Suggestions for Estate/Manor Tours with Tea around London

I would say something within an hour of central London would be ideal, so I suppose in the surround 30 miles or so. And really more looking for suggestions from anyone who has visited something and can recommend it.

How about Osterley Park? It's owned by the National Trust and has a tea room. It is also 1 mile from Osterley station on the Piccadilly Line. Rus in urbe.

Car or bus or train?

Most stately homes are in their own grounds which are well into the countryside so difficult without a car.

If you like world class gardens RHS Wisley is just outside the M25 off the A3. They also make some very tasty cakes and scones. https://www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley

A bit further out is National Trust's (and still occupied by Rothschilds) Waddesdon Manor http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/waddesdon-manor/ have a look at the photos on the website, and they do fabulous teas. It is north of the Chilterns, between the M40 and the M1.

I second Nigel's suggestion of Waddesdon Manor. It is quite fabulous and more like a French chateau than a British stately home. Loved it.

Thanks for all the suggestions! And most likely via public transit.

Hatfield House is a gorgeous home with a very nice cafe/restaurant....it's where Elizabeth the first learned she was Queen of England. The family still lives there and the house and gardens are stunning.

Wrong direction, I think, but how about Hatfield House? It's especially good if you are interested in Tudor/Elizabethan history; they have a couple of important portraits of Elizabeth I. Even if you're not, it's definitely a stately home. I especially enjoyed the library and we actually ran out of time before we could see the kitchens; we spent all day. The grounds are enormous and we saw only a small fraction of the gardens and did not make it to the farm. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit there last fall. The restaurant does offer afternoon tea, or at least they did last fall, although you may need to book. The food was quite good. A highlight for us, besides the amazing docents, was the tour of Old Palace. The train ride was about half an hour or a bit less, if I recall correctly. The entrance to the house (well, the driveway leading to the main entrance) is pretty much directly opposite the train station, so no car or taxi is needed.

Have a great trip!

Knole House on the edge of Sevenoaks is a good one, a short taxi or bus from the station, or only half an hour's walk. Trains to Sevenoaks are quite frequent and go from Charing Cross, Cannon Street (weekdays only) and a few from St Pancras.