HISTORIC HOUSES of SUSSEX
You're sure to love the warmth and welcome of this
beautiful home, a show piece of the late 19th-century arts and Crafts movement. The
richness of the William Morris textiles and wallpapers, complemented by
furniture, ceramics and pictures of the time, together ensure a wonderfully
relaxing atmosphere.
Inside the Conservatory
Afterwards, why not stroll around the beautiful hillside garden and woodland
walks, enjoying stunning views across the Medway.
Standen Garden - an introduction
In 1890. James Beale, a successful solicitor, and his wife Margaret, a
lover of gardens, acquired a site for their country house consisting of
three small farms just south of East Grinstead. These formed part of the
Sainthill estate, on generously wooded and picturesque land with views south
east across the Medway Valley to Ashdown Forest.
A London landscape gardener, G. B. Simpson, was consulted, a position
for the house chosen and a garden design produced in the old fashioned gardenesque
style championed fifty years previously by the eminent horticulturist John
Loudon.
In 1892, Beale enlisted the services of the architect Philip Webb, who
persuaded Beale to build the house on its present site so that it should
be related more intimately to the old tile-hung farmhouse and its surrounding
buildings. Webb disliked the gardenesque style with its small-scale picturesque
effect and dotted specimen plants, regarding it as neither obviously the
work of man nor honestly as a state of nature. He preferred a simple formality
near the house, quickly giving way to grass and native trees. His terracing,
steps and summerhouse are clearly superimposed upon the very different work
of Simpson.
To this amalgam of apparently conflicting styles was added the planting
of Margaret Beale, which with its abundance of colourful and unusual plants
was at variance with the effects Webb would have wanted. The leading gardening
writer of the day, William Robinson, who lived nearby at Gravetye, would
have favoured the style of Webb tempered with some of Mrs Beale's plantsmanship;
his influence must be suspected, although no direct evidence exists.
Margaret Beale died in 1936 and was succeeded at Standen by her daughters
Margaret (d.l947) and Helen, who bequeathed Standen to the Trust on her
death in 1972. Mrs Beale's daughters do not seem to have wanted to interfere
with what their mother had done; when the Trust took over, Simpson's dwarf
shrubberies had grown to 30 feet high, blocking some of the views out of
the garden.
The Trust's policy has been a conservative one: to try and resolve the
awkward differences between Webb's and Simpson's intentions and to sacrifice
none of Margaret Beale's planting that could reasonably be kept, while maintaining
the whole with a greatly reduced staff of a single gardener.
A guide to Standen Garden
Entrance
The drive takes you down to the car park just past the Tea and Information
rooms which are opposite Goose Green. The building on the west side of the
green, Hollybush Farm, dates from about 1450. On the green are three London
Planes and a Medlar.
House and Courtyard
Around the Courtyard 'Bergenia crassifolia' and 'B. cordifulia' grow at
the foot of the walls. The Conservatory contains palms, the fragrant 'Jasminum
polyanthum', the blue-flowered 'Plumbago capensis', begonias and tender
ferns, including the Hare's Foot Fern, 'Polypodium aureum'.
An alternative steep route may be taken round the garden starting from the steps on the north side of the
Courtyard, passing the top of the Quarry Garden to join the Top Walk. There
are some dramatic views here across the quarry to the countryside beyond.
The WCs, shop and Mulberry lawn come next. In the centre of the lawn is
a young Black Mulberry ( Morus nigra) and nearby an English Yew, one of
the few trees in the garden which is older than the house. On the walls
of the house here are the Banksian Rose, 'Rosa banksiae' 'Lutea', and 'Magnolia
grandiflora'.
Terrace
At the east end of the Terrace, 'Ceanothus impressus','Puget Blue'
is a fine sight in late spring. Also growing on the wall here is Chilean
'Azara microphylla', with vanilla-scented yellow flowers in spring. Plants
in the south-facing border include tender 'Aloysia triphylla', (the Lemon
Verbena, syn. 'Lippia citriodora', 'Agapanthus, Crinodendron hookerianum'
and 'Yucca gloriosa'.
Quarry Garden
The quarry, which provided the sandstone for the house, contains spring
bulbs, golden yellow 'Azalea pontica','Azalea mollis','Photinia davidiana'
(formerly 'Stranvaesia d), and the self-clinging climber 'Hydrangea petiolaris'.
The Royal Ferns ('Osmunda regalis') are probably descended from the original
dozen plants supplied by Messrs Waterer in 1891.
