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Sissinghurst Court

Introduction

Sissinghurst Court has formal gardens laid out in the 1930s.

Terrain

Level
The following is from the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. For the most up-to-date Register entry, please visit the The National Heritage List for England (NHLE):

www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list

Early 1930s formal and ornamental gardens surrounding a country house of 17th-century origin, greatly restored and extended around 1925-30.

DESCRIPTION

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Sissinghurst Court stands in the village of Sissinghurst, c 18km to the east of Tunbridge Wells, on south side of the A262, Tunbridge to Ashford road. The level c 1ha site is bordered to the north by the A262, to the west by a narrow lane, to the south by farmland, and to the east by the grounds of other village properties.

ENTRANCES AND APPROACHES

The Court is approached off the A262 on the northern boundary, the short drive bordered by a privet hedge running south to a gravelled forecourt and paved courtyard on the north-east side of the house.

PRINCIPAL BUILDING

Sissinghurst Court (listed grade II) is a part timber-framed, part red-brick country house built under a plain tiled roof. The two-storey building, with garret in the east wing, has wooden-framed moulded lattice windows, moulded bargeboards, and Tudor-arched doorways. The 1920s remodelling of the house incorporated material from the C17 building which stood on the same site.

GARDENS AND PLEASURE GROUNDS

At the south-east corner of the house iron gates lead into gardens lying below the south and south-east fronts of the house, which are enclosed by a screen of mature trees along the east, south, and west boundaries and laid out in a formal geometric style.

The garden compartments are formed by two major axial paths. From the gates a north to south path, enclosed by clipped yew hedges, runs south to a timber-framed 1930s summerhouse (listed grade II) with rendered infill, moulded wooden eaves, and a steep pyramidal tiled roof. The c 100m path is flanked by deep herbaceous borders. The gardens are crossed from east to west c 50m south of the house by a pergola covered with clematis and climbing roses. The compartment below the south front has a paved terrace leading onto a lawn with two rectangular rose beds. A set of shallow steps leads down to a second lawn with a central rectangular stone-edged pool containing two fountains, and long herbaceous borders backed by yew hedges to east and west. Beyond the pergola, the southern compartment is laid out as a slightly sunken pool garden, backed by clipped yew hedges and with seats overlooking the pool to east and west.

To the south-east of the house, and on the east side of the main north/south walk, is a further garden compartment with lawn and central summerhouse surrounded by a complex pattern of borders.

REFERENCES

Maps

OS 6" to 1 mile: 3rd edition published 1909

OS 25" to 1 mile: 3rd edition published 1908

Description written: January 2002

Amended: February 2002

Edited: November 2003

Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts
History

The following is from the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. For the most up-to-date Register entry, please visit the The National Heritage List for England (NHLE):

www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

Sissinghurst Court was built in the 17th century although its present character dates from around 1925-30 when the house was substantially restored and enlarged. Formal gardens were designed and laid out around 1930 to accompany the house. The site remains (2002) in private ownership.

Period

  • 20th Century (1901 to 2000)
  • Early 20th Century (1901 to 1932)
Features & Designations

Designations

  • The National Heritage List for England: Register of Parks and Gardens

  • Reference: GD1938
  • Grade: II

Style

Formal

Features

  • House (featured building)
  • Description: The house was substantially restored and enlarged around 1925-30.
  • Earliest Date:
  • Latest Date:
Key Information

Type

Garden

Purpose

Ornamental

Principal Building

Domestic / Residential

Period

20th Century (1901 to 2000)

Survival

Extant

Hectares

1

Civil Parish

Cranbrook

References

References