Wow what an afternoon, I have been longing to go to Sheffield Park this autumn and enjoy the festival of autumnal colours that our guests have been enjoying now for several weeks.
We picked the most glorious afternoon to have a lovely walk take many pictures and sit beside the lake and bask in the the18 degrees heat - its 31st October!
Sheffield Park is only 15 minutes from White Lodge's door and today there were 5000 visitors - we were lucky to get in the car park! There is still time to see the magnificent displays and tomorrow looks like another stunning sunny day. To enjoy the garden and a lovely overnight stay call Ann on +44 (0) 1273 400151 or book online www.whitelodge.gb.com
Check out our latest Trip Advisor guest reviews for White Lodge bed and breakfast Lewes
Click though our gallery to see the fantastic autumnal displays, a real inspiration for us to take home as we are still in the midst of the garden renovations at White Lodge.
Some history on Sheffield Park gardens:
Sheffield Park was in the ownership of the De La Warr family in 1292. It passed through various other hands including those of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk in the mid C16 and the Sackville family in the late C16. It was purchased by the Neville family in 1623 but was owned and occupied again by the de la Warr family in the mid C18.
In 1769 the second Earl de la Warr sold the Sheffield estate to John Baker Holroyd for whom James Wyatt remodelled the house. Lancelot Brown was called in by Holroyd in 1776 to improve the parkland and woodland walks and in 1789-90, Humphry Repton advised on redesigning the lakes east of the house. Holroyd was created Baron Sheffield in 1781 and Earl of Sheffield in 1816. He was succeeded by his son in 1821 and by his grandson, the third Earl, in 1876 who laid out the basic skeleton of the present-day planting.
The third Earl died in 1909 and the estate was purchased in 1910 by Arthur Gilstrap Soames who carried out extensive ornamental planting. He died in 1934 and his widow, Agnes, cared for the Park until her nephew took over in 1949. He restored the Park after its wartime use but sold up in 1953.
The house, garden and estate were separated; Sheffield Park Farm and the Home Park were purchased by the Trustees of the Knole estate and the house and North Park by L F McCardle. He sold to the Radford family in 1971. In the early 1990s the house was purchased and converted to apartments by Period Homes and the Arundel Estate Sussex Ltd built a housing court in the grounds. Both these are managed by residents' associations.
The ornamental gardens were purchased by the National Trust in 1954 who added further land including Walk Wood and Manley Wood in 1982.
