Standen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Standen |
|
|---|---|
_Exterior,_UK_-_Diliff.jpg) |
|
| Location | East Grinstead |
| OS grid reference | TQ 38968 35598 |
| Area | West Sussex |
| Built | 1892 - 1894 |
| Architect | Philip Webb |
| Architectural style(s) | Wealden vernacular |
| Owner | National Trust |
|
Listed Building – Grade I
|
|
| Official name: Standen | |
| Designated | 28 January 1948 |
| Reference no. | 1249027 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Standen is a beautiful old house located near East Grinstead, West Sussex, England. It is a famous example of the Arts and Crafts style. This style was popular in the late 1800s. The house and its lovely gardens are now owned by the National Trust. They are open for everyone to visit. Standen is a very important building, listed as a Grade I historic site.
The Standen House
The house was built between 1891 and 1894. A famous architect named Philip Webb designed it. He was a friend of the well-known designer William Morris. Webb designed Standen for James Beale, a successful London lawyer, and his wife Margaret. They had seven children.
The house was built using materials from the local area. These included sandstone from the estate and bricks and tiles made nearby. This style is called "Wealden vernacular." Inside, Standen is decorated with carpets, fabrics, and wallpapers by William Morris. The furniture also came from Morris's company. The garden was designed to match the beauty of the house.
Standen was very modern for its time. It had electric power from the start. This power was made by a special engine in a shed. The house still has its original electric light fittings. These were designed by W. A. S. Benson.
After James Beale passed away in 1912, his wife Margaret continued to live at Standen. Their unmarried daughter, Margaret, lived there after her mother died in 1936. When this Margaret passed away in 1947, her youngest sister, Helen, took over. Helen also never married. When Helen died in 1972, she left Standen to the National Trust. This means the house is now protected for everyone to enjoy.
Gardens and Estate
The land for Standen was bought by the Beale family in 1890. It was made up of three different farms. The Beales started planting a large garden almost right away. They used the area where an old 18th-century garden and orchard used to be. In early 1891, they planted trees, started a yew hedge, and began creating the kitchen garden.
The Beales asked a landscape gardener from London, G.B. Simpson, for ideas. He suggested a plan for the garden. However, Philip Webb, the house's architect, had different ideas. He preferred a mix of natural styles. This included both formal garden areas and more wild, natural-looking parts. Webb also designed some special features in the garden himself.
The finished Arts and Crafts garden used local materials for its formal parts. It had loose plantings among yew hedges, trellises, and pergolas. The garden focused on natural colours and gentle combinations of plants and leaves.
Standen Wood
Standen Wood is a wooded area that was once part of the larger Standen estate. The National Trust bought this wood in 2001. Since the 1970s, the wood has been managed as a nature reserve. It is a safe home for many different kinds of birds.
