A 15th-century medieval manor house, once frequented by Kings and courtiers, which moved from East Sussex to Kent
Although it's now common to see houses moving down a motorway, that wasn't always the case, and Court Lodge's journey across counties was far from ordinary. Penny Churchill reports.


The notion of moving house sits easily with 21st-century concepts of social mobility; less common is the notion of moving an entire house from one site to another miles away. An article in Country Life (October 30, 1986) describes the removal of the dilapidated surviving portion of a historic 15th-century manor house from East Sussex to Kent and its reconstruction as a home for the artist Lawson Wood by his friend, the architect John D. Clarke.
That house is Court Lodge at Groombridge, four miles south of Tunbridge Wells – once part of a medieval manor house at Udimore, near Rye, that was owned by the Etchingham family after the Norman Conquest.
Court Lodge is now on the market through Savills and Knight Frank at a guide price of £3.95m, but long before then, the manor was a popular stopping-off point for kings Edward I and III during visits to their Cinque Ports navy. Chronicles reveal that, following the victory of the English fleet over the Spaniards off Winchelsea in 1360, ‘the King, Prince of Wales and Barons took horses and rode to the Manor where the Queen was, scarcely two leagues distant, and passed the night in revelry with the ladies’.
All that remained of Court Lodge in 1912 was one side of the original building, used for years to house farmworkers. Wood and Clarke would have preferred to restore the building where it stood, but the farmer was only interested in the land and wished to be rid of the crumbling building.
Wood bought Court Lodge in February 1912, having found an almost perfect setting for the old house on the western edge of Groombridge, comprising five acres of land on a gentle southerly slope with magnificent views over the Sussex countryside. The timber-framed building was carefully dismantled and re-erected on its new site and, by September 1913, the artist and his family were able to move in.
Wood served in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War and, in 1916, sold Court Lodge to Mrs Dix Lewis, who added the north-east wing of the house in 1919 and laid out the Arts-and-Crafts gardens. Miss Dorothy Kerin, who, in 1948, moved her ‘home of healing’ from Ealing to nearby Burrswood, then bought Court Lodge and lived there from 1955 to 1959. Her legacy is the small chapel in its grounds.
Court Lodge offers a pleasing combination of historic and modern elements, including four main reception rooms, a kitchen/breakfast room, a study, a spacious master suite, five further bedrooms and four further bathrooms.
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Impeccably maintained, it stands in almost 17 acres of enchanting gardens and grounds that include a parterre garden, a Japanese knot garden, a pond, a swimming pool and a tennis court, together with a wild meadow garden and a paddock.
Things to do: Music in the gardens, the buildings of the Weald & Downland and a circus at the cathedral
Keep your diary up-to-date with our selection of unmissable events and things to do in the next few weeks.
Credit: Getty Images/EyeEm
Curious Questions: Who first discovered that washing your hands stops the spread of disease?
Washing your hands regularly is the single biggest thing you can do to help stop the spread of coronavirus. In
The 50 best places to live near London
Where are the best villages, towns and small cities which are a pleasure to live in, but still offer a
The best places to live for commuters: West Sussex
Two villages in West Sussex have been selected for our list of the best places to live near London for
The best places to live for commuters: Oxfordshire
There are a good number of villages and towns in Oxfordshire on our list of the best places to live
The best places to live for commuters: Hampshire
Overton, Winchester and Kingsclere offer a commutable country lifestyle.
The best places to live for commuters: Kent
There are six villages and towns in Kent which made the list of our best places to live for commuters,
A sprawling and beautifully-restored country house with woodland in the heart of Surrey
Tucked away near Farnham in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty you'll find Sentry Hill, a gorgeous country
2020 RHS Chelsea Flower Show latest event to be cancelled over Covid-19 fears
The Royal Horticultural Society has taken the decision to cancel the 2020 Chelsea Flower Show.
Credit: Alamy Stock Photo
Jason Goodwin: 'A Journal of the Plague Year is not a cheerful read, but it’s a wonderful book for the times'
-
How to stand out from the crowd in the most British of outfits — morning dress
Morning dress has remained largely unchanged since the 19th century, but breaking with convention can be chic.
By Will Hosie Published
-
Death, taxes and Country Life on dogs
A new book celebrates the many dogs that have appeared on the pages of this magazine, and chronicles our love affair with our four-legged friends.
By Agnes Stamp Last updated
-
How to stand out from the crowd in the most British of outfits — morning dress
Morning dress has remained largely unchanged since the 19th century, but breaking with convention can be chic.
By Will Hosie Published
-
White sand beaches, smuggler's coves, teeming wildlife and a ruined castle in a Scottish island that's on the market for the first time in almost a century
Just off the west coast of Scotland lies Shuna Island, a true playground of open spaces, natural beauty, wildlife, beaches and — yes — a castle. And it's looking for a new owner.
By Toby Keel Last updated
-
'One of the 10 most perfect houses in Britain' has come to the market at £9.5 million
Penny Churchill looks at the magical Maperton House.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
17 outstanding homes for sale across Britain, from under £250k to £6.5 million, as seen in Country Life
Something for every budget in this week's round up of homes across the country that have come to market via Country Life.
By Toby Keel Published
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country Life
An Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
By James Fisher Published
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mould
A new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
By James Fisher Published
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham Estate
With 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back home
At first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
By Annabel Dixon Published