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Once the home of author Rudyard Kipling, celebrated for stories like The Jungle Book. Built in 1634, this Jacobean house is in the Sussex countryside.
Bateman's Lane, Burwash, East Sussex, TN19 7DS
Asset | Opening time |
---|---|
House | 11:00 - 16:30 |
Garden | 10:00 - 17:00 |
Shop | 10:00 - 17:00 |
Tea-room | 10:00 - 17:00 |
Park Mill | 10:00 - 16:45 |
Second-hand bookshop | 11:00 - 17:00 |
Last admission to the grounds and house 30 minutes before closing. Open all year round, except on 24 & 25 December.
Ticket type | Gift aid | Standard |
---|---|---|
Adult | £16.50 | £15.00 |
Child | £8.30 | £7.50 |
Family | £41.30 | £37.50 |
Family, one adult | £24.80 | £22.50 |
Assistance dogs only in the house, mill, tea-room and shop
Gifts, homeware, plants and Kipling books in the Oast House shop
Second-hand bookshop on the ground floor of the house
Tea-room by the Mulberry Garden serves drinks, light lunches and cakes
Free parking for National Trust members, non-members £4 per car.
Toilets, accessible toilet and baby-changing facilities next to visitor reception. Additional toilets by the tea-room
Dogs on short leads welcome in the garden and estate. Assistance dogs only in the house, mill, tea-room and shop
Partly accessible grounds, some uneven paths. Blue Badge parking. Accessible toilet near visitor reception. Wheelchairs available to borrow.
Map with accessible route available from visitor reception
Accessible route and/or map - more informationLarge print guide to the house available on request
Accessible toilet at visitor reception
Steep slope into the garden from visitor reception – alternative drop-off point by arrangement. Grass ramps in the garden. Ramped access to side door of shop
Braille guide available in the house on request
Seating available in the house if required. Benches throughout the garden. At busier times, to enter the house there may occasionally be a queue in the garden
Designated accessible parking near visitor reception. Tarmac car park and path to visitor reception
Staircases to and from the first floor of the house. Partly accessible grounds with some steps, grass ramps and brick paths. Stepped access to Park Mill
Steep slope into the garden from visitor reception – alternative drop-off point by arrangement with visitor reception
Wheelchairs available to borrow from visitor reception
Fixed induction loops available at visitor reception, tea-room and shop. Portable loop available on request
½ mile south of Burwash. A265 west from Burwash, first turning on left after you leave the village, just before petrol filling station. Please do not use SatNav instructions taking you down School Lane by the war memorial as this road is very narrow. Please look out for National Trust signs.
Parking: NT members free, £4 for cars, £50 for un-booked coaches.
Nearest mainline station at Etchingham, 3 miles. Connects with public bus service. No taxi rank at station.
231 Compass Travel bus service from Heathfield to Etchingham (Mon-Sat). Pre-booking is required. Please check bus timetable before travelling: www.compass-travel.co.uk
Bring the whole family to Bateman's. With space to play and explore, adventure trails, storytelling, and more. It's the perfect place for curious minds.
Take part in a variety of events all year round. This autumn, find out what mischief Kipling's Scottie dog has been up to on our family-friendly trail, enjoy whimsical illustrations of animals from The Jungle Book by local artists, learn a new skill with our calligraphy workshops, and more!
Bateman's is a two pawprint rated place. Dogs are welcome in all outdoor areas. Explore the garden and estate together and enjoy a break with benches outside the tea-room.
Bring your group and discover what is so special about Bateman’s – once home to Rudyard Kipling, with its pretty secluded garden, 13th-century watermill and acres of countryside.
Discover where to eat and shop at Bateman’s, the home of author Rudyard Kipling. Stop for a hot drink or light meal, and then browse for the perfect gift or pre-loved book.
Take a look at the map of Bateman's to help you plan your visit.
A 17th-century house, set in the landscape of the Sussex Weald; home of Rudyard Kipling.
An 18th-century working watermill which was much loved by Rudyard Kipling and featured in his stories written at Bateman’s.
The garden that made Rudyard Kipling feel like an English country gentleman, with spring blossom, summer roses, autumn apples and winter trees.
300 acres of High Weald countryside with small fields, hedgerows, ancient trees, hidden ponds and magnificent views across the Dudwell Valley.
Play area with swings, see-saw, climbing frames and space to build a den or enjoy a picnic. Carved oak tree centrepiece featuring images of Sussex wildlife.
Serves hot and cold drinks, light lunches, ice cream and homemade cakes, with indoor and outdoor seating.
Oast House shop filled with gifts, homeware, toys, plants and local artisan products. Special range of Kipling books. Second-hand bookshop stocked with pre-loved books.
Enter the world of The Jungle Book and discover new original illustrations created especially for Bateman’s by local artist Claire Fletcher. Original Christmas art works by Claire Fletcher will be added into the exhibition from 15 November 2024. Saturday 7 September 2024–Sunday 5 January 2025 (closed 24 & 25 December) 11am–3.30pm. Free with admission.
Discover playful illustrations of animals from The Jungle Book hand drawn especially for Bateman’s by Spanish born, local artist Marta Munoz, on display upstairs in the Exhibition Room at Bateman’s. Saturday 7 September–Sunday 3 November, 11am-3.30pm. Free with admission.
