Titsey Place

Although technically outside the Limpsfield Parish Boundary, Titsey Place has traditionally been the home of the Lords of the Manor of Limpsfield (first the Gresham family and latterly the Leveson-Gowers) for several centuries.  It is one of the largest surviving historic estates in Surrey. The house and grounds are now administered by a charitable trust following the death of the last remaining member of the Leveson-Gower family a few years ago.

Remains of a Roman Villa have been found in the grounds of Titsey Place, and parts of the current building date back to the 16th Century when Titsey was bought by Sir John Gresham in 1534. However the main structure is Georgian dating from 1775 - the interior being designed by William Atkinson in 1826 - the elegant Georgian exterior brickwork was cemented over in the early 19th Century when the 'stone' look was more in fashion.

The house contains a number of treasures, including four Venetian paintings by Canaletto as well as some very interesting furniture and a number of other paintings, principally portraits, by famous artists of the day. The elegant and beautifully kept gardens are open to the public from 1.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m on Wednesdays and Sundays from the end of April to the end of September.  Guided tours of the house are also available on these days at 2.00 p.m., 3.00 p.m. and 4.00 p.m.    Unfortunately the peaceful ambience is destroyed by the proximity to the M25 motorway and its accompanying sound pollution.  There is a walk across the Estate, without taking in the house and gardens, which is open all year round.

Two southerly views from Titsey Place showing the extensive grounds.

 There is also a magnificent large walled kitchen garden which would have most gardeners green with envy.  It is used for crop trials for unusual vegetable varieties and is extremely impressive to wander through.

The estate also includes working farms and its own extremely attractive church of St James which is kept in beautiful condition by the Titsey Estate. This church was originally sited next to the house, but was moved a little further away  to the other side of the old main road to Croydon and London, and adjacent to the ancient Pilgrim's Way, in 1776.  It was later rebuilt by Granville Leveson Gower to the design of J.L Pearson, one of the greatest Victorian Gothic Revival architects in 1860/61.  The original site of the church next to the house is marked only by an ancient yew tree reputed to be 1,000 years old!

For further information on Titsey Place there is now a comprehensive website available on the following link Titsey Place Website

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