Ditchley Park, Chipping Norton
About Ditchley Park
Ditchley Park is one of the United Kingdom’s finest houses, having a rich history as an idyllic retreat for royalty and power since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century. Churchill famously used Ditchley as a secret base during the early years of World War II, meeting presidential envoy Harry Hopkins here in his efforts to win American support.
Ditchley was founded as a privately-funded charity in 1958 by the philanthropist Sir David Wills to support the Transatlantic Alliance between the United States and Europe by bringing decision-makers and experts together in a unique and inspiring setting. He was moved to act by painful memories of the Second World War and the dangers of the Cold War.
Ditchley Park is an extraordinary place. Its story is about people and what they can achieve when they work together.
Venue hire
Ditchley is a home, albeit on a grand scale, rather than a hotel, and it retains country house traditions. Its unique quality comes from its tranquil atmosphere, beautiful rural setting, extraordinary history, and contemporary purpose as the home of the Ditchley Foundation.
It offers a temporary respite from the demands of the 21st century. The house offers complete seclusion and privacy within a four thousand acre farming estate located only one and a half hours from central London.
When not being used by the Ditchley Foundation, Ditchley Park hosts selected private events for other institutions and companies on an exclusive-use basis. Ditchley Park also offers tours by private groups interested in Ditchley’s beauty, history, art and architecture.
The mansion and grounds are available for film and television location hire and specialist photography.
Please note that due to the nature of the mansion, Ditchley Park is ideal for residential conferences or day events such as focus groups, board meetings and strategy discussions, but is unsuitable for wedding receptions and other social functions.
