Bateman's facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bateman's |
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"A good and peaceable place" - Kipling on his beloved Sussex home
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| Type | House |
| Location | Burwash, East Sussex |
| Built | 1634 |
| Architectural style(s) | Jacobean |
| Governing body | National Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Bateman's | |
| Designated | 3 August 1961 |
| Reference no. | 1044063 |
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Bateman's is a historic house in Burwash, East Sussex, England. It was built in 1634. This beautiful 17th-century home was where the famous writer Rudyard Kipling lived from 1902 until he passed away in 1936. After his wife, Caroline, died in 1939, she left the house to the National Trust. Today, it is a special place that you can visit.
Contents
Discovering Bateman's History
How Old is Bateman's?
Bateman's is a Jacobean style house, which means it was built during the time of King James I. It was finished in 1634. People aren't completely sure who built it first. Some believe it was an ironmaster named John Britten. Others think it was a lawyer named William Langham.
Kipling Finds His Home
By the early 1900s, Bateman's had become a farmhouse and needed a lot of repairs. Rudyard Kipling and his wife, Carrie, first saw the house in 1900. They had just returned to England after some sad family events. They loved the house right away.
In 1902, they were finally able to buy Bateman's, along with 33 acres of land. Kipling was a very famous author at this time, earning a lot of money. So, the cost of the house was easy for him to afford.
Kipling's Writing at Bateman's
Kipling wrote some of his best-known stories and poems while living at Bateman's. These include the famous poem "If—" and the book Puck of Pook's Hill. The name Puck of Pook's Hill comes from a real hill you can see from the house! The beautiful countryside around Bateman's also inspired many of his stories.
Kipling's only son, John, sadly died during World War I in 1915. Rudyard Kipling himself passed away in 1936. Three years later, in 1939, his wife Carrie died. She made sure that Bateman's would be looked after forever by leaving it to the National Trust.
Exploring Bateman's Architecture and Rooms
What Does Bateman's Look Like?
The house is built from sandstone and has two main floors with gables at the top. It has many windows with stone frames, called mullioned windows. The roof is quite impressive, with six tall, diamond-shaped brick chimneys.
Inside the House
When you visit Bateman's today, it looks very much like it did when the Kiplings lived there. Kipling's study, where he did most of his writing, is kept almost exactly as he left it.
The house holds a large collection of items that belonged to Kipling. There are nearly 5,000 pieces! These include his Nobel Prize in Literature, his fancy Rolls-Royce Phantom I car, and many beautiful items he bought during his travels in India and other Eastern countries. He also collected paintings by famous artists like Edward Poynter and Edward Burne-Jones.
The Garden at Bateman's
Kipling started creating the garden at Bateman's in 1907. He used the money he received from winning the Nobel Prize in Literature to make it beautiful.
Bateman's is considered a Grade I listed building. This is the highest level of protection for historic buildings in England, meaning it is very important and special.
Park Mill
On the Bateman's estate, there is an old water mill called Park Mill. It gets its power from the River Dudwell. People first mentioned a mill here way back in the 1200s! The mill you see today was built between 1751 and 1753.
By the time Kipling bought Bateman's, the mill was no longer grinding grain. Kipling was very modern for his time. He put an electric turbine in the mill to create electricity for his house! The National Trust has restored the mill twice, once in 1975 and again between 2017 and 2020. Park Mill is also a protected historic building, listed as Grade II.
See also
In Spanish: Bateman’s para niños
