Embley Park - The House

The House

In 1826, Florence Nightingale's father purchased Embley Park house for the family to use as a permanent residence with Lea Hurst being used as a summer residence. The house was the larger of the two and was described as:

“a good-sized plain square house of the late Georgian period, the situation warm and sheltered, the gardens very large and exceptionally fine. The shooting was good, London was reasonably near, and Fanny’s two married sisters, Mrs Nicholson at Waverley Abbey near Farnham and Mrs Bonham-Carter at Fair Oak, near Winchester, were within easy reach.”

Florence Nightingale claimed she had received her first divine calling from God in 1837 at Embley whilst she was sat underneath a tree in the grounds. She then stayed here after her return from the Crimea for some time before returning for visits whilst living in London. After her death in London in 1910 her body was brought by train back to Romsey and her coffin carried from the station to the church at East Wellow where she is buried.