The architecture in Herons Ghyll can be recognised through specific differences: age, floor plan, masonry and roof design. There is also a church with clearly stated construction and dedication dates, a garden with several design styles, yoga classes and views towards the South Downs. This offers a range of themes to consider when planning your trip – from historic houses to yoga and landscape.
Historic houses and their architectural styles
Temple Grove Preparatory School in Herons Ghyll is a Grade II listed building. Oldlands Home Farmhouse has the same designation. The house dates from the early 17th century or earlier. It has a T-shaped floor plan, ashlar walls and a slate roof. Its architectural style, masonry and roof provide three specific points to consider when looking at its architecture; the stated age explicitly leaves open the possibility that the house may be older still.
Claygate Farmhouse has a different material composition. The two-storey house, dating from the 18th century, has a red-brick ground floor, timber cladding above and a half-hipped, tiled roof. Shadwell, meanwhile, is a two-storey house with an attic dating from the 17th century. Red brick sits on a stone plinth; the corners of the building feature long-and-short stone quoins, and a cornice with consoles finishes the upper section. The comparison highlights different features: at Claygate, the contrast between brick and timber and the roof shape define its appearance, while at Shadwell it is the corner quoins and cornice. The three houses span the period from the early 17th century or earlier to the 18th century.
Church and garden
The Church of St John the Evangelist was built in 1896–1897 and consecrated in 1904. The construction and consecration dates are distinct: together, they place the building of the church and its later consecration in their respective timeframes. Alongside the older houses, the church provides a separate point of reference for the architectural history of Herons Ghyll.
Another historic feature is a garden dating from the mid to late 19th century. It includes formal gardens as well as rock and water gardens, which the poet Coventry Patmore had laid out. These different design styles sit side by side: formal grounds, rock features and water gardens. Those interested in garden design will find a different perspective on the local history here than in the masonry and roof styles described above.
Yoga and views towards the South Downs
Tranquility Yoga Studio at Barnsgate Manor in Herons Ghyll offers yoga classes. As the class schedule may change, it is advisable to check the latest information before travelling. The Clay Studio, also at Barnsgate Manor Vineyard in Herons Ghyll, is a separate venue and offers wide-ranging views towards the South Downs. This adds two more interests to the architectural and garden-related themes: a specific yoga class offering and a landscape viewpoint. When planning, you can consider these alongside the historic houses and church as distinct areas of interest.
Discover more destinations: Hastingleigh, Margate, Lymington, Southampton, Wadhurst, Hailsham, Canterbury
Return to the regional travel overview: South East England.
