Syon House

Lonely Planet review

Just across the Thames from Kew Gardens, Syon House started life as a medieval abbey named after Mt Zion, but in 1542 Henry VIII dissolved the order of Bridgettine nuns peacefully established there and had the abbey rebuilt into a handsome residence. (In 1547, they say, God got his revenge when Henry's coffin was brought to Syon en route to Windsor for burial and burst open during the night, leaving the king's body to the estate's hungry dogs.)

The house from where Lady Jane Grey ascended the throne for her nine-day reign in 1553 was remodelled in the neoclassical style by Robert Adam in the 18th century and has plenty of Adam furniture and oak panelling. The interior was designed along gender-specific lines, with pastel pinks and purples for the ladies' gallery, and mock Roman sculptures for the men's dining room. The estate's 16-hectare gardens, including a lake and the landmark Great Conservatory (1820), were landscaped by Capability Brown. Syon Park is filled with all kinds of attractions for children, including an adventure playground, aquatic park and trout fishery.