Dining Room

The manor itself has stood on this site since at least the Domesday Book of 1086, though nothing of the original structure remains. The current building owes much to Thomas Western, who constructed the previous room in 1738 on the foundations of an even older house—a remarkable legacy inherited by the Stanfords of Preston.

This grand dining room has played host to many notable figures drawn to the intellectual atmosphere cultivated at Preston Manor. Among the esteemed guests were Rudyard Kipling, Cecil Rhodes, and even royalty, with Princess Beatrice once gracing the table. Such visits reflected the social prominence of the household and the esteem in which its residents were held.

Of course, a home of such standing required impeccable upkeep, though even the finest servants occasionally fell short of expectations. The demands of maintaining order and propriety were ever-present, ensuring that life at Preston Manor remained as polished as its distinguished reputation.