From the Archive: Hartfield, East Sussex

Hartfield, East Sussex, The Modern House
Hartfield, East Sussex, The Modern House
Hartfield, East Sussex, The Modern House
Hartfield, East Sussex, The Modern House
Hartfield, East Sussex, The Modern House
Hartfield, East Sussex, The Modern House
Hartfield, East Sussex, The Modern House

This truly remarkable property in a secluded and private position in the Ashdown Forest comprises a substantial country house as well as a studio and summerhouse on the grounds. The buildings were designed for his own family by the acclaimed architect Michael Wilford, CBE. It was sold by The Modern House in 2015.

The property is reached via a long, private driveway that leads through the beautiful and ancient Ashdown Forest. The main house is surrounded by gardens and sits at the rear of the site. The tranquil setting was formerly the site of an historic hall that fell into ruins, allowing the current property to be built in 2000.

The house was published in ‘One Hundred Houses for One Hundred European Architects of the Twentieth Century’ alongside many of the key houses of this period. In the book, the writer Eberhard Syring describes the house as “reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie House’” and outlines elements that he defines as “deconstructivist” in parts and “classical modern” in others:

“The very rustic exterior wall of the base consists of sandstone blocks. The windows [on this part] are small and deeply inlaid. The upper floor, constructed from wood with ample panes of glass, offers a striking contrast”.

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