Boscobel House and the Royal Oak

About

Boscobel House and its famous Royal Oak tree draw you into one of the most dramatic adventure stories in English history – and from this summer, a wide ranging re-presentation will bring it to life as never before.

A picturesque timber-framed house, Boscobel was converted into a hunting lodge, doubling as a hiding place for persecuted Catholics. Forced to flee for his life after Civil War defeat, the young Charles II famously took refuge here in 1651.

The heavily disguised king snatched a dawn snack in Boscobel’s parlour. Then he hid all day in a tree, later called the Royal Oak, while Cromwell’s patrols searched below. After a night in a ‘priest’s hole’ in the house, which you can still see, he relaxed in the garden before travelling on to more adventures, exile in France, and eventual restoration in 1660.

A 19th-century owner revamped Boscobel’s interiors to help tell his story. He also established a thriving Victorian farm, whose animals and activities you can now experience again.

A descendant of the Royal Oak stands a short stroll away, and a pleasant 20-minute trail guides you to White Ladies Priory  another of Charles II’s hiding place