
A view over the garden towards the south front of Standen, designed by Philip Webb. ©National Trust Images/John Miller
As part of the Philip Webb centenary, the colleagues looking after Standen have made available a few historic images of this Webb-designed country house.
Standen, completed in 1894, is a rare example of a virtually unaltered Webb design.

Standen seen from the upper lawn, in about 1900, with the garden still in its infancy. ©National Trust
Webb also designed many of the fixtures and fittings, which were then combined with lighting by W.A.S. Benson, wallpapers and fabrics by Morris & Co and furniture, and furnishings and works of art by other Arts & Crafts designers such as William de Morgan, Edward Burne-Jones and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

The hall at Standen, used by the Beale family for tea and musical evenings. ©National Trust Images/Andreas von Einsiedel
The house was built for James Beale (1840-1912), a wealthy solicitor (visible standing on the far left in the family photograph above). The Beales were a Unitarian family who had been active in the business and civic life of Birmingham.

Margaret (‘Maggie’) Beale (1872-1947), chanelling the Arts & Crafts lifestyle in the drawing room at Standen. ©National Trust
James Beale’s work in facilitating the growth of the Midland Railway brought him to London, but in 1890 he also bought land in West Sussex with a view to building a country house for his family.

The main courtyard at Standen as the house was being finished in about 1893, showing the workmen’s hut at left. ©National Trust
Webb was known for his beautiful and well-designed but sober buildings, and he had a reputation for staying withing budget – all factors that must have appealed to the cultivated, high-minded Beales.

The dining room at Standen. The fitted dresser was designed by Webb, and he is known to have inspired his clients to display blue and white porcelain, as was done here. ©National Trust Images/Andreas von Einsiedel
James Beale’s wife, Margaret (1847-1936) was an expert needlewoman, and her taste is reflected in the many Arts & Crafts textiles in the house.

The ‘Larkspur’ bedroom at Standen. The fitted wardrobes were designed by Webb for the family’s eldest daughter, Amy Beale. ©National Trust Images/Andreas von Einsiedel
Webb remained on friendly terms with the Beale family. In 1902 he retired to a cottage in Worth, ten miles west of Standen.
The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) is also celebrating Webb’s centenary, with a dedicated blog.
April 28, 2015 at 18:39 |
beautiful… I am a frequent visitor to Standen… one day I would love to be able to go through all those doors marked ‘privet’ just to say I had seen the whole house!… maybe in my retirement I should volunteer for the Trust!
April 28, 2015 at 18:40 |
ooops I meant ‘private’ not ‘privet’………
April 29, 2015 at 08:31 |
Yes behind one of those doors you will probably find the volunteers tea room.
Or perhaps a special hedge room, in the case of the door marked ‘privet’ 🙂
April 29, 2015 at 15:14 |
Wonderful. Now I see this, I recall studying this magical building in Art History at college, many years ago. Had quite forgotten. Delighted to see it again.
May 2, 2015 at 16:22 |
Apologies for the delay in making your comment visible – and glad it brings back good memories.
April 30, 2015 at 11:19 |
Oh, crumbs: Clandon! Uppark all over again? Do you know what was saved, and what was lost? (Presumably each property has a practised evacuation plan, to methodically remove the most precious contents?)
April 30, 2015 at 11:25 |
Andrew, yes it is awful. I have heard that some items were saved, but I don’t have details yet. Apparently a press conference will be held shortly.
April 30, 2015 at 12:59 |
More news here: http://t.co/hQnB8rTn5y
April 30, 2015 at 16:10 |
It looks awful, but clearly quite a few items were saved (paintings cut from their frames, for example!) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-32529573