Great Dixter House and Garden
A day in East Sussex exploring the homes of the American author, Henry James and Christopher Lloyd, the celebrated writer and horticulturist.
Details
Venue
St Pancras International Station
Event Organisers
Sarah Bowles and Philippa Barton
Cost
Cost of the visit is £170 plus eventbrite booking fee
Cost of the visit for National Trust Members is £162 plus eventbrite booking fee
Cost of the visit without rail travel is £136 plus eventbrite booking fee
Programme
9.15am
Meet at the departure board for regional services, St Pancras International Station
9.36am
Train departs from St Pancras International Station to Rye, East Sussex
11.00am
Visit to Lamb House, Rye
Lamb House with its charming garden lies in the centre of the picturesque town of Rye. It was built in 1723 by James Lamb, a wealthy wine merchant and local politician and remained in the family until 1893. Henry James took out a twenty-one year lease in 1897 and subsequently bought the house, becoming very attached to it. It was here that he wrote The Wings of the Dove, The Ambassadors and The Golden Bowl.
12.15pm
Lunch
2.30pm
Visit to Great Dixter, Northiam and tour of the garden with Coralie Thomas, Assistant Head Gardener
Great Dixter is famous as the home of the late Christopher Lloyd, garden writer and horticulturist. His father, Nathaniel Lloyd, bought Dixter House in 1910 and employed Edwin Lutyens to restore and extend the fifteenth-century hall house, combining a sixteenth-century yeoman’s hall, which was moved from Benenden in Kent. This romantic recreation of a medieval manor house was completed in 1912 and rechristened Great Dixter and, at the same time, a framework of gardens was laid out surrounding the house. These gardens have been continually enhanced and reimagined by Christopher over a forty-year period with many bold experiments of form and colour, though always keeping the magical relationship between house and garden. Inspirational and innovative planting schemes continue under the leadership of Fergus Garrett who worked closely with Christopher Lloyd as head gardener until the latter’s death in 2006..
3.45pm
Free time to visit the interiors of Great Dixter House and tea
5.00pm
Coach departs for Rye
5.48pm
Train departs for London arriving 6.54 pm.