Steps to Top Walk
On either side of the steps are Japanese Maples ('Acer japonicum' and
'A. palmatum'), 'Magnolia x soulangiana' and camellias including 'C. japonica','Nobilissima','
C. x williamsii', 'Donation', and 'C. x williamsii', 'J. C. Williams'. Below
some of the shrubs can be found the curious Mouse-tail Plant, 'Arisarum
proboscideum'. Hostas also thrive here.
Top Walk
Between the Quarry Garden and Top Terrace, the path passes more Japanese
Maples including 'Acer palmatum', 'Heptalobum Elegans Purpureum' and brightly
coloured Ghent azaleas.
The Top Terrace dates from 1910 and is flanked to the north by yellow
'Azalea pontica', with views across Weirwood Reservoir and Ashdown Forest
south-east towards Crowborough Beacon. The path from the south-west end
of the terrace continues to the left giving views of the surrounding countryside
and to the right along a replanted woodland walk leading back to the house.
Upper Lawn
The centre of the lawn contains bulbs and wild flowers, naturalized in
the manner recommended by William Robinson.
South Lawn
On the north side, below the terrace, the lawn is flanked by a border,
with old roses trained to trellis work (by Webb) at the back. The north-west
edge of the lawn is bounded by a walk to the summer-house (also by Webb)
with 'Nepeta mussinii'(Catmint) and clipped box bushes on either side.
Along the south-east side of the lawn are a Tulip Tree ('Liriodendron
tulipifera'), the pink form of the Sweet Pepper Bush ('Clethra ainifolia',
'Rosea' and a bank of hardy hybrid rhododendrons. Near the house there is
a triangular bed planted with pink-flowered 'Geranium macrorrhizurn' with
sweetly scented foliage: the curious wooden structure here is a replica
of the original gong house, which the Beales saw on a visit to Japan.
Bamboo Garden
Crossing from the Main Lawn over the old lane which led to the original
Standen Farm, the visitor arrives at a small Japanese garden circled with
bamboos including 'Sasa palmata' and 'Arundinaria ninrieliae'.
Rhododendron Dell
South-east of the Bamboo Garden are planted groups of rhododendrons including
'R. loderi' varieties.
Orchard
This contains old varieties of apples and pears, as well as mulberries
and quinces.
Bowling Green
Although called a Bowling Green by Webb, to the Beales this was a tennis
and croquet lawn. To the east is a Dove Tree, 'Davidia involucrata', with
an excellent specimen of weeping holly,'Ilex aquifolium', 'Pendula', to
the south and a Monterey Pine, 'Finns radiata' to the west.
The border north-east of the green contains a plant of 'Acer palmatum',
'Corallinum' remarkably large for such a slow-growing variety, with shrimp
pink leaves in spring. To the front of the border are moisture-loving herbaceous
plants including 'Ligularia clivorum'. Purple Loosestrife, 'Lythrum salicaria',
and the Mourning Widow, 'Geranium phaeum'.
Rose Garden
Espalier fruit trees remain from the former kitchen garden now planted
with rugosa roses, catmint and junipers.
Ground floor of house, restaurant, shop and part of garden accessible;
some steps in house; wheelchairs available. Steps and gravel paths in garden.
Adapted W.C.
OPEN: House: 24 Mar to 7 Nov: daily except Mon & Tues (open BH Mons)
12.30 - 4.30 (last admission 4pm) Note: Property may close for short periods
on Sunday & BH Mons to avoid overcrowding.
Garden: Same days as house 12.30 - 6; 12 Nov to 19 Dec: Fri, Sat &
Sun 1 - 4.
Shop: Same days as house 12.30 - 5.00; 12 Nov to 19 Dec: Fri, Sat &
Sun 1 - 4.
Restaurant (licensed): serving light lunches & afternoon teas, same
days as house 12.30 - 5pm, plus refreshments 12 Nov to 19 Dec: 1 - 4.
East Grinstead, RH19 4NE. Tel: 01342 323029. Location: 2miles south of
East Grinstead, signed from B2110 (Turners Hill Road)
Admission: House & Garden: £5.00. Family ticket: £12.50
Garden only: £3.00. Garden £2.00 in Nov & Dec
Joint ticket which includes same day entry to Nymans Garden: £7.00. Available
Wed to Fri.
For the most up-to-date information on Standen House visit the website.
Standen House
Website here
Top of Page main
page: www.yeoldesussexpages.com
Standen House
