Lavington Park Seaford College

SU 91 NW EAST LAVINGTON BEECHWOOD LANE 18/2 Lavington Park 18.6.59 (Seaford College) II* Half H-shaped house. The original portion of this house comprises the east wing and the centre portion, originally the service wing. This was built for John Sargent, MP. Elizabethan house built by the Garton family, from whom Mrs Sargent had inherited the property through the female line. Architect James Lewis. After the death of Mrs Sargent in 1841 the house was inherited by Samuel Wilberforce who was Bishop of Oxford from 1845-69 and Bishop of Winchester from 1869-73 and who in 1828 had married her eldest grandaughter Emily. He resided there at intervals from 1845 until his death in 1873, and his son after him. In 1903 the house was considerably enlarged by Lord Woolavington, when the west wing was added balancing and nearly matching the east wing and the centre portion altered. Architect Detmar Blow. The house is of 2 storeys, attic and basement. White brick. Balustraded parapet. Hipped slate roof. Glazing bars intact. The south front facing the Downs has 15 windows and 11 dormers. Of these, the 5 easternmost window bays constitute the 1794 wing. The 3 centre window bays of this project slightly with solid portion in the centre of the balustrade above containing a cartouche and a wide central porch with 4 Ionic columns and a pediment over. This wing of 1794 has been reproduced at the west end in 1903 complete with a matching porch, and between the two is a recessed secton of 5 windows. The west front has 5 windows and 5 dormers. On the north front facing the Weald the projection of the wings of 1794 and 1903 is much deeper. The original wing has 7 windows, 3 dormers and 2 curved bays on ground and first floors which have Venetian windows on the curve on the ground floor, also a curved bay in the centre of the west wall. The recessed portion has 5 windows and 5 dormers and a porch with pediment over, added in 1903, which is now the main entrance of the house. The west wing added in 1903, is practically identical with the original wing.

Listing NGR: SU9458116321