The first surprise was the Canadian lady at the gate and it reminded me of the war memorial at Vimy which is actually Canadian soil in France – very weird set up. Anyway, it turns out that the castle is privately owned and today is a working university.
It was a bit strange to see all the students milling about and sitting on walls that must have seen bloody battles over the years, and it’s a great shame that there isn’t much of note inside – as the lady on the gate said, antique furniture and students just don’t mix! - but the best thing about Herstmonceux is that because it’s privately owned, you can wander wherever you want through the grounds.
The first thing I noticed was the walled garden behind the castle, with ancient brick built archways and little gates leading to further themed gardens. I particularly liked the Shakespeare garden where all the plants have featured in the work of the Bard, and there are quotations from his various works.
It was here that I managed to corner one of the peacocks that roam freely through the grounds. I have never heard such a racket in my life and a couple of peacocks in your garden would be much more effective that a burglar alarm I am sure!
I was actually trying to step on the very end of his tail to bag myself one of their gorgeous feathers, but he obviously rumbled me, as he ran off at quite a pace, but it was whilst chasing him that I happened across the Elizabethan garden by accident, and was thrilled to discover an exhibition of sculptures dotted amongst the flower beds.
Beyond these structured gardens are huge fields of what must have previously been boggy marshland (mind your ankles), leading to some enormous Rhododendron bushes and super pretty apple blossoms. At the end of this field is the 1930’s folly with little garden of its own and another short woodland walk by the side of the stream.
At this time of year, one of the main attractions of the castle and grounds are the bluebells. They were absolutely everywhere and the density of flowers made them look more purple than blue. There are miles and miles of trails through the woods and as usual I was so busy taking photos that it wasn’t long before I realized that I didn’t know where I was!
I knew that sooner or later I would end up back at the castle, so I kept going and came across a clearing with information panels telling me about ‘Herst Henge’. Apparently, this is a ring of tree stumps into which various symbols have been carved. I suppose it’s the same idea as Stonehenge, but on a much smaller scale.
So, after a lovely woodland walk I found myself back at the castle gardens and an area that has been planted with impressive red maples – not surprising when you consider that the castle is Canadian owned! Below these trees, a stumpery has been created.
I’d never heard of a stumpery, but they are similar to rockeries but made from parts of dead trees instead of rocks. This can take the form of whole stumps, logs, pieces of bark or even worked timber such as railway sleepers or floorboards. The pieces are arranged artistically and plants, typically ferns, mosses and lichens are encouraged to grow around or on them.
I spotted another gate almost hidden behind the purple Magnolia, so I wandered in and found some amazing rhododendrons and azaleas in all shades from bright yellows, fiery oranges and deep reds and pinks.
Tucked away in a corner was an Asian style area with a budda statue and round the corner a really peaceful/tranquil area when you can sit and meditate in front of the fountain. Of course, I hadn’t read the blurb that the lady at the gate gave me, otherwise I would have known all this was here, but it was quite nice to discover it all as a surprise!
So, how did Herstmonceux Castle become a Canadian University? Well, in the 12th century a saxon lady, Idonea de Herst married a Norman nobleman, Ingelram de Monceux, to give the place it's name. The name of the owners changed through marriage to Fiennes, and the family increased in wealth and power. James Fiennes distinguished himself fighting for King Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt and later became sheriff of Surrey and Sussex.
The family fortunes are interesting and varied, but by 1700 the last Lord Dacre, Earl of Sussex, was forced to sell Herstmonceux Castle. Over the years the castle saw good times and bad times, first falling into ruin before being bought in the 1900’s by Lt. Col. Claude Lowther who started the renovations that would continue for many decades to come.
In 1993 Herstmonceux Castle was acquired by Queen's University of Canada through the generosity of Drs Alfred and Isabel Bader, and is now an International Study Centre attracting students from around the world.
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