Sometimes a weekend away isn’t just a weekend away. Sometimes it’s a portal. A portal into a world where you briefly convince yourself that you’re the long-lost Lady of the Manor, that the turrets were built for you, and that the secret underground tunnel was definitely designed for your exclusive use. That happened to me last weekend.
I was invited to De Vere Horsley Estate in Surrey for Surrey Day – a wellbeing afternoon, a secret tunnel reopening, and an overnight stay in an actual Victorian neo-Gothic castle. And because I am a professional (and because I never say no to free food and a disco), I went.
Here’s what happened. And why you should absolutely go.
The unexpected arrival of a viral star
Before we get into the history, let me tell you about the videos we made. Because, honestly, half the fun of this trip was turning into an absolute menace with my phone camera, creating content that might just go viral.
The moment I saw the estate’s fairytale silhouette against the Surrey sky, I knew this wasn’t just a review trip; it was a content goldmine. So, we grabbed our phones and went full Instagram mode. We spent a solid hour filming me pretending to be the Lady of the Manor, inspecting the mince pies on the intricate oak panelling crafted by the one and only Sir Charles Barry, the mastermind behind the Houses of Parliament, no less – and complaining about my station in life. “This castle only has one lake view from my room,” I moaned dramatically at an antique mirror. “I specifically requested emotionally supportive peacocks, and where are they?” We were collapsing with laughter between takes, especially when I almost knocked over a suit of armour trying to make a “grand” entrance.
The ghost hunt was even more hilarious. We turned off all the lights on the first-floor landing, held a flickering torch up to my chin, and I whispered, “Ada… if you can hear me, give me a sign that I’ll get over 500K views.” When a floorboard creaked all by itself (old buildings, honestly), I screamed so loudly I’m pretty sure the guests in the next county heard me. I was in absolute stitches editing that clip, trying to decide whether the sound effect should be a dramatic “BOO” or the Psycho theme.
And then there was the tunnel. I made our guest walk through it twice. Once for the “serious” historical content, and once for us to do the Thriller dance. I can confirm that zombie moves look genuinely disturbing in the flickering light of a 120-metre brick passageway. My cheeks hurt from laughing, not just from the FitSteps.
First impressions: Hogwarts meets ghost-hunting
Anyway, back to the serious journalism. Let’s get the important details out of the way first. Free parking? Yes. Lots of it. The estate is at Ockham Road South, East Horsley, KT24 6DT. It’s about 10 minutes from the M25, and if you get the train, Horsley station is a 27-minute walk (or a very short taxi ride). I came from Barnes via Clapham Junction – easy peasy.
But the moment you drive through the gates, you stop caring about logistics. Because there, rising out of the Surrey parkland, is Horsley Towers – a fairy-tale Victorian manor with turrets, gargoyles, and hidden doors. Designed in 1820 by Sir Charles Barry, it has all the grandeur of his later, more famous work – think the Palace of Westminster and Highclere Castle.
They haven’t “modernised” the castle into a soulless glass box. They’ve kept the creaky floors, the oak panelling, and the slightly eerie corridors that make you want to whisper “hello?” in a dramatic voice. I loved it.
Our rooms: Two suites, ten plug sockets and a roll-top bath fit for a Countess
My friend Francesca and I were given two suites in the mansion house itself. And thank goodness. My room had a roll-top bath, Penhaligon’s toiletries (which I definitely sniffed more than once), and a view of the lake. There were at least ten plug sockets, which tells me the people who refurbished this place understand modern women.
The bed was enormous. The silence was thick and beautiful. I slept like a Victorian aristocrat who didn’t have to worry about cholera.
Practical note: If you stay, book a room in the Towers. It costs more, but you’re paying for atmosphere, history and the chance to pretend you own the place. Prices start from £129 per room including breakfast – which is frankly a steal for this much drama.
Ada Lovelace: The stone walls have a story to tell
But the best part of Horsley Towers isn’t the beds or the views: it’s the spirit of its most famous resident, Ada Lovelace. The stone walls here whisper stories about her, and you can feel it. Let me introduce you to the “Enchantress of Numbers.” This woman was a genuine genius. Born in 1815, the only legitimate child of the infamous poet Lord Byron, her life was the opposite of what you might expect for a noblewoman. Her mother, Lady Byron, had a mathematical background and was determined to steer her daughter away from her father’s “mad, bad, and dangerous to know” poetic streak. She insisted Ada study mathematics and science, which for a girl in the 1800s was as radical as it gets.
At 17, Ada was introduced to Charles Babbage, a brilliant but eccentric inventor who had created a mechanical calculator called the Difference Engine. A few years later, Babbage asked her to translate a technical article written by a French engineer about his latest (and much more advanced) invention, the Analytical Engine.
But Lovelace did so much more than translate. She added notes of her own. In her additions, she saw far beyond simple arithmetic. She had a vision, a “poetical science,” where a machine like this could manipulate symbols, compose music, or turn text into digital form. She even wrote out the first set of instructions – an algorithm – intended to be processed by a machine, which is why she is known today as the world’s first computer programmer, decades before the first computer was even built.
It’s believed the Countess may have experienced agoraphobia, a fear of open spaces. This inspired the building of an intricate network of tunnels and covered walkways at the estate, including the one that runs 120 metres beneath the grass. She is said to have used this passageway to move around the estate with greater confidence and privacy, and locals even whisper that she used it to travel to the nearby Duke of Wellington pub without ever stepping foot outside.
