Lara's humble abode resides in Surrey, London. It's a posh testimony to her success as a raider of tombs, and it's also a fine training ground. There's even interesting puzzles to solve at the mansion. Her home has evolved along with the series, The "basement" has been altered from a small storage area that contained Lara's historical artifacts, to an enormous aquarium. The ball room has now been sectioned off for the dining area and gymnasium. Lara finally purchased a tellie to replace her tumbling mat, and a hidden Trophy Room (which can only be accessed by the quickest of raiders) displays all of her findings from past to present. Lets not forget the indoor pool area for diving and swimming practice...this girls got it all! The Estate did not go through many changes from the 1st to the 2nd game. Outside among the grounds, a hedge maze secretly held the switch that unlocked the basement door, and a assault course that tests your agility and reflexes. There is no real reason to go over the courses blow by blow since it's just high-end extrapolation on techniques the game itself teaches you. Lara will provide a narration on how to complete each task, and the stereo adds a little mood music for the workout. In TR3 the hedge maze has been turned into a quad-bike racetrack, but it can't be accessed without a gate key.

In the movie Croft Manor was slightly different, to see some photos of Croft Manor from the movie just click on the thumbnails below (Thanks to TR Movie.com for the images).

To see a map of how to get to Croft Manor click here.

TR2 Hedge maze

As you enter the maze continue left all the way around the outer perimeter until you reach the first right opening along the pathway. drop down into the pit a follow the underground passage-way to find a switch that opens the hidden basement door (which is located inside the house, right of the clock) After you activate the switch Quickly roll and fall back into the underground passage-way to follow the path back out of the maze! Then run across the grounds into the house and to the right of the clock. You will now see a open door leading downstairs. This obstacle is timed, so you only have seconds to compete this task.

TR3 The Racetrack Key:

As you arrive at Lara's home, open the closet near the bed. It's dark inside, but the space is small: search and find the flares. On the second floor walkway, above the stairs, is a door with a button beside it. Through the door and up the stairs is the attic. Pop a flare and discover the moveable box. Push it twice. Go back down to the second floor-leaving the attic door open-and into the library, opposite Lara's bedroom. On the right as you enter, a book protrudes from the bookcase. Push it in, and the fire in the nearby fireplace goes out. Climb up the chimney, and move the boxes. One is sitting atop more flares, the other slides to reveal a hallway-that's the box that you pushed earlier in the attic, and the hallway leads back there. Throw the switch, and a door opens on the first floor, in the short hall leading to the gym. You have to sprint to make it inside, but only sprint in a straight line, or you invariably wind up smacking into a wall. There's no time to spare on smacking. To shave a few seconds off, realize that you can jump the banister out of the attic door, run down the stairs a few steps, then jump to the right and roll. At that point, the door that has opened is only a few meters in front of you, on the right. Down in the basement, more the box over beneath the hole in the ceiling, then jump, grab, and pull up into the hallway. At the end of the hall is an entrance to the gigantic aquarium. In the aquarium is the racetrack key.

TR3 The Trophy Room:

On the diving platform near the pool is a button. Press it, and a small alcove near the front door opens. Throw the switch in the alcove, then roll and sprint, finishing with a dive as the Trophy Room door slides shut. To get out, use the switch by the door. Twice.

Lara's Estate (in game play form) is not present in TR4 nor TRC... Hopefully it will be returning with many more changes and challenges