Savill Court Hotel a brief History
The first tangible evidence of the house that has become Savill Court is on the maps dated from 1815-1817. This was originally Common Land on what was known as Hurst Heath. The land was once part of the Chertsey Abbey Estate and later became Crown Land. The first house here was a straight section with wings projecting at either end.
The next map, dated 1896, shows the house extended as a villa and pleasure grounds and included stables, yard buildings, gardener's cottages, kitchen garden etc. The house was first owned by a widow called Hannah Knowles, then by a Reverend and later by a colonel.
The house was just called Heath Lodge and was actually quite small. It is believed that the house was extended in the 1870's but the most dramatic change took place when Baron Schroder bought the house in 1910 to accommodate his family and to extend his inheritance. He also bought a house called The Dell. This is a few yards up the estate at Savill Court. Baron Schroder extended the house and made it rectangular with an inner courtyard. He created 50 bedrooms, a billiard room, a drawing room, a hall of pictures and servant quarters.
During the Second World War the house was used as a service hospital. After the war Baron Schroder lived in London, whilst Marga Schroder stayed at the house with a cook, butler and housekeeper. When Marga Schroder died in 1977 the butler lived alone in the house for three and a half years until it was sold in 1980. It was rather run down and uncared for but work was soon started on conversion from an English Country House to the hotel it is today.
Article copyright http://www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/.
Englefield Green