Going to your first whisky or wine festival can be a delightful experience, if you know what to expect and are organised. Initially, you’ll want to check the obvious things, such as knowing what time the tasting session are, what your ticket does and doesn’t cover etc. When it comes to enjoying the festival itself, you’ll want to know the … Read More
Harrow Wine Festival
Further to the success of our popular wine tasting evenings and the annual Harrow Whisky festival, the Grim’s Dyke Hotel is delighted to be bringing you our first full wine festival – the Harrow Wine Festival. We’re looking to provide you with a wide range of vineyards – both covering the world perspective and the main English/Welsh wine regions. UK … Read More
Harrow Whisky Festival
The Grim’s Dyke Hotel is delighted to bring you the annual Harrow Whisky Festival. The 2016 festival was an immense success and 2017 promises to be even better – with 50% more exhibitors, additional exhibitor space and many of your favourites – so make sure you snap up your ticket early, before the festival inevitably sells out! The Harrow Whisky … Read More
Wedding Trends for 2017
Wedding at The Grim’s Dyke: Photo Credit Neil Sampson Photography The Grim’s Dyke hotel is the number one wedding location for the bride who wants the best on her wedding day. We have both the fairy tale location and the beautiful grounds – all of which can be hired out, exclusively for your big day. But planning a wedding involves … Read More
D’Oyly: the man who initiated the Gilbert & Sullivan collaboration
Richard D’Oyly Carte, English composer, talent agent, impresario and hotelier, was born in the West End of London on 3rd May 1844. He was instrumental in bringing together W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, as well funding and creating two of London’s theatres, an opera company and the incredibly successful Savoy chain of hotels. Carte was born into a family that appreciated … Read More
The Victorian Apiary
One of the more unusual features of any well-to-do Victorian estate was an apiary, and Grim’s Dyke was no exception. W.S. and Lady Gilbert had (along with a vinery, farms and an orchard), an apiary at Grim’s Dyke – but what is an Apiary and why was it so popular? What is an Apiary? An apiary is a bee yard … Read More
The Bab Ballads
Sir William Schwenck Gilbert’s impressive creative output included over 75 plays and libretti, along with numerous stories and poems. These included poems of light verse, that later became known as the ‘Bab Ballads’. The Bab Ballads The Bab Ballads were originally written for the magazine, ‘Fun’. In 1861 ‘Fun’ was launched, under the editorship of H J Byron. Gilbert, looking to supplement his … Read More
How much was W.S. Gilbert financially worth?
W.S. Gilbert was obviously a man of some considerable wealth. He also illustrated his financial prowess, looking to invest his money into property – ensuring he could leave a lasting legacy for both Lady Gilbert and Nancy McIntosh after his death. It was during, what was considered to be the peak years of the Gilbert & Sullivan collaboration, that W.S. … Read More
W.S. Gilbert – Justice of the Peace
During his early career, William Schwenck Gilbert had a brief career as a barrister. Although his legal practice wasn’t very successful, with only five clients a year, his calling to the bar in 1863, stood him in good stead for his later role, as a Justice of the Peace for Middlesex. W.S. Gilbert as Justice of the Peace for Middlesex … Read More
Top 10 facts about Grim’s Dyke
Originally a country home, Grim’s Dyke has a wide and varied history, not only because of who owned the property over the years, but for who built it and what it subsequently became in later life. It’s one of the few country houses that survived war, recession and demolition – so it’s only fair that we honour that achievement, by … Read More