Herstmonceux Place

Herstmonceux Place, now converted into flats, dates primarily from the early 18th century, with significant alterations in 1777 and subsequent remodelling. The north-west front exhibits three storeys and five windows, constructed of alternating red brick and grey brick headers, with a brick parapet. It features rubbed brick stringcourses and relieving arches over the windows, each with flush wooden surrounds, stone keystones, and intact glazing bars. Long and short stone quoins define the central projecting portion and flanking sections. A central doorway, ascended by four steps, is framed by stone Ionic columns and a broken scroll pediment. The door itself is composed of six fielded panels, flanked by narrow windows. Round-headed windows are positioned above the doorway on the first and second floors, each flanked by stone columns supporting a projecting cornice, with an empty round-headed stone niche on either side.

In 1777, Samuel Wyatt enlarged the house for Reverend Robert Hare, utilising brick taken from Herstmonceux Castle. The north-east, or entrance, front was then remodelled, and an L-shaped addition was made to the south-west, creating the main garden front. This Wyatt addition is two storeys high and constructed of red brick with a stone stringcourse and cornice, and a brick parapet. The windows are set within shallow brick reveals, retaining their original glazing bars. Between the ground and first-floor windows are rectangular Coadeware plaques, alternating in design between a shell held between cornucopiae and depictions of vases. The north-east front features seven windows, with the central three bays projecting, edged with long and short stone quoins. A central stuccoed porch, preceded by seven steps and brick mounting blocks, provides access.

The south-east front has ten windows. The recessed central portion is flanked by large, semi-circular, curved bays of windows on both floors, surmounted by leaded saucer domes. This front also features Coadeware plaques, but four of the six plaques on the curved bays display cherubs’ heads set within wreaths. A later ground-floor addition of three windows extends further to the south-west. The house contains a good staircase. From 1807 to 1819, Herstmonceux Place was occupied by Thomas Read Kemp, the founder of Kemp Town in Brighton.