Follow in the footsteps of Rudyard Kipling as he discovers what his Scottie dog has been getting up to around the house and garden. Follow the trail at your own pace – suitable for families with primary school aged children. Dates: 5 Oct – 3 Nov | Times: 10am–4.30pm | Price: £2 per trail, with a small prize
Visit Bateman’s to celebrate Diwali, the festival of light, and see the house decorated with twinkling lights and paper lotus flowers handmade by volunteers. Watch a new short film of storyteller Emily Hennessey and sitar player Sheema Mukherjee presenting an abridged version of the Ramayana filmed at Bateman’s in 2024. The Ramayana is an epic Indian tale, telling the story of Prince Rama's journey with the help of an army of monkeys to rescue his beloved wife, Sita. Dates: Fri 1 Nov to Sun 3 Nov | Times: 11am–3.30pm | Free with admission
In this workshop led by local artist Alina from Creative Feel Designs, you'll be taught how to use calligraphy and watercolours to create your own Christmas cards in the cosy surroundings of Bateman's House Kitchen. Dates: 8 & 9 Nov | Times: Two per day 11am–1pm & 2pm–4pm | Price: £30, book online
The world-renowned author of ‘The Jungle Book’, Rudyard Kipling, lived at Bateman’s for over 30 years and Bateman’s is still to this day very much a cosy family home. With a reputation for quality and craftsmanship, Bateman’s Christmas displays bring visitors back year after year. This Christmas, discover the animals from The Jungle Book swinging, climbing, hiding, and jumping around the house. Dates: 16 Nov 24 to 5 Jan 24 (closed 24 & 25 Dec) | Times: 11am–3.30pm
There’s plenty of things to see and do waiting to be discovered at Bateman's. With its beautiful garden and a host of family-friendly events all year round, it's the perfect day out.
Planning a day out with family? Explore the home of Jungle Book author, Rudyard Kipling. There's plenty of space to play and explore outdoors. Plus, take part in a variety of family-friendly events all year round. Don’t forget to visit our tea-room and shop where you'll find treats for all the family. Get ready to create memories that will last a lifetime.
Discover the house at Bateman's. Explore the home of Rudyard Kipling, from the ornate Jacobean hall to the author's own study – left just as it was during his life.
Discover the garden at Bateman's. Find out what to see, from the Rose Garden designed by Kipling to wildflowers, an orchard and even a working mill.
Explore the estate at Bateman's. Discover what to see and do, from wildlife to seasonal plants and walks, in a landscape that inspired Kipling.
Find out about bringing your dog to Bateman’s where you can explore the beautiful grounds of Rudyard Kipling's former home together. Bateman's is a two pawprint rated place.
Enter the jungle and a world of warmth and colour, tradition, and creativity as you experience ‘The Jungle Book Christmas’ at Bateman’s for 2024.
Find out about walks across the estate at Bateman's. Take in old industry, village life and ancient woodland as you explore the beautiful countryside so loved by Kipling.
This 2.5-mile walk at Bateman's takes in views over the Sussex countryside, a landscape that inspired Rudyard Kipling.
Discover where to eat and shop at Bateman’s, the home of author Rudyard Kipling. Stop for a hot drink or light meal, and then browse for the perfect gift or pre-loved book.
Pooch passport is back! Explore new places with your furry friend until 28 February 2025. Find out more about the scheme and discover dog-friendly places to explore together.
Malarkey returns! Can you find out what mischief Malarkey the dog has been up to?
Enter the world of The Jungle Book and discover new original illustrations created especially for Bateman’s by local artist Claire Fletcher.
Discover playful illustrations of animals from The Jungle Book hand drawn especially for Bateman’s by Spanish artist Marta Munoz, on display upstairs in the Exhibition Room at Bateman’s.
Get a snapshot into the life of Rudyard Kipling before looking around his home.
Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes to look after the collection at Bateman’s?
Join Spanish-born local artist Marta Munoz and watch her in action as she draws in real-time.
Join professional illustrator Nami Ralph to create your own spooky The Jungle Book inspired creations.
'That's She! The Only She! Make an honest woman of her - quick!' was how Rudyard Kipling and his wife, Carrie, felt the first time they saw Bateman's.
Surrounded by the wooded landscape of the Sussex Weald, this 17th-century house, with its mullioned windows and oak beams, provided a much needed sanctuary to this world-famous writer and inspired his work.
The rooms, described by him as 'untouched and unfaked', remain much as he left them, with oak furniture, Persian rugs and artefacts reflecting his strong association with India. Kipling wrote Puck of Pook’s Hill and Rewards and Fairies at Bateman's, which includes the poem ‘If’. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1907.
Bateman's is very much a family home that feels as though the Kiplings have just gone out for the day.
Discover the history of Bateman's. Explore its 17th-century beginnings and why the house and garden were so special to Rudyard Kipling and his family.
Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Bateman's on the National Trust Collections website.
Read about what the garden and outdoors team are doing at Bateman’s.
Rudyard Kipling was quite used to the garden at Bateman’s flooding – and it still happens today. Here’s why…
Whether you want to meet new people, learn fresh skills or simply give something back, you’ll enjoy being part of the enthusiastic volunteer team at Bateman’s. There are many ways you can get involved at Bateman’s, from gardening to meeting visitors, or from helping at events to guiding in the mill and more.
Join today and help protect nature, beauty and history – for everyone, for ever. Enjoy access to more than 500 places with National Trust membership.