Chidmere House in Chidham Lane is a Grade II listed building and is the most southerly historic building in the parish.
The house also features a large garden and Chidmere Pond to the South. The core of the main house is undoubtedly of 16th century origin with alterations in the 1930s. It was the home of farmer William Terry in 1881, then market gardener William Henry Apps.
Did you know?
Some panelling sold from the house in 1912 is believed to have been dated to 1521, the probable build date for the house, which is likely to make it the oldest house in the Parish!
The original building is of red brick with a timber-framed wall to north with attractive flint infill. There is a Tudor staircase gable with 16th Century round-headed window and flint gable and to the North the front has a 16th Century 4-light mullioned window reglazed in 1930 along with most of the other windows. The South end of the south wing was reconstructed in 1930 when additions were made at the north west and west of the building. A further small addition of brick was made to the West in 1954.
The interior hall has stone flags and the dining room has 17th Century panelling installed in the 1930’s from a house in Chichester, with an inglenook behind. There is a timber partition plastered over wattle and daub between the hall and dining room. Exposed ceiling beams can be seen between the hall and dining room. A book room beyond the dining room has some old panelling from another part of the house that was reassembled in the 1930’s.
Chidmere Pond to the South of the house covers over 4.5 acres and provides a valuable haven for local wildlife.
Did you know?
A mere refers to a shallow standing body of water, pond or lake and is linked to the Saxon word ‘mere’ that means a ‘sea’. It can also refer to a lake that is broad in relation to its depth such as Lake Windermere in the lake District.
By 1939 Hugo Baxendale lived there with his wife and family. Hugo was a Magistrate and market gardener. The current owners completed further renovations of the house and garden, which included replanting the apple orchards and restoring the mere in 2006.
The garden includes a formal rose garden, well stocked herbaceous borders, contemporary borders and 8 acres of orchards with a wide selection of heritage and modern varieties of apples, pears and plums.
Did you know?
Chidmere Gardens was one of the earliest gardens to be included in the ‘Yellow Book’ run by the National Garden Scheme, a charity founded in 1927 to support district nurses.
The National Garden Scheme is the most significant charitable funder of nursing in the UK and beneficiaries include Macmillan, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and the Queen’s Nursing Institute. Each year the Garden Visitor’s Handbook or ‘yellow book’ is published giving details of all the local private gardens that their owners show to the public and when they are open to visitors.
- National Garden Scheme yellow book – click here
- Find out when Chidmere Garden is next open – click here
- Donate to help support vital nursing and health charities – click here
- The nearby gatehouse is available for short-term stays @chidmere_gatehouse