The Tudor and Early Stuart Country House in Sussex c.1500-1640

Saturday 9 May 2015

King’s Church, Lewes

By 1640, as the country began its slide towards the Civil War which effectively ended the reign of Charles I, many country house owners in Sussex and elsewhere had taken advantage of the preceding long period of stability to extend existing houses or build new ones, increasing prosperity and bringing about greater awareness of European fashions. A considerable number of these houses survive in Sussex, although many have been substantially altered and a few, such as Wiston and Firle, greatly reduced in size because they were simply too big. Some were demolished in the later 1700s and early 1800s due to the amalgamation of large estates. Halland and Michelgrove (in the parish of Clapham) were amongst these. The themes of this conference include how and why these houses were built and paid for, the influences on their design and setting and the rules (or ordinances) used to help the big households to run smoothly and no doubt to help accommodate the costly favour of a Royal visit. The impact of alterations and changes in role will be explored by the case studies of specific houses during the afternoon.

Booking information

Advance booking is strongly recommended as there is no guarantee there will be places available on the door. Registration on the day opens at 9.30am when you can sign in and receive your copy of the delegate handbook. The ticket price includes a light lunch and coffee and tea on arrival and in the breaks. If you have special dietary requirements or particular access needs, these can be accommodated with advance notice. There will be a bookstall on site.

Please see http://sussexpast.co.uk/become-a-member/conferences-events for booking details