Yesterday I went to see Charleston House with a friend. It's an hour and a half's drive from home through some lovely countryside. For those of you who don't know Charleston House, it is the home of the Bloomsbury Group and became a country outpost for a group of artists, writers and intellectuals. It started in 1916 when the painter Vanessa Bell, her husband Clive and their two sons Julian and Quentin moved there from London on the recommendation of her sister, the writer Virginia Woolf. With them were another painter Duncan Grant and his friend David Garnett. They rented the late 16th century farmhouse and despite the house having no hot water or heating, guests increased the household. It became a rather unconventional household of friendships and relationships - they didn't separate or divorce, they just reorganised!!!

From when they moved in the artists transformed the house with decoration and this continued throughout their lives.  They also decorated a nearby church at Berwick which we also visited yesterday (images shortly).

Unfortunately it is not permitted to take photos in Charleston House so my images are restricted to the beautiful garden which epitomises a traditional English cottage garden. However I was permitted to take a photo of the vase of garden flowers in the hallway.

The choice of plants was influenced by Vanessa and Clive's love of intense colour, silver foliage and their suitability for use in still lives.  I've never seen so many hollyhocks in a garden!

The best way to see the house is to book a place on the guided tour which lasts about an hour. The guides are very knowledgeable and create a real atmosphere with their dialogue so you really feel as if you are living in the house back there in the 1900s. 

In front of the house is a pond which is edged with tiles which are copies of the originals painted by Vanessa Bell. 

The garden has some unusual statues and urns

The garden is awash with colour, texture and forms. It's a real English country garden.  

The artichokes add another dimension to the garden

The shop at Charleston House is a veritable sweet shop and there is the temptation to buy loads of the lovely items on sale.  I bought a couple of books - one about Charleston House and another 'Deceived with Kindness' an autobiography by Angelica Garnett who was the illegitimate daughter of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. Until the age of 18 Angelica believed her father was Clive Bell; it's a record of a young girl's struggle to achieve independence from the intense and remarkable milieu.  I also succumbed to the temptation of one of the hand-painted lampshades.

Next stop was the village of Berwick for a pub lunch at the Cricketers' Arms and then a visit to the church where the Bloomsbury Group had painted the inside of the church with murals

The church in Berwick is a Grade I listed building and is most famous for the extensive murals covering the nave walls, chancel arch, screen and pulpit. These were painted during the Second World War by the Bloomsbury artists, Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and Quentin Bell. 

There wasn't time to visit Monk's House which was Virigina Woolf's home so that will keep for next time with a lunch at The Ram Inn in the beautiful village of Firle.

Have you visited Charleston House and/or Berwick Church? Would love to read your comments about them.

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