Introduction
The site has a late-19th-century house and gardens. A description from 1966 describes the site as mainly consisting of lawns with herbaceous borders, flowering shrubs, ornamental and timber trees and rose beds. Other features included a pavilion and part-walled kitchen garden. The extent of the survival of these features is not known.
Sale particulars from 1966 describe the house as follows:
In all, 386.5 acres, with grounds of 10 acres. Mainly laws with herbaceous borders, flowering shrubs, ornamental and timber trees and rose beds. To the east, stone steps lead down to two ponds divided by a central grass bridge. Hard and grass tennis courts, with an open-fronted timbered and tiled pavilion. On the north-west an excellent part-walled kitchen garden, intersected by tarmac paths and dwarf box hedging. A two division heated greenhouse, a second smaller one, 17 cold frames, espalier and other fruit trees, soft fruit cage.
The 1st edition Ordnance Survey map shows formal gardens to the north of the house, and a long thin lake to the north-east.
- History
The nucleus of the property was probably 'Flock's Farm' and 50 acres of land, conveyed by John and Richard Wicking to Edward Hall in 1719. The name Holly Hill appeard in 1807.
Bernard Hill, J.P. and Deputy Lieutenant of Sussex and Ashdown lived there in the last half of the 19th century. He was the defendant in a very important case brought by the 7th Earl de la Warr, challenging commoners' rights.
John MacAndrew bought the estate in 1886 and built a new house.
- Features & Designations
Features
- House (featured building)
- Earliest Date:
- Latest Date:
- Lawn
- Herbaceous Border
- Flower Bed
- Description: Rose beds.
- Pond
- Description: Two ponds divided by a central grass bridge.
- Ornamental Bridge
- Description: Grass bridge.
- Tennis Lawn
- Pavilion
- Kitchen Garden
- Description: Part-walled kitchen garden.
- Greenhouse
- Espalier
- Gardens
- Herbaceous Border
- Shrub Feature
- Trees
- Border
- Key Information
Type
Garden
Purpose
Ornamental
Principal Building
Domestic / Residential
Survival
Unknown
Open to the public
Yes
Civil Parish
Hartfield