Visit to Bateman's Burwash, East Sussex.

10 comments

Bateman’s is just along the road from us and we visit most years. I hope you enjoy the garden of the home of Rudyard Kipling (30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936), an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his children stories, he received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907 aged 70.
Surrounded by the wooded landscape of the Sussex Weald, this 17th-century house, with mullioned windows and oak beams and lots of oak panelling provided a much needed sanctuary for this world-famous writer as he lost his daughter aged 7 to pneumonia and a son in WW1. He never came to terms with the guilt he felt over his son’s death, as he had gone into a pub in the village of Burwash and berated the local youth to get off their backsides and go to war. Later when his son announced he was going to join up, he got his son a commission as a Lieutenant in the Irish Guards, he was killed after only 6 weeks, leading his men in action on 27th September 1915 aged 18.
He asked his friend Edwin Lutyens to design the village War memorial and John Kipling is named on it with over 100 other village lads.
The house and gardens are much as it was when he died – with their oriental rugs and artefacts collect by him in the East. Even his Rolls is still in the garage, his book lined large study is awesome I almost expect him to walk in when I go in it. Though how he managed so much writing with poor eye sight in a very dark house?
There is no bathroom in the house, just a closet with a washstand and bowl and basin, and a potty by the bed. It was very isolated and this led to a high turnover of staff. Set in 300 acres of stunning countryside, it cries out to be lived in, sadly his other daughter had no children, she married a diplomat and lived in Wimpole hall in Cambridgeshire so with no grandchildren both properties were left to the National Trust.

16 Jun, 2011
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Comments

Spritzhenry

Oh dear - more nostalgia, Denise. Thanks for the memories. :)) Have they still got the flour mill there? I bought some once - the other times, they'd run out.

It is such lovely countryside and the setting of Bateman's is superb.

16 Jun, 2011

Sanbaz

lovely interesting blog and nice pictures to Denise, enjoyed reading, looks a lovely place to :o)

16 Jun, 2011

Pamg

I went here with my Hove friend and like it very much, the house and Kiplings history is fascinating but very sad. The gardens and the walk to the mill are lovely.

16 Jun, 2011

Pamg

Drc I can't remember properly but dodn't the young Rudyard have a bad time as a boy when his parents sent him and his sister home from India

16 Jun, 2011

Drc726

Yes the mill is still there Spritz, nothing changes from year to year. Pam he was sent to England age 6 with his 3 year old sister to live with a Mrs Holloway he was bullied and tortured while in her care. His mother came over and took him away after 6 years. Because of the financial difficulties of his parents Kipling abandoned his hopes of going to Oxford and went to a collage in Westward Ho Devon instead.

16 Jun, 2011

Pamg

I remember reading that now you've told me, awful how he was treated-- If I remember right she was lovely to the little girl and hated boys.....dreadful for the parents too, he had a very sad life.

17 Jun, 2011

Drc726

He did and sadly and its reflected in his work and his home.

17 Jun, 2011