Please note that the postcard from series
ended in 2004 and that descriptions of shops and services were correct at
time of going to press
Where is it:
The Sandringham Estate covers more than 20,000 acres. It is eight
miles from King’s Lynn, off the A149 coast road to Hunstanton.
Tell me a bit of history.
Sandringham House was once described
as “the most comfortable house in England”. It was built
in 1870 for the Prince and Princess of Wales, later King Edward
VII and Queen Alexandra. Practically unchanged since Edwardian times,
the ground-floor rooms, which are used by the Royal Family, are
open to the public when the family is not in residence. Queen Alexandra,
and later, Queen Mary, collected many objets d’art, and a
fine collection of porcelain, jade and crystal Oriental figures
are on display. Sandringham House has been passed down as a private
home through four generations of British monarchs.
Interior of a small drawing room at Sandringham
How often is the Royal Family in residence?
The Royal Family plays
an important role in the West Norfolk community.
The late Queen Mother was patron of the annual flower show, which
is a major event in the horticultural calendar. The Prince of Wales
has attended the last two flower shows with his companion, Camilla
Parker-Bowles. The Queen Mother was also president of Sandringham
Women’s Institute, and would traditionally attend a meeting
during her Christmas visit. The Royal Family’s association
with Sandringham WI is being carried on by the Queen, who was treated
this year to a reading by the poet Pam Ayres. The Royal Family traditionally
spend the Christmas holidays at Sandringham, attracting crowds of
hundreds of well-wishers when they attend church; and the Queen
is generally in residence from mid-December until early February.
In the Queen’s golden jubilee year, the monarch held a garden
party at Sandringham for 4000 guests.
What is there to do?
As well as visiting the house itself, and the gardens, about 600
acres of the estate form a designated country park, which is open
to the public free of charge all year round. There are two marked
nature trails and plenty of scenic paths to explore. A fleet of
vintage royal motor vehicles, including the 1939 Merryweather fire
engine which used to serve the estate, can be seen at the museum.
Exhibits also include photographs depicting life on the estate from
the 1860s to the 1960s.
A view of the walled gardens
The Duke of Edinburgh competing in the dressage
section of the driving trials
What events are held at Sandringham?
The flower show is held in July, and a country show and driving
trials, in which the Duke of Edinburgh traditionally takes part,
is also held in the summer.
Where can I get some food and drink?
The visitor centre has a large restaurant selling hot and cold
meals, snacks and drinks. And if you fancy taking home a taste of
Sandringham, juice made from apples grown in the estate’s
orchards is on sale at the centre.
Any other points of interest?
Prince John, known as the lost prince, is buried in the churchyard.
The epileptic son of King George V and Queen Mary died in 1919,
aged 13, and a dramatisation of his life was recently screened by
BBC Television. Diana, Princess of Wales, was born at Park House
on the estate. It was once the home of the Spencer family seat,
and the house is now a holiday home for people with disabilities.
