The Lawn Whitchurch · Hampshire Check availability
The Lawn seen across the River Test in spring, with daffodils on the bank and the church spire behind

On the River Test, Hampshire

A riverside country house for sixteen, formerly home to Lord Denning

Check availability

The whole party, under one roof

The Lawn is a large private house in the middle of Whitchurch, with gardens that run down to one of England's most famous chalk streams. It is built for groups who want to be together: long lunches at one table, croquet on the lawn, a drink by the water before dinner, and room for everyone to find a quiet corner afterwards.

You have the whole house and garden to yourselves. The village pubs and shops are a few minutes' walk away, and Winchester is about twenty minutes by car.

The River Test running clear and shallow between grassy banks and trees at the bottom of the garden
The River Test at the bottom of the garden

The house

Light, generous rooms on two floors. All seven bedrooms are upstairs; downstairs there is a kitchen made for cooking for a crowd, a dining room that seats the whole party, the library and two sitting rooms.

The kitchen island with bar stools under a glass lantern, blue walls and shuttered windows
Kitchen An island for everyone to gather round, a range cooker, an American fridge and two dishwashers
The long dining table with white chairs, and French windows open to the garden
Dining room One long table for the whole group
The library with shelves of law reports along two walls, a desk and a red chair
The library Lord Denning's study, now a reading room or meeting space
A cream wood-burning stove in a white fireplace with a gilt mirror above
Sitting rooms Two of them, each with a wood-burner
Master bedroom with a super king bed and windows on two sides
Master bedroom Super king bed and its own shower room
A large, bright double bedroom with a dark leather bed, bedside lamps and tall windows
Church & Garden View Bedroom King and a single, with its own bath and shower room

See all the rooms

Clear, shallow water of the River Test running under overhanging trees

Gardens & River

The River Test runs through the garden

The Test is a chalk stream: gin-clear, shallow and full of trout. About 250 metres of it runs along the bottom of the garden, split by a side stream around an island of grass and trees, with three footbridges to cross by. On the house side there is a wide open lawn, a walled garden with rose arches over its gravel paths, and a poplar plantation along the north edge.

Fishing
Fly fishing only, let through Upstream Dry Fly. Anglers need an Environment Agency rod licence.
Walled garden
Box-edged gravel paths and rose arches between planted beds, a greenhouse and two lawns.
Croquet
A full set on the croquet lawn in the walled garden. It lives in the fishing hut by the river, which is also somewhere to shelter from a shower.
Outdoor dining
A terrace off the dining room with a large table and parasol.
Children
A rope swing over the river and a 30-metre zip wire in the poplar plantation. The river is about 2 feet deep and the bank is unfenced, so young children need watching near the water.
Wooden footbridge over the river, framed by trees The croquet lawn set up with hoops, with the church spire beyond the hedge The terrace table under a white parasol, seen through the open garden doors Rose arch in the walled garden in full bloom
Plan of the house and grounds: the terrace and main lawn, the walled garden with its gravel paths, rose arches, beds, greenhouse and croquet lawn, the fishing hut, the poplar plantation, and the River Test with its side stream, island, three footbridges, rope swing and zip wire
The garden and river, drawn from aerial photography. Not to scale. Tap a number to see a photo. On a phone, swipe sideways to see the whole plan.

Who comes to The Lawn

Family gatheringsThree generations, one table Birthdays & anniversariesGarden drinks and a long dinner Legal & corporate away daysMeet in Lord Denning's library Fishing partiesEarly starts on the Test Christmas & New YearFires lit, everyone home Friends' weekendsCroquet, pubs and the river

What guests say

4.84 out of 5 from 249 reviews on Airbnb

“A magnificent house steeped in history, with grounds to die for. It was perfect for a multi-generational get together.”

Alistair · February 2026

“The kitchen is stocked up with everything you could possibly need for a big group weekend away. The two dishwashers were a lifesaver.”

Lucia · July 2026 · 14 guests

“The Lawn is the perfect place for large groups… Any lawyers staying will enjoy the family history of the property!”

Nancy · March 2026 · 14 guests

Location

Easy to reach, in the heart of the village

The brick gate piers and gravel drive at the entrance to The Lawn
By train
Direct from London Waterloo to Whitchurch, fastest 57 minutes. The station is a short taxi ride from the house.
By car
Just off the A34 and A303. Winchester is about 20 minutes away. Parking for 7 cars.
On foot
Village pubs, a Co-op and a Tesco Express, and Whitchurch Silk Mill with its riverside café.
Nearby
Highclere Castle, Salisbury, Stonehenge and the Test Way footpath.
Winchester CathedralWinchesterCathedral, shops and restaurants, about 20 minutes Stockbridge high street beside the riverStockbridgeThe fly-fishing capital of England, full of galleries and cafés Blue gin bottles at the Bombay Sapphire DistilleryBombay Sapphire DistilleryTours and tastings at Laverstoke, on the same river
Lord and Lady Denning standing on the old iron bridge in front of the house

A house with a story

Lord Denning's home for almost forty years

Tom Denning, the best-known English judge of the twentieth century, was born in Whitchurch in 1899. In 1962, the year he became Master of the Rolls, he came home to The Lawn, and he lived here until his death in 1999 at the age of 100.

Read the history of The Lawn

Check dates and ask us anything

Tell us your dates and how many of you there are, and we'll reply within a day with availability and a price. Bookings that include a Friday or Saturday night are for at least two nights.

Phone 07968 748 533 Email contactus@thelawnwhitchurch.co.uk

Prefer Airbnb? Book The Lawn there.