Check Availability
1856: Frederick Goodall bought 170 acres of the land on which Grim’s Dyke now stands
1870: Building work began, overseen by the famous architect Norman Shaw
1872: Grim’s Dyke was completed and the Goodall family took up residence.
1880: The Goodalls sold Grim’s Dyke to Robert Heriot of Hambros Bank who lived here for 10 years
1890: Grim’s Dyke was bought by Sir William and Lady Gilbert
1899: Work began on Gilbert’s boating lake, a 1.5 acre stretch of water where he used to bathe every day
1905 – The lake was extended to form a large rectangle roughly 170 yards long by 50 yards wide
1906: Gilbert helped found Grimsdyke Golf Club where he was President
1911: Gilbert died on May 29th trying to rescue a local girl, Ruby Preece, who had got into difficulties swimming
1929: On one of her rare public appearances, Lady Gilbert attends the re-opening of the Savoy Theatre
1936: Lady Gilbert died, having spent her final years doing local charity work
1937: A public auction of the house realised £4600
1937: Grim’s Dyke became a rehabilitation centre for women suffering from tuberculosis
1939-1945: Officially, whatever role Grim’s Dyke played in the war is classified and not due for release until the 2040s
1945: Re-opened as a rehabilitation centre for men suffering from tuberculosis
1963: The rehabilitation centre was closed down and Grim’s Dyke entered a period of decline, during which time it was used as a film and television set
1967: The Champions was filmed here, as were several episodes of Dr Who during his battles with the Daleks
1968: Boris Karloff starred in his last film, The Curse of the Crimson Altar
1969: Vincent Price made his 100th film, The Cry of the Banshee. Ronnie Barker also used the house and grounds to shoot one of his comedies, Futtocks End
1998: Grim’s Dyke was formally re-opened by the Rt. Hon. Kenneth Clarke, Chancellor of the Exchequer
London's Country Retreat 
Grim's Dyke Hotel is a carefully restored country house renowned for its special musical events, banqueting, conference and wedding facilities.
Just 12 miles from the centre of London and within easy reach of Heathrow, the magnificent former country residence of Sir William Gilbert is set in over 40 acres of beautiful gardens and woodlands. With 46 elegant rooms, housed in both the main hotel and lodge, a 2 AA rosette restaurant serving our own seasonal produce, and extensive grounds, this is the perfect British country retreat.
A shrine for Gilbert & Sullivan enthusiasts from all over the world, the hotel runs numerous performances throughout the seasons with the Grim's Dyke Opera Company. Additional entertainment ranges from Murder Mystery evenings and Auction Challenge Dinners to Gourmet Dinners. The hotel and grounds have been used as a backdrop for many famous feature films & TV programmes, and make an ideal location for corporate events and special interest conventions.
Explore our website to find out more about the Hotel, its fascinating history and about the accommodation and facilities we offer.
