Garden House

Garden House

Originally stables and workshops, now house. Designed in 1902 by Sir Edwin Lutyens for Ernest Blackburn's house Little Thakeham. Built in Vernacular Revival style.

The building comprises two L-shaped ranges, each rising from one storey to one storey and attic, facing north and south. They are constructed of brick in Flemish bond with weatherboarded gabled and tiled roofs, half-hipped to the east and west, with brick chimneys. The ranges are linked only by a central brick wall with an iron gate to the west, facing the main house.

West elevation facing the main house: Each range has an end section at one storey and attic with weatherboarded attic and wooden ventilation aperture, beneath which sits a six-light stone mullioned window with leaded lights. At the centre of each range is a one-storey section with hipped roof and tall brick chimney; the southern range additionally has a mid-20th-century curved bay.

North elevation: The north range appeared largely unaltered with no openings, though it was obscured by vegetation.

East elevation: A weatherboarded gable with a plank door provides access to the original hayloft via a flight of wooden external stairs.

South elevation of the north range: The painted surface masks later alterations. The eastern part has late-20th-century weatherboarding and double doors inserted for residential use. The western part retains original features including a casement window and plank door in the one-storey section, a built-in seat and triangular mounting block, a large Diocletian window and double doors.

South elevation of the southern range: Four later uPVC windows, double doors and a late-20th-century angled conservatory have been added. The east elevation has a late-20th-century window and cast iron balcony replacing the original external staircase access to the attic. The southern elevation is painted but otherwise unaltered, featuring three large Diocletian openings, the western one also containing a door and accompanied by a seat and mounting block matching those on the north range.

Interior: The western part of the north range contains two queenpost trusses with additional arched braces. The eastern part retains original rafters. The one-storey south-west section contains a small painted stone fireplace and may originally have been a tack room. The southern range retains no visible original fittings, though original rafters survive; a well lies beneath part of the structure.

Historical context: Lutyens's original 1902 drawing marks the Garden House as "Stables" and shows a range of glasshouses to the south, now vanished. The plan shows the two ranges joined, though this was probably altered during construction. The design included plans for a kitchen garden radiating from a dipping well, but from the 1950s the land was laid out as commercial orchards. In 1919 the house, gardens and grounds were sold to the Aggs family. Alterations occurred in 1975; in 1979 the main house was sold and operated as a country house hotel until reverting to private ownership in 2000. The northern range served at various times as stables, coachhouse and storage; the southern range functioned as an estate forge and workshop.