Royal Berkshire Hotel

Royal Berkshire Hotel
Royal Berkshire Hotel
Location within Berkshire
Hotel chain	Exclusive Hotels
General information
Address	London Road Sunninghill Ascot Berkshire SL5 0PP United Kingdom
Coordinates	51°24′25.12″N 0°37′57.82″W / 51.4069778°N 0.6327278°W / 51.4069778; -0.6327278
Opening	1705

The Royal Berkshire Hotel is a country house hotel within a noteworthy example of a late Queen Anne mansion previously called The Oaks and located at Ascot in the English county of Berkshire.

The red-brick mansion was originally built in 1705 as the home of Sir Robert Walpole's daughter, Lady Mary, and Charles Churchill, great nephew of the first Duke of Marlborough and relation of Sir Winston Churchill.

The building was named The Oaks for many years after its construction, but became known as Little Paddocks at the start of the 20th century when it was owned by Colonel Sir James Horlick (of the malted milk hot drink company) until his family decided to donate the grounds to serve as a school for the blind. The building stayed as a school until the late 1960s, and the modern day tennis courts within the grounds are the final resting location of several of the facility's guide dogs.

Modern use of the building as a hotel began in 1971, when the Hoffman family, experienced European hoteliers, renovated the property.

In 2011, the property was purchased by Exclusive Hotels, via the group's sister brand EH Venues.

The Churchill family built the Royal Berkshire Hotel, Sunninghill in 1705 and one of the earliest residents was Charles Churchill and his wife Lady Mary Churchill who was the daughter of the Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole.

Charles Churchill (1720-1812) was the son of Lieutenant-General Charles Churchill (1679-1745) and Anne Oldfield. In his youth he joined the military and became a Colonel. He then resigned and became a Member of Parliament. He was closely associated with the Walpole family and in 1846 married Lady Mary (sometimes called Maria) Walpole the favourite daughter of Sir Robert Walpole. The pair were frequent visitors to Strawberry Hill House which was the residence of Horace Walpole, Mary’s half-brother. A painting that was hanging in the Strawberry Hill house depicting the couple and their eldest son Charles Churchill (1747-1786) is shown. Lady Mary became housekeeper at the nearby Windsor Castle and held this position for over twenty years.