Forest House

Description

Originally an 18th century Sussex farmhouse, bought by Bernard Hale, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of the County, Chief Magistrate of nearby East Grinstead and the champion of the rights of the Commoners of Ashdown Forest. In 1897 Lutyens made minor alterations to the west of the house for his daughter, Miss Hale, then in 1905 returned to undertake major works, which included the partial demolition and rebuilding of the south facing facade. An L‐shaped entrance with a diagonally set porch leads through to the reception hall, which opens into a double height hall with a vaulted ceiling overlooked by two balconies. Double doors open from the hall into a study, and the 3 main reception rooms all lie on the south‐west. The main staircase leads to a wide landing with a roof lantern and two balconies that look back down into the hall. There are 5 bedrooms and two bathrooms on this floor. A spur off the main landing leads to the secondary staircase, which continues up to 2 further bedrooms. Attached to the main house is the cottage ‘Cubbs’, with two bedrooms on the first floor, which can be accessed via the pantry off the kitchen in the main house, which is believed to predate the main house. (Contributor: Paul Waite)

The work of Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1897 and 1905, adding to an older house. Two storeys. Red brick. Tiled roof. Windows with brick mullions and leaded lights. Entrance front is L-shaped with porch set diagonally in the angle. Round-headed doorway. Stone roundel above the door with a shield and the date 1905. Tiled cornice. Garden front has 3 round-headed windows in centre of ground floor. Parapet over. To left and right, roof sweeps down over flanking garden porches. At sides stepped gables from which rise tall square chimney stacks. (Historic England, list entry 1192572)

Bibliography

Historic England. FOREST HOUSE. [Online] Available from: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1192572

Also Cited In

Antram, N. (2013) Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove. The Buildings of England. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Listing Grade

II

Listing Reference

1192572

Client

Miss Hale