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Syon House and Park, London

Syon House is a grand ducal mansion set in forty acres of gardens in Brentford Middlesex. Syon was originally the site of a medieval abbey, named after Mount Zion in the Holy Land. The abbey was visited by Catherine of Aragon. But during Henry the Eighth's break with the Roman Catholic church the abbey was dissolved, and its stubborn Father Confessor, Richard Reynolds, executed.

After the suppression of the abbey the estate fell into the hands of the crown and became the property of the 1st Duke of Somerset, the Lord Protector of Henry the Eighth's young son Edward the Sixth. Somerset built Syon House over the foundations of the west end of the abbey church. When the Duke of Somerset was executed by a vengeful Mary in 1552 Syon was acquired by his rival John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland who became Edward's second unofficial, and self serving Lord Protector. Dudley's son had married Lady Jane Grey, the great grand-daughter of Henry the Seventh. It was at Syon that a tearful and reluctant Jane was offered the crown, and persuaded to accept it. Nine days later she was displaced by Mary Tudor.

Opening Times: Syon House is open from 19th March to 26th October on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays 11am - 5pm. Some bank holidays are also included. The gardens are open 10.30am - 5pm, last admission 4pm. Miniature steam train rides are available in the park on Sundays during the summer and on some bank holidays.

Directions: Syon House is beside the Thames off the A315 in Brentford Middlesex. Click here for an interactive map entred on Syon House.

Access: there is no wheelchair access in the house. Adapted toilet facilities are available. .

Contact: 020 8560 0881