Muntham Court (also known as Worthing Crematorium)

The crematorium is approached from the Worthing road by a sweeping drive. There is a thick woodland belt to the south, with views to the north past newly-planted lime trees and the remains of old park metal railings, across arable fields with a few remaining parkland trees and clumps. The land around the crematorium mainly consists of winding walks and glades through woodland planting of a variety of native and specimen trees.

To the east, below the old terrace walk of the demolished house, is an open grassland area used for internment of ashes and bounded by the old kitchen walls to the north. There are views eastwards to the South Downs which can be seen above a large clump of trees within an arable field.

There is an impressive lime avenue of mature trees (at a spacing of 27 by 6 metres) that once provided the formal north entrance to the front of the old house from the attractive flint North Lodge. The majority of the limes survived the 1987 storms. However, the avenue effect has been eroded by the growth of trees and scrub up the middle. There is evidence from sprouting stumps of another lime avenue running parallel in a woodland belt closer to the crematorium buildings.

With the exception of the extensive views over the South Downs to the east, views in other directions are enclosed by the woodland belts.

For some time the grounds have been managed extensively as a wildlife area and have become overgrown. The current park management is interested in adding some element of formality to the site, in keeping with its function as a crematorium and as a link to the history of the gardens. The scope, however, is limited, due to the internment of ashes preventing plantings in some areas and the problems with theft of garden ornaments and plants.

What can be seen on the ground are principally the remnants of a designed landscape associated with the house that was re-built by the Marchioness of Bath between 1877 and 1887. Photographs from 1907 show extensive formal gardens surrounding the house with elaborate yew topiary hedges and viewing arches at regular intervals. Most impressive was the long yew topiary walk, to the east of the house and below the raised terrace, which extended a considerable distance from a circular layout of box and bedding, called the Crown Garden.

All that remains now is the terrace walk, a monogrammed flint wall with a stone seat at its base, the outer wall of the kitchen garden and some of the yews from the north court. Despite the lack of detail there is still the feel of a formal design as you stand on the terrace walk and look eastwards. Whilst the formal garden has virtually disappeared the ornamental tree plantations which surrounded them are still there despite the loss of many mature trees in the 1987 storm.

The main lime avenue to the house is an important historic feature. However, it is in separate ownership from the crematorium, being part of the adjoining Muntham Farm.

From map evidence, the outer woodland belts with a continuous ride network appear to have originated as an earlier designed landscape feature, possibly when the site was established as a hunting lodge. The principal function was no doubt to shelter the land and property from the surrounding barren and exposed downland. An engraving from 1830 shows an earlier house surrounded by a well-wooded parkland.

The main conservation issues are:-

• Conservation of the woodland belts and ornamental plantings.

• Conservation of the lime avenue.

• Restoration of some part of the formal elements of Muntham House gardens, possibly by means of the creation of a new garden area within the remains of the North Court.