Available from Spring to October, this 45-minute vineyard tour takes visitors at a leisurely pace to some of the most beautiful viewing points in the vineyard. A recorded commentary enhances your trip making this an informative and comfortable way to experience the magnificent panoramic views of the Denbies Estate and the North Downs. Throughout the seasons the changing scenery captures the imagination, from the first sign of life in spring to fulsome vines in autumn. An experience not to be missed! Your tour starts in the unique circular cinema. The 20 minute surround vision film, full of amazing special effects instantly transports you into the magical world of wine. Fly over the beautiful North Downs and witness the breathtaking landscape from a bird's eye view. Experience the wonder of the vineyard at its most spectacular moments throughout the year and learn about the process from vine to bottle. It will leave you gasping for more! Leaving the cinema you are transported at ease by our indoor "people mover". Passing through the working winery with a full commentary you will see the equipment used in today’s wine production. From the grape press to the fermentation tanks and eventually to the bottling line, learn how one of the world’s most ancient crafts is now perfected with the help of modern technology. Your journey ends in the magnificent Denbies cellars where you will be guided through three specially selected wines to taste and enjoy. The winery tour lasts approximately 50 minutes and is entirely within the building. History of Denbies With thanks and much more on Denbies website http://www.denbiesvineyard.co.uk/default.asp On top of Ashcombe hill (now Ranmore hill) was a farm where John Denby was at one time the farmer. The farmhouse was purchased by a Mr .Wakeford who sold the property in 1754 to Jonathan Tyers, the founder and proprietor of Vauxhall Gardens. He transformed the farm building into a modest Georgian House, which could be regarded as the first ‘Denbies’ House. On Tyer’s death on 1 July 1767 the Estate was purchased by the Hon. Peter King. On his death in 1781 his son, Lord King, sold ‘Denbies’ to James White who, in 1787, sold to Joseph Denison, a London merchant and banker. He died in 1806 leaving a son, William Joseph Denison, who in 1818 became not only the Member of Parliament for West Surrey but the Speaker to the House of Commons. He enlarged the estate by the purchase of land from the Earl of Verulam and the Duke of Norfolk and created extensive gardens. From him it passed to Elizabeth, his daughter and heiress, whose son was Lord Albert Conyngham. He was created Lord Londesborough from whom the Denbies Estate was purchased by Thomas Cubitt in the Autumn of 1850. Thomas Cubitt came to Ranmore at the height of a successful building career. He had developed Belgravia, designed Osborne House on the Isle of Wight for Queen Victoria and built the old east front of Buckingham Palace. He also helped to promote the success of the Great Exhibition in 1851. Thomas Cubitt set about improving the Estate by planting thousands of trees and shrubs and modernising the farm and estate buildings. He demolished the old house built by Jonathan Tyers and erected on higher ground to the south of the old house, a palace in the style of Belgravia. It was built of brick and stucco with flat Italianate detail and a Portland Stone balustrade round the first floor roof. He did not live to enjoy his masterpiece for long – he died on 20 December 1855. Prince Albert had shown interest in Denbies; he visited the property on 15 July 1851 and planted several rare conifers, one of which with commerative plaque survived until the storm of January 1990. Thomas Cubitt built every modern facility into the house including the insulation of the ceilings with snail and other shells, and improved the access to it by having his own siding built at Dorking Railway Station and three entrance drives, one from Dorking a second on to the Downs and a third to the west across the Railway along the Catering road. This latter road ceased to be used in the early 1930’s. Thomas Cubitt had 12 children. His eldest son, George, inherited and in June 1853 he married Laura Joyce, daughter of the Vicar of Dorking. In 1892 he became the first Lord Ashcombe after being Member of Parliament from 1865 first for West Surrey and later for Mid Surrey. With true Victorian Empire-building spirit he created his own Village on the Hill and the estate extended northwards as far as Admiral’s Road at Polesdon Lacey and included parts of all the surrounding parishes. In the Tithe Map of 1898 Lord Ashcombe is recorded as owning 241a.3r.2p in Bookham. Thomas Cubitt’s house was demolished in 1953. In 1859 George Cubitt built the church, St. Barnabas on Ranmore, to the design of Sir Gilbert Scott RA which was consecrated on All Saints Day of that year. He also built a School, St. Barnabas, and a School House near the Church in 1858 and an Infant’s Department was added in 1874. The School was enlarged in 1909 and closed in July 1972. At its peak it could accommodate 124 pupils. The Dispensary was a cottage nearby where the Bookham or Dorking Doctors visited once a week to attend to the estate employees. In the Dispensary cottage a Training School was run for the daughters of estate works to learn the ways of domestic service in a big house; it was run for many years by Miss Laura Hale. The girls had 12 months training and were kitted out. Some of the girls were absorbed into the Denbies’ household, others were found situations with other members of the family or in other great houses. The School closed in 1928. Lord Ashcombe, who died in 1917, was succeeded by his only son, Henry, who had moved into Denbies well prior to his father’s death. Henry (second baron) had six sons but sadly lost three of them who gave their lives for their Country in the Great War of 1914/18. His fourth son, Roland, became the third baron on Henry’s death in 1947. It was Roland who had his forefather, Thomas Cubitt’s house, demolished in 1953. The demolition contractor is alleged to have failed financially just prior to completion of his work such that the basement level existed till 1990 adjoining the current Denbies House which itself dates back to the middle of the last century and served as the laundry, staff quarters and coach house to Thomas Cubitt’s home. Lord Ashcombe the fourth, Henry (Harry) was Roland’s eldest son and he inherited the title on his father’s death in 1962. Henry and his father, who were limited by the restrictions on building imposed after the Second World War, undertook a refurbishment of ‘the laundry’ and created an impressive Regency style residence. In November 1984, Adrian E White CBE DL, a Dorking based businessman and engineer purchased the Denbies Estate from the fourth Lord Ashcombe, and embarked upon a complete refurbishment of both farms (Denbies and Bradley) the Denbies House and its Estates properties. The Estate now comprises 627 acres, 200 of which are woodlands, and includes 10 estate houses. There is no known connection between the current owner and his name-sake James White, who owned Denbies 200 years earlier who could well be the same James White who was a well known auctioneer in Dorking. Adrian and Gillian White have five children, one daughter and four sons. It is for them that the Estate has been developed to optimise the use of the land with today’s difficult balance between preservation and conservation, at a time when Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community (Common Market) has made farming a questionable investment. Lateral thinking, because of farming’s depressing position, led to the development of the Estate’s south facing slopes, of little grazing value, into a vineyard. Dr. Selley, Professor of Geology at Imperial College, London and long-time Dorking resident, had suggested that Adrian White consider planting vines in view of the similarity of Denbies soil and climate to that of the Champagne area of France. Subsequently research revealed that vines had thrived in the area previously. In AD 100 the Romans planted a vineyard at Bagden Farm, less than 350 yards from Denbies Estate. In Daniel Defoe’s ‘A Tour Through the Whole Islands of Great Britain’, written in the early eighteen century, we read of Charles Howard of Deepdene House, laying down a vineyard on the south facing slopes of Dorking, “which, they say, has produced since most excellent good wines, and a very great quantity of them.” It is interesting to note that in the early 1680’s Defoe was at school near Dorking. The vineyards of Denbies Estate are situated on the North Downs with its famous chalky soil, in a protected valley of south facing slopes. A total 265 acres have been planted which is three times the size of any other in the United Kingdom and has met the promise of producing some of the finest sparkling and table wines in Europe through repeated certification in the annual International Wine Challenge |