For her incredible contributions, in 1998 a medal was struck in her name called the Lovelace Medal, awarded annually to the person who contributed the most to British computer technology. A copy of that very medal is on display in the Towers. How incredible is that?
Aviator, innovator, and the plane named after a house
Just when you think the history of this place couldn’t get any more remarkable, along comes another eccentric genius. After the Lovelace era, the estate entered a new, roaring twenties chapter. In 1919, the third earl sold the whole lot to Thomas Sopwith for the princely sum of £150,000 (about £6.5 million in today’s money). Now, if the name Sopwith rings a bell, it should. He was the aviation pioneer and businessman whose company built the legendary Sopwith Camel, the biplane that was the scourge of the skies in World War I.
The man was a true daredevil who taught himself to fly at age 22 and set early flying records. And what did he do when he moved into his grand Victorian castle? He did what any self-respecting aviator would do: he named one of his new aircraft, the Hawker Horsley, directly after his new home. You have to admire that level of house pride. It was the last all-wooden aircraft built by the Hawker company and served as a bomber with the RAF through the 1920s and 30s. I love imagining him up in the turret of Horsley Towers, looking out over his Surrey estate, dreaming of a bomber that would carry its name into the history books. It really sets the scene for the kind of creative, slightly bonkers energy that still buzzes around this place today.
The secret tunnel: From servant’s passage to dance floor
This is the bit you’ve all been waiting for. Following a £1.3 million refurbishment project of the entire hotel, the historic tunnel, which had been sealed for over 50 years, has just been reopened. Locals still have vivid memories of walking, cycling, and even driving their cars through it in the 1960s.
And what did we do in it? A 1970s-themed silent disco.
Let me paint you a picture: you’re standing in a damp, brick-lined Victorian passageway. The walls have seen more than a century of whispered gossip and coal dust. And you’re wearing wireless headphones, screaming “Dancing Queen” into a microphone that only you can hear, while someone next to you is happily dancing to something completely different.
It was surreal. It was joyous. It was the most British thing I’ve ever done.
The wellbeing events: FitSteps, Paracise and my very red cheeks
But the disco wasn’t all we did. The event started at 2.30pm with a choice of classes in the beautiful Horsley Court.
First, Paracise with the brilliant and energetic Kate who practically runs the manor not only the classes. Designed by a physiotherapist as a form of rehabilitation, Paracise is a gentle but super-effective low-impact movement class that focuses on posture, balance, and flexibility. It’s not as frantic as FitSteps, but don’t be fooled. After 45 minutes of controlled movements to fabulous music, you feel every single muscle politely asking what you think you’re doing.
Then came FitSteps. Think of the grace of ballroom dancing mixed with the fiery energy of Latin, all packed into an aerobic workout that makes you forget you’re exercising. Created by former Strictly Come Dancing professionals Ian Waite and Natalie Lowe, it’s for everyone, no partner required. You’re sashaying and cha-cha-cha-ing to pop and Latin music, and before you know it, you’ve had a proper workout and a good laugh.
In the other room overlooking a very calming garden, Anna hosted a couple of yoga and meditation classes that seemed really nice from the look of Francesca who felt so relaxed afterwards.
After two hours of this, my cheeks were the colour of a royal postbox. I was sweaty. I was euphoric. I was laughing. And I was also very, very hungry.
Dinner & Breakfast: Classic country house fare
Dinner was in the main bar (not the mansion house, but the bar is perfectly pleasant). We ate from the all-day dining menu: think sirloin steak, crispy onion rings, proper thick chips, goat cheese salad with beetroot and the crunch of sunflower seeds. It’s not Michelin-star, but it’s hot, honest, and exactly what you want after a workout.
Breakfast the next morning was included – the full English, pastries, fruit, and coffee that didn’t make me weep. Solid, classic country house fuel.
Practical stuff you actually need to know
- Address: De Vere Horsley Estate, Ockham Road South, East Horsley, KT24 6DT
- Parking: Free on site, plenty of parking
- Train: Horsley station, then a 27 min walk or a short taxi (we walked there in less than 20 minutes)
- Room tip: Reserve a room in the Towers. You want the history, not the modern block.
- Food: Breakfast is included if you book direct. Dinner costs around £15-£25 for mains.
Final verdict: A night for the time capsule, not a bedtime story
The hotel isn’t a luxury spa resort. If you’re after polished perfection, this might not be for you. But that’s not why you go. You go for the history. You go for the turrets. You go for the feeling that you’ve stumbled into a novel. You go for a disco in a tunnel that once echoed with the footsteps of Ada Lovelace and Victorian servants. And you go for the sheer, unadulterated fun of making hilarious videos with your friends in a fairytale setting.
I left with red cheeks, a sore laugh, and a newfound respect for the world’s first computer programmer.
Would I go back? In a heartbeat. Preferably with a group of girlfriends, a bottle of prosecco, and zero shame.
Rating: 5/5 for sheer joy. 4/5 for hotel polish. 10/5 for the tunnel and the amazing staff.
Final thought: Go to Horsley, stay at the De Vere Horsley Estate. Dance in the tunnel. Thank me later.
Monica x
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
