History
The house takes its name from the family who built it
© National Trust
Origins
Lamb House has been central to political and literary life in Rye since being built by the Lamb family in 1722 hence the name. For more than a century the house was lived in by members of the family who were successively Mayors of Rye, directing the affairs of the corporation and also managing its parliamentary representation.
Fit for a king
Do you think a king would have enjoyed staying here?
George I stayed at the house after a storm drove his ship ashore at Camber in 1726, Lamb House was considered the most suitable accommodation and James Lamb gave up his bed to the King for several days in the room now known as the King’s Room. In 1832 George Augustus Lamb sold the house to a wealthy local banker.
Literary connections
Famous past occupiers include:
- Henry James
- E.F.Benson
- Sir Brian Batsford
- Rummer Godden
The Henry James connection
The American novelist discovered Rye and Lamb House quite by chance whilst visiting an architect friend. He was enchanted by the house and delighted when the chance came to lease it in 1897. He bought it two years later.
The perfect spot for writing
When Henry James came to live here, he was already an established author
James wrote three of his novels here, The Wings of the Dove, The Ambassadors and The Golden Bowl. He wrote in the Garden Room, a self-contained building next to the house built in 1743 as a separate banqueting room and destroyed in 1940 during a bombing raid. Lamb House appeared as Mr Longdon’s home in James’s novel, The Awkward Age.
The house became a centre for James’s wide circle of literary friends, including H.G.Wells, Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling, Max Beerbolm, Hilaire Beloc G.K.Chesterton, Compton Mackenzie and Ford Maddox Ford.
James spent the majority of his time in Rye but died in London in 1916. It was his wish to return to Lamb House during his final days but was too ill to be moved.
Lamb House was featured in E. F. Benson's Mapp and Lucia books
© National Trust
The E.F. Benson connection
Another friend of Henry James and visitor to the house was the writer, E.F.Benson; he took the lease from Henry James’s nephew in 1919 and moved there with his brother A.C.Benson. He too drew inspiration from the house and gave it a central role in his comic and socially biting Mapp and Lucia novels, where he renamed Rye as 'Tilling' and Lamb House as 'Mallards'.
Lamb House was perfectly situated to become the social focus of his novels and he used the interior layout in detail throughout the series of books. Benson took a full part in the life of the town and was the Mayor from 1934 until 1937. He died in1940.