Smallhythe Place facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Smallhythe Place |
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Smallhythe Place in 2023
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Tudor |
| Town or city | Small Hythe |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°2′17″N 00°41′57″E / 51.03806°N 0.69917°E |
| Owner | National Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 8 May 1950 |
| Reference no. | 1071163 |
Smallhythe Place is a special old house in Small Hythe, near Tenterden in Kent, England. It's a half-timbered house, which means it has a wooden frame that you can see on the outside walls. It was built a very long time ago, in the late 1400s or early 1500s.
Since 1947, the National Trust has looked after Smallhythe Place. It was once the home of a famous actress named Ellen Terry. She lived there from 1899 until she passed away in the house on July 17, 1928. Today, the house is a museum filled with Ellen Terry's theatre collection. Outside, you can explore her rose garden, orchard, and a working theatre in an old barn.
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Smallhythe Place: A Look Back in Time
The house was likely built after a big fire in the village of Small Hythe in 1514. It was first called 'Port House'. Back then, the River Rother was much wider and closer to the sea. The house was near a busy shipyard. The word hythe in Old English means "landing place," showing its connection to the river.
Over time, the river changed its path, and the channel filled with mud. This caused the shipbuilding industry to disappear. After the late 1600s, the land was used for farming. The large barn you see today was built around this time. It was used to store animals and crops and was made even bigger in the 1800s.
Ellen Terry's Home
Ellen Terry first saw Smallhythe Place in 1890. She was with Henry Irving, who managed the Lyceum Theatre in London. They were famous acting partners for almost 24 years. Ellen loved the house and wanted to buy it, but she couldn't until 1899.
When she finally bought it, the property included two smaller cottages and a barn. She gave one of the cottages, called the Priest's House, to her daughter. Ellen lived in Smallhythe Place for the last 30 years of her life. It was a peaceful place where she could relax between her busy theatre shows and trips around the world. She enjoyed having friends visit, but she also loved spending time taking care of her gardens. Her daughter thought about turning the barn into a theatre, but Ellen wanted to keep her home quiet and private.
Discover the Museum
After Ellen Terry passed away, her daughter Edith Craig opened the house to the public in 1929. It became a museum to remember her mother. The museum shows many personal items and letters that people sent in after Ellen's death. The National Trust helped Edith run the museum starting in 1939. When Edith died in 1947, the National Trust took over the property completely. On May 8, 1950, Smallhythe Place was given a special status as a Grade II* listed building.
Smallhythe Place has many personal and theatre items. You can see two walls dedicated to famous actors David Garrick and Sarah Siddons. There's also a message from Sarah Bernhardt in the Dining Room. You might spot a chain worn by Fanny Kemble, Sir Arthur Sullivan's monocle, and a visiting card from Alexandre Dumas. The museum also displays paintings by Clare Atwood, who was a friend of Edith Craig. In the Terry Room, which used to be a sitting room, there's a letter from Oscar Wilde asking Ellen to accept a copy of his first play. Ellen's bedroom looks much like it did when she lived there. The library has over 3,000 books that Ellen collected and used during her acting career.
Ellen Terry's Amazing Costumes
Smallhythe Place also has a large collection of Ellen Terry's costumes. These costumes show how important she was in the Aesthetic Movement, a time when art and beauty were very important. They also show how she helped design her own stage clothes.
The Costume Room displays many beautiful costumes from Ellen's time at the Lyceum Theatre. You can see three costumes from Henry Irving's amazing play Much Ado About Nothing. There's also the famous shiny beetle-wing dress she wore as Lady Macbeth in 1888. This dress was designed by Alice Comyns Carr. It was put back on display in 2011 after 1,300 hours of careful work to fix it.
The Barn Theatre
In 1929, Edith Craig finally created a barn theatre in the house's grounds. This theatre has 70 seats and puts on about 30 shows each year.
Every year since 1929, on the day Ellen Terry died, there has been a tradition of performing plays by William Shakespeare. Many famous actors have performed in the Barn Theatre. These include Peggy Ashcroft, Edith Evans, John Gielgud, Alec Guinness, Nigel Hawthorne, Rachel Kempson, Michael Redgrave, Paul Scofield, and Sybil Thorndike.
The first patron (a supporter) of the Barn Theatre was Ellen Terry's great-nephew, Sir John Gielgud. He was the patron for 50 years. After him, Donald Sinden took over for 20 years until he passed away in 2014. The current patron, since March 2020, is Joanna Lumley.
