The Grove, Watford

The Grove
red brick stately home surrounded by parkland
The Grove, Watford, Hertfordshire
The Grove, Watford is located in Hertfordshire
The Grove, Watford
Location of the Grove in Hertfordshire
Former namesLa Grava
General information
StatusHotel
TypeEnglish country house
Architectural stylePalladian
LocationChandler's Cross, Hertfordshire
AddressLangleybury Lane, Chandler's Cross, Hertfordshire, WD3 4TG
Town or cityWatford
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates51°40′39″N 0°26′11″W / 51.6774°N 0.4364°W / 51.6774; -0.4364
Construction startedc.1720
Renovatedc.1780, c.1870–5, 1996–2000
OwnerRalph Trustees Limited
Technical details
MaterialRed brick
Design and construction
Architect(s)Sir Robert Taylor
DesignationsGrade II* listed building
Renovating team
Architect(s)Matthew Brettingham, Edward Blore
Website
www.thegrove.co.uk

The Grove is a large hotel in Hertfordshire, England, with a 300–acre (1.2 km2) private park next to the River Gade and the Grand Union Canal. It touches on its north-west corner the M25 motorway and remains a small part in Watford. The estate is situated within three different settlements; most of the land and all of the mansion itself are in the civil parish of Sarratt, and also in the ecclesiastical parish of Langleybury, while the estate lies within the post town of Rickmansworth.

Originally built as an English country house on the site of a medieval manor house, The Grove served as the family seat of the Earls of Clarendon (second creation), the Villiers family, from 1776–c.1920. Since its Georgian construction, The Grove has been altered and extended four times by a number of noted architects, including Surveyor of the King's Works, Robert Taylor.

Following the increase in estate duty in 1914, the Villiers Family sold off the house and estate. Today it is in use as a luxury hotel and golf course. The Grove often hosts major international events, such as the WGC-American Express Championship in 2006, the 2009 G20 London summit, the 2013 Bilderberg Conference and the 2019 NATO Leaders' Meeting.