 2000 it was sold for £3.25 million and in 2010 it was up for sale for £20 million. Its current owner is John Grayken, an American-born Irish billionaire.