Club History - The House

In about 1880, to provide accommodation for an increasing family, Roger Cunliffe , then living at nearby Headley Court, commissioned construction of a large house on his land at Tyrrells Wood, selecting a location, no doubt, to take advantage of the magnificent views over surrounding countryside.

Although a family residence in its own right, it came to be regarded as a Shooting Lodge, ancillary to the main house at Headley Court.  Shooting parties were a regular feature for residents and guests and, whilst no positive evidence exists, there is a popular belief that guests contributed a sapling or two to the development of the grounds.  This would account for the rich variety of trees still to be seen today and certainly provides inspiration for the continuing work of our Arboreal Group.

Mrs. Roger Cunliffe was extremely proud of the garden and grounds and took full responsibility for plantings, pruning etc.  She survived her husband by seventeen years, living at Tyrrells Wood until she died in 1912.  The Tyrrells Wood Estate was sold to Major Henry Keswick M.P. but other areas of land were retained by eldest son, Walter.  He had earlier been given Headley Court and went on to extend and upgrade it, during a career which included becoming Governor of the Bank of England from 1913 to 1918 with responsibilities for control of the finances of the First World War.

Combining the roles of M.P., soldier and senior manager, the Major must have led a very
hectic life with little time spent at Tyrrells Wood.  During his absences, the property was
rented to the Hultons (of The Hulton Press, publishers of the renowned Picture Post)
who developed a great friendship with Lord Beaverbrook, also a publisher and an elected
M.P., whose residence was Cherkley Court.  A period of high political involvement ensued.

In his book “When I was a Child”, Edward Hulton wrote... “Soon after we took Tyrrels Wood
(note the one “l”), we became on intimate terms with the Beaverbrook family”.  He records
also that Lloyd George, who had a small house at Walton Heath so that he could play
golf, virtually negotiated a new Treaty with Persia “in our dining room, with the Persian
Foreign Minister, Prince Firouz”.  He also refers to the fact that Hulton and Beaverbrook
had a good deal to do with the removal of Mr. Asquith and his replacement by Lloyd George,
and also to the frequent presence of Andrew Bonar Law who took over as Chancellor of
the Exchequer when Lloyd George became Prime Minister.  The Hultons purchased
nearby Downside and left Tyrrels Wood in 1919.

Henry Keswick had handed over his Parliamentary seat to Sir Rowland Blades and, having
lost his long term tenants, arranged for the sale, by auction in 1920, of Tyrrells Wood.  For reasons unknown, the Estate was not sold but it may be speculated that Keswick decided to follow a trend of turning House and Estate into a golf complex.  Such “Country House” golf developments were the subject of a series of articles in Golf Monthly and were described by J.H. Taylor in his autobiography “Golf: My Lifes Work”.  In any event, The Dorking/Leatherhead Advertiser reported in 1923 that the house had been altered and extended in order to equip it
as a “thoroughly commodious and up-to-date” Golf Club House and the original course laid out ready “to be opened for regular play by Whitsuntide”.  The Club House is now a listed Grade II building.