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, meaning it's built with a wooden frame and the spaces are filled in. This house was built a very long time ago, around the late 1400s or early 1500s.
Since 1947, the National Trust has taken care of Smallhythe Place. It was once the home of a famous Victorian actress named Ellen Terry. She lived there from 1899 until she passed away in 1928. Today, the house is like a museum. It holds many items from Ellen Terry's acting career. Outside, you can explore her beautiful rose garden, orchard, and a special theatre called the Barn Theatre.
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The House's Early Story
The design of Smallhythe Place suggests it was built in the early 1500s. It might have been built after a big fire in the village in 1514. The house was first known as 'Port House'. This name made sense because it was close to a busy shipyard. In Old English, hythe means "landing place."
Back then, the River Rother and the sea reached much closer to the village. Over time, the river changed its path. This caused the channel to fill up with mud. Because of this, the shipbuilding business slowly disappeared. After the late 1600s, the land was used for farming instead. The large barn you see today was built around that time. It was probably used to store animals and crops. The barn 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. Ellen and Henry were famous acting partners for almost 24 years. Ellen loved the house and wanted to buy it. However, she couldn't until 1899 when it became available.
The property included two cottages and a barn. Ellen 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. She had a very busy schedule with theatre shows and travel around the world. Ellen enjoyed having friends visit her there. She also loved spending time taking care of her gardens. Her daughter once suggested turning the barn into a theatre. But Ellen preferred to keep the estate quiet and private.
Smallhythe Place: A 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 showed Ellen's personal belongings. It also displayed letters collected from people across the country.
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 officially recognized as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a very important historical building.
Smallhythe Place has many personal items and theatre memories. Two walls are dedicated to famous actors David Garrick and Sarah Siddons. You can also see a message from Sarah Bernhardt in the Dining Room. There's a chain worn by Fanny Kemble, and Sir Arthur Sullivan's monocle. You might even spot a visiting card from Alexandre Dumas. The museum also displays paintings by Clare Atwood. She was a close friend of Edith Craig. In the Terry Room, which was once a sitting room, there is a letter from Oscar Wilde. He asked Ellen Terry to accept a copy of his first play. Ellen's bedroom looks much like it did when she lived there. The library holds over 3,000 books. Most of these were collected by Ellen for her acting career.
Ellen Terry's Costumes
Smallhythe Place also has a special collection of Ellen Terry's costumes. These costumes show her important role in the Aesthetic Movement. This was a time when art and beauty were very important. Ellen helped design her stage clothes.
The Costume Room displays many beautiful costumes from her time at the Lyceum Theatre. You can see three amazing costumes from Henry Irving's play Much Ado About Nothing. There's also the 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 repair work.
The Barn Theatre
In 1929, Edith Craig finally created a barn theatre on the house grounds. This theatre has 70 seats. It puts on about 30 shows every year.
Since 1929, there has been a special tradition. Every year, on the day Ellen Terry passed away, plays by William Shakespeare are performed. Many famous actors have performed at 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 of the Barn Theatre was Ellen Terry's great-nephew, Sir John Gielgud. He was the patron for 50 years. Then, Donald Sinden took over for 20 years until he passed away in 2014. The current patron, since March 2020, is Joanna Lumley.
