On a glorious September 12, the Sussex Heritage Trust members visited Great Dixter House and Gardens at Northiam. The visit included a tour of the Lutyens wing, not normally open to the public, led by one of Sussex Heritage’s trustees, Victoria Williams, who has worked at Great Dixter and been instrumental in leading some of the important heritage projects that help to keep the fabric of the house in good order. As the medieval part of the structure was built in the 1450s, this can be a major consideration!
The work of the Sussex Heritage Trust itself includes a variety of awards for the built environment, as well as conservation bursaries for individuals and work to support endangered crafts. It has an extensive and fascinating website to look at.
Great Dixter House, purchased in 1910 by Nathaniel Lloyd, the father of the famous gardener Christopher Lloyd, is actually made up of three buildings, the medieval part already mentioned and the second, a yeoman’s house, brought from Benenden, with the third, the Edwin Lutyens building, combining the two with additional accommodation and domestic wing.
The wonderful gardens surrounding the property have survived this drought ridden summer remarkably well and make a gloriously colourful and rich picture for the onlooker. As a circuit of the gardens is made, so the external structure of the house can be seen.
Greeting the participants, the chair of the Sussex Heritage Trust, Simon Knight DL noting how privileged they were to be there, thanks to Victoria. He said that they had decided to continue the event, following the sad death of Queen Elizabeth II, as gardens are places for contemplation and reflection and Great Dixter itself is just such a place to reflect on memories of Her Majesty.
Ruth Tyson, the chief operating officer of the trust, talked more about the house and garden, explaining that it is an active, working house, where students and guests are able to stay. She mentioned the educational focus of the trust and, though these buildings did not form part of the tour, spoke of the education centre at the farm, which provides opportunities for learning for adults of all ages, to pre-school children.
Victoria then spoke of her long association with Great Dixter, her continuing support for it in spite of retiring a couple of years ago and what originally brought her there.
Everyone got the opportunity for a garden tour, led by Dean Charleston, who now works in the plant nursery, having been a gardener at Dixter before, and a visit round the house, led by Victoria. Two very knowledgeable and experienced guides.
After the tours, refreshments were served in the garden and people were saying what a pleasure it had been to see the Lutyens wing, and how the garden tours always led to more learning and information. The exotic garden had been a part of it, and it was said to be looking particularly splendid just now.
Come and see it all for yourself perhaps using Great Dixter’s 8 on the gate, and see what the Sussex Heritage Trust does, too. There should be more tours of the Lutyens wing shortly, so keep your eyes on the website.
Image Credits: By kind permission of Great Dixter Charitable Trust , gillianroder@gmail.com .