Hammerwood Park
Encyclopedia
Hammerwood Park is a grade I listed country house near East Grinstead
, Sussex
, England at and Grade 1 listed of historical interest.
. Built in 1792, it was one of the first houses in England built in the Greek Revival style.
After World War II
it was divided into apartments, but the house fell into disrepair as the inhabitants left.
The house was owned by Led Zeppelin
who bought it in 1973 as flats for the group members and their families. It remained in their ownership until 1982.
It was in bad condition when, in 1982, it had been for sale for 9 years and David Pinnegar saw an advertisement for it in Country Life
. He was only 21 when he bought it - it was in a state of dilapidation and according to television interviews, he claimed that most of his friends and family thought him 'foolhardy'.
The restoration of the house gained the Anne de Amodio award from IBI, the International Burgen Institute (now part of Europa Nostra
) and the progress of the restoration received a lot of television coverage, appearing on Blue Peter
as well as Coast to Coast
and national news programmes.
(posh Spice), Mel C (sporty Spice), Prada
, fashion shoots for Vogue
, John Lewis
catalogues and other magazines, and in 2007 the horror movie Knife Edge
, as well as London Boulevard
in 2009.
The house is open to the public in the summer (on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1st June until 30th September, with a tour at 2PM) and concerts are held approximately once a month. Recently, the temporary organ which served Londonderry Cathedral for 12 years (whilst its predecessor was being repaired after the Troubles
has been added to facilities at the house and is used in particular to promote the music of the French symphonic writers such as Vierne
and Widor.
There is also a helicopter landing site at Hammerwood, located at the front of the house and surrounded by yew
hedges.
East Grinstead
East Grinstead is a town and civil parish in the northeastern corner of Mid Sussex, West Sussex in England near the East Sussex, Surrey, and Kent borders. It lies south of London, north northeast of Brighton, and east northeast of the county town of Chichester...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England at and Grade 1 listed of historical interest.
History
It was the first work of the architect Benjamin LatrobeBenjamin Latrobe
Benjamin Henry Boneval Latrobe was a British-born American neoclassical architect best known for his design of the United States Capitol, along with his work on the Baltimore Basilica, the first Roman Catholic Cathedral in the United States...
. Built in 1792, it was one of the first houses in England built in the Greek Revival style.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was divided into apartments, but the house fell into disrepair as the inhabitants left.
The house was owned by Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
who bought it in 1973 as flats for the group members and their families. It remained in their ownership until 1982.
It was in bad condition when, in 1982, it had been for sale for 9 years and David Pinnegar saw an advertisement for it in Country Life
Country Life (magazine)
Country Life is a British weekly magazine, based in London at 110 Southwark Street, and owned by IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.- Topics :The magazine covers the pleasures and joys of rural life, as well as the concerns of rural people...
. He was only 21 when he bought it - it was in a state of dilapidation and according to television interviews, he claimed that most of his friends and family thought him 'foolhardy'.
The restoration of the house gained the Anne de Amodio award from IBI, the International Burgen Institute (now part of Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra
Europa Nostra, the pan-European Federation for Cultural Heritage, is the representative platform of 250 heritage NGOs active in 45 countries across Europe...
) and the progress of the restoration received a lot of television coverage, appearing on Blue Peter
Blue Peter
Blue Peter is the world's longest-running children's television show, having first aired in 1958. It is shown on CBBC, both in its BBC One programming block and on the CBBC channel. During its history there have been many presenters, often consisting of two women and two men at a time...
as well as Coast to Coast
Coast to Coast (UK TV series)
Coast to Coast was the flagship regional news programme produced by Television South, covering the south and southeast of England with separate news services for both parts of the dual-region between January 1982 and December 1992.-Beginnings:...
and national news programmes.
Today
The house is often used for filming including pop videos for The Darkness, Victoria BeckhamVictoria Beckham
Victoria Caroline Beckham is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, fashion designer and businesswoman. In the late 1990s, Beckham rose to fame with the all-female pop group Spice Girls and was dubbed Posh Spice by the July 1996 issue of the British pop music magazine Top of the Pops...
(posh Spice), Mel C (sporty Spice), Prada
Prada
Prada S.p.A. is an Italian fashion label specializing in luxury goods for men and women , founded by Mario Prada.-Foundations:...
, fashion shoots for Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
, John Lewis
John Lewis (department store)
-Recent developments:In June 2004, John Lewis announced plans to open its first store in Northern Ireland at the Sprucefield Park development, the province's largest out of town shopping centre, located outside Lisburn and from Belfast. The application was approved in June 2005 and the opening of...
catalogues and other magazines, and in 2007 the horror movie Knife Edge
Knife Edge
Knife Edge is a 2009 British thriller film directed by Anthony Hickox and starring Nathalie Press, Hugh Bonneville and Tamsin Egerton.-Plot:...
, as well as London Boulevard
London Boulevard
London Boulevard is a 2010 British film noir released in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2010. It is based on a novel by Ken Bruen with screenplay and direction by William Monahan, marking his directorial debut...
in 2009.
The house is open to the public in the summer (on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1st June until 30th September, with a tour at 2PM) and concerts are held approximately once a month. Recently, the temporary organ which served Londonderry Cathedral for 12 years (whilst its predecessor was being repaired after the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
has been added to facilities at the house and is used in particular to promote the music of the French symphonic writers such as Vierne
Louis Vierne
Louis Victor Jules Vierne was a French organist and composer.-Life:Louis Vierne was born in Poitiers, Vienne, nearly blind due to congenital cataracts, but at an early age was discovered to have an unusual gift for music. Louis Victor Jules Vierne (8 October 1870 – 2 June 1937) was a French...
and Widor.
There is also a helicopter landing site at Hammerwood, located at the front of the house and surrounded by yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
hedges.