1 week Ago By [email protected] (Jack Darlington, Will Twigger)
London, the city of palaces, is home to a plethora of Royal residences both past and present. From Kensington Palace to Buckingham Palace to Hampton Court Palace, these majestic buildings draw in locals and tourists alike who come to admire their grandeur, snap photos, and delve into their rich history. However, there's one lesser-known Royal abode that once housed a king - Stanwell Place.
This 17th-century manor house, tucked away in the village of Stanwell in the borough of Spelthorne, Middlesex, has a fascinating story to tell that deserves to be remembered. Located just half a mile west of St Mary's Church, the last recorded construction on this site dates back to the early 1800s by the Gibbons family. The estate comprised a manor house, tenant farms, and associated lands.
In the early 20th century, parts of the estate were sold off and transformed into a reservoir and a series of local smallholdings. The surrounding parkland is believed to have been designed in the 18th century. In 1933, Stanwell Place was purchased by Sir John Gibson, a civil engineer who was knighted in 1945 for his contributions during World War II.
Gibson was working on the Queen Mary Reservoir at Littleton when he moved to Stanwell. During the Second World War, Gibson served as a deputy director and general civil engineer at the Ministry of Supply from 1943-1944. He played a crucial role in the construction of the top-secret operation, Mulberry Harbours.
As a result, he offered Stanwell Place to the SHAEF Commanders, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force. The location hosted two high-level meetings during the build-up to D-day and the Normandy invasion. Stanwell Place welcomed several important public figures for these meetings, including some potential war heroes like the highest-level US commanders.
In 1936, the Metropolitan Water Board purchased 346 acres of Gibson's estate. A significant portion of the surrounding estate was transformed to develop the King George VI reservoir. Following Gibson's death in 1947, his sons retained ownership of 17 acres of Stanhope farm.
The Sir John Gibson pub, also known as the Happy Landing, was named in his honour. After Gibson's passing, King Faisal II of Iraq bought 22 acres of Stanwell Place. At that time, Faisal, a young Iraqi King, was just 13 years old and about to start his education at Harrow School.
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The Iraqi King was fond of his visits to England, with some local residents still cherishing happy memories of Faisal and his family members. Faisal was assassinated in a coup in Iraq in 1958, marking the beginning of a dark period in Iraq's history. Following the assassination of King Faisalin in 1958, Stanwell Place and its surrounding grounds were left deserted, eventually being bought for gravel extraction in the 1960s.
The property's rich history, from its role in the Second World War to its time as a residence for Iraqi royalty, will forever be etched in memory, never to be forgotten. Stay informed about the latest West London news. Sign up for our MyWestLondon newsletter HERE to receive daily updates and more.
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