Woolbeding House, Chichester, England

THE HISTORY OF WOOLBEDING HOUSE AND ITS FAMILIES

The Victoria County History informs us that in 1567 William Aylyng owned the manor and tenements of Woolbeding. His will in 1583 left his estate to his eldest daughter, Jone, who had married Edmund Grey of Hayshott near Cowdray. Woolbeding manor continued to be owned by the Greys in the 17th century until Sir John Mill married Margaret Grey and inherited in 1652. The estate passed by inheritance until 1791 when it was sold to Lord Robert Spencer.

The first estate map is for 1652, prepared for Thomas Grey Esq by Thomas Ayling (sic) (West Sussex Record Office Add Ms. 1052). The second was redrawn for Sir John Mill Bt by Nicholas Ayling (WSRO Add Ms. 13,418) also in 1652. This map is highly decorated but badly faded. Both maps show a square house with an enclosed inner court. Two more estate maps, both dated 1724, were prepared for The Hon. Sir Richard Mill Bt. Although there is nothing more than the year date on any of the maps, for the sake of clarity we identify the maps in order of the Record Office references. The house in 1652 is shown in perspective with three gables and with its main entrance as it remains to the present day on the west front. Apart from the orchard, little in the way of gardens is evident. A gate together with brick piers front the road, with a grass court leading to the house. A warren is shown to the east, between the house and the river.

The first of the 1724 maps is by Christopher Mason (WSRO, Add Ms. 13,419). The second is a series of maps of differing portions of the estate, bound as a folio and is attributed also to Christopher Mason as no name appears in the folio (WSRO, Add Ms. 13,420 f. 5-6). Stylistically there is a difference, the folio of maps being of better quality. Both maps show that the house has been altered to a more classical design, the house and main buildings being again in perspective. Gate piers still mark the entrance, with gardens to the south and east of the house and an orchard between the gardens and road. The second map shows more extensive gardens with trees and ‘dwelling house, barns, stables, offices, yards, gardens, orchards etc'. Both maps show that a pavilion has been built to the east of the house near the river bank.

S. H. Grimm's drawing of Woolbeding dated 1782 (British Library Add Ms. 5675 f. 67) shows a colonnaded west front and this is the first evidence that we have for dating its construction. The columns are not shown on any of the earlier estate maps which, having been scanned, can be examined in great detail.

In 1791 Sir Charles Mill sold Woolbeding House to Lord Robert Spencer, the third son of the second Duke of Marlborough (Country Life 1947, vol 102, p 278 and p 328). He made many alterations to the older house but some parts of the original building can still be seen. Lord Robert commissioned Joseph Bononi in 1791 to prepare plans for the alterations to the house but these were never carried out (WSRO Add Mss. 13,412, 13,422). Bononi had recently prepared the plans for the new Dale Park House in Madehurst, and there is a similarity in the colonnaded fronts of the two properties.

In 1831 Woolbeding House passed to Lord Robert's step-daughter, Diana Bouverie, reputed to be his natural daughter. It was subsequently left to her daughter who became Lady Lanerton who in turn bequeathed it to the Lascelles family. In the 1920s it was owned by Mr and Mrs Henry Lascelles and by 1947 it had passed to Mr Edward Lascelles. In the late 1940s the house was made over to the National Trust who leased it to Mr Simon Sainsbury until his death in 2006.

A more comprehensive article about Woolbeding House and Lord Robert appeared in Country Life, 1947, vol 102, p 328-331. It describes in some detail the house and Lord Robert's life, family and friendships, amongst whom was Sir Charles Fox, a frequent visitor and whose marble bust and portrait are shown in the house.