I guess this shows that I have been posting on this blog for just over a year now as I revisited Charleston when we went to Sussex for our holidays last month. This was the house and meeting place for the Bloomsbury group of artists and the interior was painted by the artists Vanessa Bell (Virginia Woolf's sister) and Duncan Grant.
I love this place in the peaceful Sussex countryside, even though it just started to rain as I went into the garden, it was very beautiful. This is the lawn that Vanessa Bell's French windows opened out into. Apparently her husband made her move her bedroom downstairs when he moved back into the house. It must have been lovely on a hot summer's day to open the doors of your bedroom onto this:
Although it is quite a small garden the planting is lovely and there are some statues as well:
Last year when I visited I went inside the house and I nted to go around again and was not disappointed. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take photos inside the house, so I cannot show you the wonderful painted interiors here. There were some new paintings in the house that were on loan that I had not seen last year and also another room had been opened that I had not actually been in last year.
The shop is always really special to visit and this year they have added some lovely textiles that are designs by Duncan Grant and Cressida Bell. If you want to see more paintings and textiles by the Bloomsbury group there is an exhibition on at the Courtauld Gallery called Beyond Bloomsbury until 20th September.
I felt that I was really starting to get to know the house and the characters who lived or visited there and am hoping that I will be lucky enough to go there again next year.
3 comments:
lovely house. magical garden. thank you for sharing.
Yes it is lovely, it is a house that you can keep returning to and see something new every time.
I'd love to visit this area one day. I like that you've visited this house twice and plan to return. I once had a boyfriend that couldn't understand why I wanted to visit the same place in Italy twice. I was baffled by his perspective. I enjoyed my first trip and wanted to explore further, of course... I've only been to England once. We spent most of our time in London and made a short trip to Bath. I really enjoyed both. I'd love to return and add Charleston to the journey.
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