History of Scotney Castle

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autumn, autumnal, Britain, British,England, English, GB, Great Britain, Great British, scotney castle, Kent, leaf, leaves, outdoor, outside, South East, South East Region, UK, United Kingdom, visiting, visitor — Old Castle ruins through the autumnal garden at Scotney Castle, Kent | © James Dobson

Boasting two castles within a nationally significant garden, Scotney is primarily the vision of three people: Edward Hussey III, Scotney’s 19th-century owner; Anthony Salvin, the architect; and William Sawrey Gilpin, the garden designer and artist. Their shared aim, inspired by the Picturesque movement, was to create a unified work of art where architecture, landscape and horticulture combine to create a ‘living painting’.

The medieval origins of Old Castle, Scotney

Originally called Courthope, the estate was listed in 1086 as the property of Bishop Odo of Bayeux (d. 1097), who was the brother of William the Conqueror. In the later 12th century, the estate was acquired by the powerful de Scoteni family and the name ‘Scotney’ derives from them.

Scotney’s Old Castle that we see today is the result of building work undertaken by Roger Ashburnham (d. 1392) around 1378–80. Roger commissioned the construction of a castle with crenelated towers surrounded by a moat. The current Ashburnham Tower is the most prominent survival from the period.

Despite these features, Scotney’s design was not primarily defensive. Rather, the towers and crenelated walls, which reflect in the waters of the moat, were fundamentally designed for show.

The Ashburnham family held Scotney until 1418, when the estate was sold to Robert Chichele (d. 1439), who was probably acting on behalf of his brother Henry Chichele, Archbishop of Canterbury (around 1364–1443). Henry gave Scotney to his niece, Florence (1390–1465), who married John Darrell of Ashford (1386–1438). The Darrell family went on to own Scotney for the next 350 years. They rebuilt Roger Ashburnham’s original castle, adding a new service wing in the 16th century and an impressive east range in the 17th century. The religious upheavals of the 16th century also touched Scotney.

Scotney and the Reformation

During the Reformation, the Darrell family remained Roman Catholic, maintaining Scotney as a stronghold of their faith. From 1591 to 1598, the Old Castle’s wall sheltered the Jesuit priest, Father Richard Blount. The ‘Priest’s Hole’ where he hid is still visible. One night, Father Blount was almost discovered in his place of hiding. Luckily, his pursuers were distracted, and he escaped the Old Castle by jumping into the moat and swimming to the other side.

Autumn, Kent, Kent Garden, Autumn Trees, Castle, Manor House, Parkland, National Trust, Garden of England — Autumn scene of the parkland with Scotney Castle in the background, Kent | © National Trust Images/Laurence Perry

17th-century improvements

One of the more unusual architectural features of the Old Castle is the east range, although it is partially ruined today. In about the 1630s, this part of the building was rebuilt in a very modern style, echoing buildings by Italian architects, Andrea Palladio and Giacomo della Porta, and by English Royal architect, Inigo Jones. The designer of the new east range may have been a cousin of the Darrell family – George Gage. Like the Darrells at Scotney, Gage was Catholic and had visited Italy as part of diplomatic mission undertaken for James I. He was also an architect and in the 1630s had designed Tart Hall, a similar Italianate villa in London.

Scotney and the Hussey family

By the mid-18th century, Scotney was in financial trouble. The last male owner of Scotney, John Darrell (d. 1775), died with considerable debts. His heirs were forced to sell what was left of the estate.

In 1778, Edward Hussey I (1749–1816) purchased Scotney. His family had moved from Staffordshire, attracted to the iron industry in this part of the Weald. Edward was a barrister and enthusiastic cricket player who helped revive the sport of archery. In 1816, he died by suicide in the Old Castle at Scotney.

His son, Edward Hussey II (1780–1817), only lived at the castle for a year before he too died, having earlier lost his daughter. His widow, Anne (1780 – 1858), and surviving son, Edward Hussey III (1807–94), left Scotney and moved to St Leonards-on-Sea. When he reached adulthood, however, he returned to his former home.

