Glyndebourne

Glyndebourne is a house that was originally part of the same estate as Glynde Place, which belonged to the Morley family. It was separated from Glynde Place in the late 16th century when Mary Morley married John Hay. Like Glynde Place, Glyndebourne has not been sold since the Conquest and has passed through the female line five times. Since 1934, it has gained worldwide fame for the opera house built in the garden by John Christie, known for performances of Mozart's operas.

The house has an irregular plan and features various architectural styles from different periods. The oldest part, dating back to the Morleys, is at the north end and includes sections from the late 15th century and late 16th century. The walls are made of chalk, which is only visible on the outside at the back of the north-west wing. It has casement windows with stone mullions and transoms. Inside, there is a significant amount of visible timber-framing, along with 16th-century panelling and a staircase from the late 16th or early 17th century.

The Hay family made additions in the 17th century, including the large Library and two additional rooms. Around 1870, the house was enlarged and encased in red brick by William Langham Christie. The south-east and south-west fronts primarily date from this period, with further alterations and adaptations made in 1920, when the Music-room was added. The south-west or entrance front is half-H shaped, with two storeys and an attic, featuring a tiled roof. It has casement windows with stone mullions and transoms, with five windows on the ground floor and three on the first floor, along with a parapet and four hipped dormers above. The projecting wings have two windows each on the ground floor and one window each on the first floor and attic, topped with gables.

The south-east or garden front is L-shaped, with five windows and two hipped dormers, and two gables on the projecting wing at the north-east end. Beyond this is the Music-room, which features a large pentagonal bay in the centre and a balustraded parapet above, connecting the house to the opera house.