Highgrove House is the country home of Prince Charles, in Gloucestershire, England. Situated at Doughton, southwest of Tetbury, Highgrove House was purchased in 1980 by the Duchy of Cornwall. The Duchy also manages the estate surrounding the house.
Built in 1796 to 1798 by John Paul Paul, and believed to have been designed by architect Anthony Keck, it belonged to Paul's descendants until 1860. In 1850 his grand daughter Mary Elizabeth Paul died after her gown caught fire during a soiree held for her brother in the ballroom. The house was sold again in 1864 to a lawyer, William Yatman. It was restored in 1894 by new owners after another fire gutted the interior and damaged the west façade, where a window collapsed onto the terrace, bringing down the wall above. It has four reception rooms, nine main bedrooms, a nursery wing and staff quarters. The Duchy of Cornwall acquired Highgrove House from the MP Maurice Macmillan, son of former Tory Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1980.
The house was redecorated by Dudley Poplak, the interior decorator who also worked on the Prince and Princess of Wales's apartment at Kensington Palace, and the royal couple moved into Highgrove for a weekend house in the autumn of 1981. In 1988, the plain exterior of the house was embellished with new balustrade, pediment, and classical pilasters to the Prince of Wales's own design. A new single-storey staff annexe was also added. The family spent weekdays at Kensington Palace and weekends at Highgrove, where Prince William and Prince Harry's ponies were kept.[1]
A keen gardener, the Prince of Wales has devoted much time to planning and designing the gardens. He has created a wild garden, a formal garden and a walled kitchen garden. He has also planted a large number of trees in the grounds, and holds the NCCPG national beech collection. He placed a bust of Dr Alan McGlashan, MC, in the garden.
In 1980 the Prince of Wales was especially drawn to the 200 year old Highgrove Cedar of Lebanon to the west of the house. After sadly felling the diseased tree in 2007 for safety reasons, a new oak pavilion with church-like spire was constructed over the base of the tree. The organic design by Mark Hoare has a rustic cruck frame on Cotswold staddle stones.[2]
The Head Gardener is Debs Goodenough, who in July 2008 replaced David Howard.
The Highgrove Estate consists of parkland fringed by woods surrounding Highgrove House, a number of farm buildings and around 900 acres (364ha) of land farmed by the Duchy of Cornwall - the Home Farm. The beef herd based at Highgrove includes pedigree Aberdeen-Angus females and yearlings, Angus bulls and Angus cross Friesian cows. Sharing the permanent pasture with the beef herd is the flock of Masham and Mule sheep. The estate backs onto the grounds of Westonbirt Arboretum.
In 1985, organic farming was introduced on three blocks of land as part of a move to what has been called biologically sustainable farming linked to conservation. The step to full organic status on the whole estate was completed in 1996.
Guided tours are available to booked parties (max 25) each of whom must supply photo ID checked by police before entry.