History and Heritage

Heritage

Wakehurst Place

Wakehurst Place is situated approximately 70 km from Kew, and notable for its varied topography and different climate. It is one of the UK's most important woodland gardens and the tree and shrub plantings are laid out in geographical areas. It is also a significant site for the conservation of British native species and habitats.

Early history

The name Wakehurst first became associated with this area in the High Weald of Sussex in 1205 when William de Wakehurst bought some 40 acres of land from Phillip de Crauele (Crawley). There is evidence, though, that the site was occupied much earlier. Situated as it is on the warm south-western slope of a sandstone ridge with freshwater springs nearby, it was ideal for settlement and evidence of Iron Age activity has been found in the locality.

Later a Roman road from present day Aldrington to Croydon passed nearby - part of the road is under the area that is now the car park.

In 1454 the estate became linked with the Culpeper family when two Culpeper brothers forcibly abducted the sisters Margaret and Elizabeth, the last of the Wakehurst line, from their guardian. Despite this apparently inauspicious beginning, the two marriages were happy and the two families lived at Wakehurst from 1464 for many years. The herbalist, Nicholas Culpeper, who wrote the famous herbal, was a member of another branch of the family.

The Mansion

When Thomas Culpeper died in 1571, his will described his dwelling at Wakehurst as "nowe verie ruinous and altogether decaide" and directed that the house should be rebuilt and that new outbuildings should be completed and linked to the house. His son, Edward, carried out his wishes and eventually the rebuilding was finished in 1590. This date is commemorated on the door now at the Chapel entrance to the house and Edward Culpeper's initials can still be seen above the old south entrance.

In 1694, the estate was purchased from the last surviving member of the Culpeper family by Dennis Lydell, Commissioner of the Navy and a friend of Samuel Pepys. Over the next 175 years the house had various owners and tenants, and many changes were made to its architecture.

In 1869 Lady Downshire purchased the house and she also carried out extensive alterations. Subsequently, the estate was owned by Thomas Boord M.P. who renovated and restored much of the house. In 1903, Gerald Loder bought Wakehurst Place and began the development of the gardens, introducing many fine trees and shrubs. Sir Henry Price purchased the estate in 1938 and, over the next 25 years, restored the roof and decaying stonework as well as developing the gardens further. On his death in 1963, the estate was bequeathed to the National Trust who leased it to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1965.

Seed conservation

Today, our seed conservation activities are carried out at Wakehurst Place, adn 200 will see the opening of our Millennium Seed Bank. Seeds from the UK and from the world's arid lands are stored at sub-zero temperatures here and many are predicted to survive for hundreds of years. Thus the seed bank can provide a resource for the foreseeable future for research, conservation and sustainable development.