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This was the home of Benjamin Disraeli(1804-81) who lived here with his wife from 1848 until his death in 1881. The couple loved Hughenden and spent all the time they could here.
Historically, Disraeli was England's first and only Jewish Prime Minister, in which capacity he served his country twice. Queen Victoria created him Earl of Beaconsfield, and unlike William Gladstone, the Queen is said to have got along very well with Disraeli. It was at his instigation that Victoria accepted the title "Empress of India" she wholly approved of his imperialist views and his desire to make Britain the most powerful nation in the world.
Though impressive, Hughenden is revered more as the home of Disraeli and for its associations with some of the most illustrious persons of his era, than it is for its architectural merit.
Disraeli originally purchased the house in 1847, and at one time there was rumour that he was unable to totally support the estate himself and borrowed the money from his friend Lord George Bentinck. This seems curious, for when he married Mrs Wyndham Lewis in 1839, she was an extremely wealthy widow and Disraeli is known to have admitted initially marrying her for money. Whatever, the marriage was successful and the pair are known to have been very content together.
In 1862 the architect Edward Buckton Lamb worked on the house, he faced the exterior with red brick and gave the building its look of typical Victorian splendour, with many pinnacles and arches.
The interior is not as ornate as one would hope, there are simple archways leading from one room to another, Gothic style ceilings and chimneypieces.
Many of the rooms on display still contain furniture and paintings belonging to the Disraeli's, these remain much as they did when they lived there. The house does not lack a "lived in" feel, although it does appear to be mainly a museum dedicated to his long political career, with visitors being able to see an extensive range of memorabilia, with letters and pictures of all the people he had known during his life, including Queen Victoria, who visited him at Hughenden in 1877.
Mary Anne Disraeli devoted much of her time to the gardens, and although following her death they became altered and lay with parts neglected, these are being restored back to their former peaceful prettiness. Visitors can expect to enjoy a variety of plants and flowers, with woodland and riverside offering pleasant places to enjoy a quiet stroll.
Hughenden Manor is in the hands of the National Trust, it is open to the public from March to November. There is a shop and restaurant facilities.
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