Witley Park hidden party destination lies beneath Surrey lake

Hidden beneath a lake in the Surrey countryside is one of the county’s most unusual landmarks – an underwater room built to impress wealthy guests.

The structure, known as the Witley Underwater Ballroom, was created as part of Witley Park, near Godalming, around the turn of the 20th Century by financier James Whitaker Wright.

Despite its name, the room was not designed for dancing. Visitors used it as a place to socialise beneath a glass dome under the surface of the lake.

Architectural historian Matthew Beckett said the chamber was created as part of Whitaker Wright’s ambition to entertain influential guests and showcase his wealth, reflecting the extravagance of the late Victorian era.