Charleston Farmhouse is in between Lewes and Eastbourne in East Sussex, just off the A27. It’s a 16th century property right at the foot of the South Downs which from the outside looks charmingly traditional. But it isn’t.
The Bloomsbury Set
It was of course home and general meeting point for the famous Bloomsbury Set. The Bloomsbury Set were free thinkers from Bloomsbury in London famed for their bohemian lifestyle, liberal politics and modern attitudes toward sexuality. The most well-known of the group (which included artists, intellectuals and writers) were Virginia Woolf, her husband Leonard Woolf, Vanessa Bell, her husband Clive Bell, Duncan Grant, John Maynard Keynes, and E. M. Forster.
Charleston Farmhouse
In 1916, Vanessa Bell (sister of Virginia Woolf) rented the farmhouse with her lover, the artist Duncan Grant, along with his lover David Garnett. Their intent was “to explore new ways of thinking, living and working”, and from the moment of their arrival, they transformed the farmhouse painting surfaces and furnishings. Vanessa Bell was an abstract artist and designer of textiles, carpets and embroidery, ceramics, and furniture. Duncan Grant was regarded as one of Britain’s leading contemporary artists.
From the end of WWI, Charleston became a gathering place for this eclectic group of creatives who left an inspirational and (hopefully) indelible mark on the farmhouse. Vanessa lived at Charleston until her death in 1961, aged 81. After Duncan Grant’s death in 1978, The Charleston Trust charity was set up and the house and garden have been open to visitors since 1986.
Visit Charleston Farmhouse
The starting point for any visit has to be the farmhouse itself where you can visit various rooms including the wonderful Garden Room. The house is described as a ” living, breathing work of art”. There are guides on hand to talk you through the different rooms and artefacts, or you can book a tour. But prepare yourself for a whirlwind of different styles that somehow come together in a celebration of their differences in a way that still feels remarkably modern, yet traditional, homely, outrageous, and oozing talent.
There are books, photos, fabrics, ceramics, paintings, newspaper clippings, painted bathtubs and fireplaces, old typewriters, and murals – assembled in some places in neat orderly fashion and in other rooms, in chaotic perfection. On a winter’s day, the wind whistles through the rooms and rattles the windows giving you a real sense of what it must have been like in winter, while in summer, heavy blooms and a lazy pond evoke the idealism of a different era.
There is so much to see in each room, you might want to retrace your steps before you eventually slip out through the Garden Room into the gardens themselves.
Charleston gardens
Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant had the walled gardens redesigned in 1918 by their friend and art critic Roger Fry. The result is a rectangular lawn surrounded by gravel paths, a mosaiced pond, and heady flowerbeds, dotted with the occasional sculpture.
Exhibition space
There are a number of large barns that include a shop, café, conference area, and an impressive and beautiful exhibition space. As you might expect, different exhibitions are held here throughout the year including in 2024, a David Hockney exhibition and an Osman Yousefzada exhibition which includes large-scale textile works, prints and drawings.
Charleston Lewes
Charleston now also has an exhibition space in Lewes in Southover Road where they are currently hosting a Bring No Clothes: Bloomsbury and Fashion exhibition. And if you’re in the area soaking up some Bloomsbury style, you should also make time for a visit to Berwick Church where there is more incredible art by the Bloomsbury Set.
If you’ve enjoyed this article about Charleston Farmhouse, you may also like:
