Honouring the past: The remarkable history of Headley Chase
News / 10 November 2025
This Remembrance Day, as we pause to reflect on the courage and sacrifice of those who served our nation, we are reminded of the many places across Britain that quietly carry their stories.
One such place is Headley, set in the heart of the Surrey Hills, an area of national significance and enduring beauty.
Here, amid 17 acres of picturesque parkland, our new development Headley Chase stands within a landscape deeply rooted in the nation’s history of service, healing and resilience. As we look back this November, we honour the remarkable legacy of Headley Court, a place that has long embodied the spirit of care, recovery and remembrance.
From country house to centre of recovery
The story of Headley Court begins in the late 19th century, when the estate was acquired by the Cunliffe family in 1879. Lord Cunliffe, Governor of the Bank of England, commissioned architect Edward Warren to design a new mansion on the site of an earlier Elizabethan farmhouse. Completed in 1899, the result was a grand yet graceful country residence surrounded by sweeping parkland, a hallmark of English country living.
During the Second World War, Headley Court was requisitioned by the Royal Air Force and served as the headquarters for VII Corps and later the Canadian Corps. The surrounding Headley Heath was used for training exercises, embedding the estate firmly in Britain’s wartime story.
In 1946, the site took on a new and enduring purpose. Purchased with funds raised by the Royal Air Force Pilots and Crews Fund, Headley Court became the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre (DMRC), a pioneering facility dedicated to the recovery of injured service personnel.
A legacy of care and courage
For over 70 years, DMRC Headley Court stood as a beacon of hope and innovation. Soldiers, sailors and airmen who had sustained life-changing injuries in conflicts from the Falklands and Gulf Wars to Iraq and Afghanistan came here to rebuild their strength and rediscover their independence.
The rehabilitation experience was unlike that of any conventional hospital. The peaceful surroundings, with open lawns, woodland paths and long views across the Surrey countryside became part of the therapy itself. The estate offered a therapeutic landscape, where patients could progress gradually from indoor recovery to walking through gardens and finally to sports fields and community reintegration.
Supported by charities such as Help for Heroes and SSAFA, the centre developed world-class facilities for prosthetics, hydrotherapy and sports-based rehabilitation.
The ethos was clear: healing the body and mind through community, movement and nature.
In 2018, the DMRC’s work continued at a new, purpose-built facility in Stanford Hall, Leicestershire, yet the legacy of Headley Court endures as a symbol of national gratitude and compassion.
A new chapter: from healing to home
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Headley Court once again opened its doors to serve the nation, this time as the NHS Seacole Centre, named in honour of pioneering nurse Mary Seacole. It became England’s first dedicated step-down rehabilitation hospital for patients recovering from COVID-19, continuing the estate’s remarkable association with care and recovery.
Today, as Headley Chase brings new life to this historic landscape, that same spirit of resilience and renewal lives on. The development honours the estate’s heritage while creating homes that reflect a modern vision of countryside living where nature, community and wellbeing come together.
Headley today: heritage, nature and connection
Living in Headley offers an unparalleled experience. First recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as “Hallega”, meaning “a clearing in the heather”, the village retains its tranquil charm and sense of timelessness. Surrounded by Headley Heath, a National Trust site of open heathland and woodland trails, residents enjoy access to some of Surrey’s most beautiful landscapes while remaining within easy reach of London and the South East.
At its heart stands St Mary’s Church, built in 1855, a lasting symbol of Headley’s village community. Excellent schools, renowned golf clubs, fine restaurants and historic pubs add to the appeal, making Headley a rare blend of rural peace and connected living.
Honouring the past, embracing the future
As we mark Remembrance Day, the story of Headley Court reminds us of the enduring values of courage, compassion and renewal. From its role in supporting wounded service personnel to its continued association with care and community, the estate’s legacy is one of quiet heroism and national gratitude.
At Elivia Homes, we are proud to carry that spirit forward. Headley Chase not only respects the heritage of this extraordinary setting but builds upon it, creating homes that celebrate connection with nature, community and wellbeing.
This November, as we remember those who gave so much, Headley stands as a living testament to resilience in the past, present and future.