Winter, Scotney Castle, National Trust, Mansion House, Kent History, Kent, Kent Days Out — The house in winter at Scotney Castle, Kent | © National Trust Images/Kirsty Gibbons

The New Castle and the Picturesque

Edward Hussey III showed a great interest in architecture, art, history and horticulture. It was the Picturesque – an aesthetic movement that had developed in the 1780s – that captured his imagination. Writers on the Picturesque argued that landscape garden design should embrace the natural topography of a site. Gardens should heighten the dramatic and ‘romantic’ effects of nature by incorporating rocky outcrops and by including suitable ruins. The idea was to create a garden that looked like a painting.

The site at Scotney held potential for transformation. In the short span between 1837–43, Edward redeveloped the entire site and some of the wider estate in the Picturesque style.

Rather than continue living at the Old Castle, Edward decided to build a New Castle at the site. He employed the architect Anthony Salvin to realise his vision. Salvin built a mansion inspired by Tudor architecture and designed interiors and furniture that evoked the Jacobean period. Scotney is one of Salvin’s earliest and most complete country houses and is an important example of architecture and design from the William IV period (1830–7). Much of the furniture that Salvin created specifically for the house is still on display.

The new location of the mansion, high above the valley of the Old Castle, was said to have been chosen by William Sawrey Gilpin, the Picturesque painter and landscape designer. Gilpin visited the site three times, although it is likely that Edward had a major input into the garden design. The quarry from which stone had been taken to build the new house, with its exposed rocky walls, was also incorporated into the Picturesque design.

The Old Castle was deliberately partially ruined, with the partial ruins becoming a focal point in the landscape design.

Iron and hops: Scotney as a working estate

Scotney lies in a part of the Weald that, up until the 18th century, was a very important centre for the iron industry. Evidence for iron smelting at Scotney can still be seen in the wider estate. The Husseys owned iron works in nearby Lamberhurst.

By the 19th century, however, the production of hops for the brewing industry took over on the estate. In late summer, families from the east end of London came to Scotney to help harvest the hops. Remains of some of their huts can still be seen.

Hop growing continues to this day at Scotney. Little Scotney Farm, on the estate, is the only working hop farm owned by the National Trust.

John Piper, Anthony Salvin, National Trust South East, National Trust, Watercolour, Scotney Castle — Pen and ink and watercolour on paper, New Scotney Castle, the Entrance Front by John Piper | © John Piper/National Trust Images/John Hammond

Christopher and Betty Hussey

Edward lived at Scotney until his death in 1894, when his son, Edward Windsor Hussey (1855–1952), inherited. ‘Edwy’, as he was affectionately known, did not undertake many changes. He left the estate to his nephew, Christopher Hussey (1899–1970), who inherited in 1952. It was Christopher, and his wife Betty (1907–2006), who would be the next generation of Husseys to have a major impact on Scotney.

Christopher Hussey was an important campaigner for the preservation of country houses, gardens and estates, and the need to share them with the public. He wrote extensively on English architecture, historic garden design and the English country house. In the post-war period, Christopher advised the government on how to show country houses to the public and advised the National Trust as to which country houses to acquire.

When he and Betty inherited Scotney in 1952, they introduced furniture and art which reflected their interest in the late-Georgian and Regency periods. They also looked to maintain the estate in imaginative ways. For example, they created a series of self-contained flats in the old service wing of the house. For a period, Margaret and Denis Thatcher were tenants.

Christopher and Betty also knew many significant British artists and designers of the mid-20th century, including John Piper. Piper visited Scotney and painted the Old Castle numerous times. Several works by Piper are in the collection at Scotney.

Scotney and the National Trust

Christopher recognised the significance of Scotney, and he and Betty carefully maintained the celebrated garden. As soon as he inherited, he approached the National Trust to leave the estate to the nation. He died in 1970 and the Picturesque Garden was opened to the public in 1971. Betty lived at Scotney until 2006. The mansion opened to the public the following year. We are still cataloguing the collection and estimate that Scotney has the third largest collection in the National Trust.

In sharing and maintaining the Picturesque vision of Scotney, the National Trust is working very much in the spirit of Christopher Hussey, whose family motto translates as: ‘I scarcely call these things my own’.