Introduction
A designed garden is shown on the Ordnance Survey 6\" of l910. There is a lawn to the south of the house, between rows of trees, and an orchard to the north. The Farm has two ponds. The Manor has glasshouses, a conservatory and a fountain. The main building is now thought to be a convent, and the garden appears to have been lost.
On the Ordnance Survey's 1" map (1813) there is a settlement at a crossroads marked ‘Fox Hunt'. Nearby is a collection of buildings. There is no sign of any buildings to the south, on the site of what was later called Foxhunt Manor. It is in a large wood, named Ford's Wood. That site is occupied by a substantial building on the Ordnance Survey's 6" map (1899) and called Foxhunt Manor.
On a recent map (Ordnance Survey 6", 1980) the site of the Manor is called ‘Visitation Convent' and the northern buildings ‘Old Foxhunt Manor'. In summary, the northern buildings near the crossroads appeared first and were called the Manor. New buildings were made to the south in late Victorian times and called the Manor. The earlier buildings were then, or even earlier, called the Farm. It is for the Victorian building, which will be called the Manor below, that there is evidence of an interesting garden, though how the land is divided between Manor and Farm is not clear.
Foxhunt Manor appears on the Ordnance Survey 6" map (1899). There is a substantial house but no garden of interest. A large pond, with a circular island, is to the south-east of the house.
A designed garden is shown on the Ordnance Survey 6" map of 1910. There is a lawn to the south of the house, between rows of trees, and an orchard to the north. The Farm has two ponds. The Manor has glasshouses, a conservatory and a fountain.
The garden was later extended to the south and west (Ordnance Survey 6", 1932, and Ordnance Survey 25", 1931). The house has a conservatory and there is a swimming pool surrounded by trees. Around the house is a geometric layout. A rectangular lawn to the south is bordered by rows of a mixed tree planting. To the north is another rectangular lawn set into a large orchard.
Abbs (1999) notes sales particulars of 1950 and states that the garden did not look interesting. There were some topiary balls, lawns, herbaceous borders, flower beds, a fruit cage and a kitchen garden.
The garden appears to have been lost (Ordnance Survey 6" map, 1980).
- History
Pike (1910) gives a history of the estate. In 1327, the site was owned by Sir Ralph de Camoys. From 1485, ownership passed to Sir George Brown of Beechworth Castle, Surrey, then the Duke of Norfolk. In the 16th century, the estate was owned by various members of the Threele family; sold to Thomas Pelham, 1594. Remained in Pelham family until 1775 when sold to Josiah Smith. William Gilliatt and Joseph Rickett were succeeding owners. In 1897 the site was sold by Sir Compton Rickett to the present (1908) owner Joseph Lucas, who owned an estate of 500 acres.
- Features & Designations
Features
- Gardens
- Lawn
- House
- Trees
- Orchard
- Pond
- Glasshouse
- Conservatory
- Fountain
- Convent
- Key Information
Type
Garden
Principal Building
Religious Ritual And Funerary
Survival
Lost
- References
References
- Pike, W.T. Sussex in the twentieth century : contemporary biographies (Brighton: Pike, 1910) Sussex in the twentieth century : contemporary biographies
- Abbs, Barbara {Review of historic garden sites in East Sussex} (1999) Review of historic garden sites in East Sussex
Contributors
Dennis Cooke
Sussex Gardens Trust