The earliest records show a church on this site in the twelfth century built by Geoffrey de Clinton sometime between 1100 and 1135. Geoffrey or his successor later made over the manor of Hughenden including the church to the priory of Kenilworth and it seems that the monks established a small priory in what is now Church House.

A small chapel and a bell tower were added in the thirteenth century on the north side, and later still a small nave, about half the length of the present one was added, and a rounded Norman Arch used for the porch, though where this was originally we do not know. By 1870 the church was in a very bad state of repair, and the vicar, Canon Blagdon, with considerable financial help from his father-in-law, James Searight, set about rebuilding it. He raised the floor of the chancel, altered the pitch of the roof in the vestry, rebuilt the nave, moved the tower to its present position and raised it two stories. The result is an interesting example of Victorian Church architecture at its best.*

The Disraeli tomb in the churchyard is a large crypt containing the remains of a number of members of the Disraeli family. It was finally sealed when the last member of the family was buried there in 1967. For the Earl’s funeral use was made of the natural slope of the ground from West to East, and a cutting was dug from the line of the present hedge to the door of the crypt enabling the bearers to carry the coffin right into the crypt.

One of the names on the tomb is not Disraeli. Mrs Brydges Williams, a great admirer of the statesman, offered to make him her heir if she might be buried alongside him. Her offer was accepted, and her body now lies in the crypt in Hughenden churchyard.*

• Information from St Michael & All Angels website

Statesman Benjamin Disraeli and his wife Mary Anne had a significant influence on the styling of the country manor you see today. Disraeli hired architect Edward Buckton-Lamb to complete the transformation of Hughenden from a Georgian white stuccoed building into a Victorian country retreat. As you move through the rooms you will see the personalities of both husband and wife reflected in their tastes, and their status as rising members of Victorian high society.

Disraeli purchased Hughenden in 1848, shortly after becoming leader of the Conservative Party. Securing the manor was vital to the realisation of his political ambitions and his personal aspirations, and elevated him to the status of landed country gentleman.

In the main house the rooms are recreated as Disraeli would have known them, with the library full of his beloved books and the dining room set for Queen Victoria’s visit in 1877.

On the first floor is his study, bedroom and Mary Anne’s boudoir along with the black silk robe worn by Disraeli as Chancellor of the Exchequer, which he notoriously refused to give up. A special display ‘Treasured’ celebrates 125 years of National Trust care, through pieces from the Hughenden collection with a story to tell.

On the top floor is a timeline of Disraeli’s history and a special exhibition, The Royal Gifts of Hughenden, based on Disraeli’s close friendship with Queen Victoria.

The rooms in the west wing tell the story of Hughenden’s requisition by the Air Ministry in 1941 when the manor became home to a secret map-making operation, code-named Hillside.