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Photo credit Alan1954

The mansion at the Wakehurst Place was built in 1590 by the famous herbalist Sir Edward Culpeper, who was a distant relative of Nicholas. The mansion to this day has retained its imposing Tudor facade. In order to pay off gambling debts, the last of the Culpepers sold the property in 1694. The estate was bought by Dennis Lydell, who was Samuel Pepys’ Royal Navy associate. Lydell expanded in the estate 1748 to 3,100 acres.

The Wakehurst Place Garden where the mansion stands is located in Ardingly, West Sussex in southern England. The entire area includes walled and water gardens, woodland as well as wetland conservation areas. The place is managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and belongs to the National Trust.

Photo credit Crazy Kernow

The Peytons lived in the mansion from 1776 to 1869. The Dowager Marchioness of Downshire purchased the property and was most likely the one who started planting some of the trees, like the giant redwoods.

During the years 1890 to 1902 Sir William Boord owned the mansion. Then the ownership was transferred to Gerald Loder, and then to Lord Wakehurst, who went on to develop the gardens.

When Loder died, the Wakehurst property was purchased by Sir Henry Price who, in 1963 bequeathed the estate to the National Trust.

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