You join us at Lamb House in Rye, East Sussex. A lovely Georgian House maintained by the National
Trust at the top of West Street in a very picturesque town. Built in 1722 by James Lamb,
a wealthy wine merchant and local politician. It would become a famous destination for writers
most notably American writer Henry James and British novelist E F Benson. The house is laid out
showcasing the periods they lived here. James was born in New York and had been living in
England for many years when in 1897 the house came up for rent. Having admired it previously
whilst visiting a friend inRrye he jumped at the chance to live and write in the house,
finding great inspiration and actually buying it two years later. He would write some of his most
successful works here. Whilst loving rural life Henry missed the buzz of London. The entrance
hall wall is full of portraits of literacy friends that visited Henry at Lamb House, sometimes for
a weekend or even several weeks. Hugh Warpole, Rudyard Kipling, Jonathan Sturges and many more.
Walking into the oak parlour, Henry would have tea and catch up on gossip here.
Edith Wharton an American author and short story writer was one of those guests.
When E F Benson lived here he continued the tradition
and entertained Queen Mary in 1935 when she visited Rye, Benson was mayor at the time.
The oak panels were installed by James Lamb way back in 1722 and have been lovingly restored.
There is a portrait of George Lamb, James's son hanging on the wall.
As we walk across the hall to the telephone room note the cast iron cane stand containing two
walking sticks owned by Henry along with hats and gloves that he would use daily whilst out walking
around town. This room has more oak panelling which has been painted in a pastel colour.
He was one of the first people in Rye to have their own telephone, hence the name of the room.
Built-in cupboards contain many of Henry's own book library.
You'll notice book cupboards in almost every room. He liked to offer this room
out to fellow guests for writing and replying to letters. A C Benson was the brother of E F Benson
also a regular visitor who eventually lived here, he penned the lyrics to Land of Hope and Glory.
Let's wander back through the hall to the dining room that leads out to the garden through
the french windows. Light and airy, guests would have been spoilt with wonderful meals
served on bone china and silver cutlery. One guest wrote of an enormous, luxurious
breakfast display of side dishes with ham, eggs, scrambled eggs and kidneys. Henry modified this
room with a circular window and sideboard so to be more practical and appealing to guests.
The fireplace is surrounded by blue and white delft tiles and the painting of Henry above
was by the renowned portrait artist John Singer Sergeant in honour of his 70th birthday in 1913.
This is a copy, the original is in the National Portrait Gallery. Henry would pass away just
three years later, with the house passing to his nephew who subsequently rented it to EF Benson.
We'll visit the garden later, now let's climb the stairs to the first floor the only other open to
the public. On the way up we passed the bathroom fitted in the 1950s from money put aside following
bombing in the war. Lamb House was partially damaged but the Garden Room built in 1744 by
James Lamb as a banqueting hall was totally destroyed. Henry loved the room and would use
it in the summer months for writing. Benson played his grand piano there. Next to the model, you can
see the original brass doorknob the only item to remain. From our terrible overlay, you can see
how the Garden Room would have been seen from the road with the entrance to Lamb House to the right.
We now enter the Green Room, it was here Henry James would write during the winter
months on this secretary desk Some of his best works were penned The Wings of the Dove,
The Ambassadors and The Golden Bowl. His routine was to start around 10 o'clock and unusually
dictated his novels for his secretary to type upon this typewriter and desk. Rheumatism
meant he himself could not hold a pen or type for long so the secretary was essential. The light and
views of the garden and the rooftops of Rye must have been very calming and inspirational for him.
Across the hall, this large room has been set aside to exhibit a local artist's work,
Amanda Cardoso.
There are some letters that EFf Benson wrote and a copy of Miss Mapp, the second of his comic novels
in the Mapp and Lucia series. What this room was used for originally i'm afraid i don't know.
This is the dressing room Henry James liked to be smart and his butler Burgess Knoakes
remarked how he always had the best clothes from the best London tailors.
The King's Room, the bedroom of James Lamb the original owner and where Henry
James and EF Benson also slept. Its most important guest was apparently King George I
who, returning from Hanover by boat was blown ashore in a storm at Camber Sands.
Lamb House was deemed the most suitable place for the King to stay, so James and his wife,
who was heavily pregnant gave up the room for him. As a gesture of gratitude, the King agreed
to be the godfather to their son who was cordially named George after the King. You may recall we saw
his painting in the oak parlour earlier. Through the window, we have lovely views of Saint Mary's
church. We've made a full walking tour of Rye in another video, so you may like to watch that next.
Now let's head out to the garden, a space of about an acre with a number of large trees
and herbaceous borders and little nooks for quiet contemplation and walled for privacy.
Henry James and the Benson brothers all commented on their love for this space
which looks very similar now to when they lived here.
From this angle, you can see where the Garden Room would have been positioned beside the house.
The house was gifted to the National Trust in 1950 by the widow of Henry James' nephew
and creative tenants continue to live here right up to 2018 even though some of the
rooms were open to the public from time to time. Now after much restoration the house
and gardens are available for all, allowing us to imagine life in this wonderful Georgian home.
We have more videos of National Trust properties and gardens on our channel.
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