Since building began in 1577 only three families have lived at Parham. It is a jewel amongst the country houses of the British Isles, the more special because it is still a home stewarded and loved by its current custodians Lady Emma and her husband James Barnard.
Parham is a fine example of an Elizabethan H-plan centred around the traditional Great Hall. It is constructed of sandstone known as Amberley Blue. Stone from Pulborough, Caen and Bath are also employed for the quoins and dressings beneath a Horsham stone roof. Interestingly the house was probably lime washed. Many of the timbers date from the 1570s.
Lady Emma’s great grandparents, Clive and Alicia Pearson, fell in love with Parham as soon as they saw it. The house was in a poor state when they bought it in 1922. They employed the architect Victor Heal to supervise the work and together oversaw the restoration with great attention to detail. Victorian additions were removed and the rooms returned to their original Elizabethan form. The character of the house is also defined by the wonderful collections of paintings, textiles and antique furniture which speak into the English Country House taste. The interiors are comfortable, eclectic and layered giving voice to the passions and interests of successive generations. The pieces were collected for their association with Parham and its story. Clive and Alicia installed heating, electricity and contemporary plumbing.
The Great Hall’s original Tudor oak panelling is subtly limed and bathed in light from its tall mullioned windows which face south to the Sussex Downs. It is at the heart of this beautiful home. The fine portraits, the Tudor and later furniture and the four hundred year old narwhal tusk (they were sold by Tudor sailors as Unicorn horns) speak into the procession of our island history and the family which saved and furnished this wonderful house.
The Long Gallery is a remarkable space The famous theatrical set and costume designer, Oliver Messel, painted the ceiling in the Long Gallery which was put in by the Pearsons in the 1960s.
Clive and Alicia opened Parham to the public in 1948, not out of need but out of a genuine desire to share their home with others, a tradition continued by Lady Emma today.
This optimistic place provides a window onto our past and our future, an historical narrative from the first Elizabethan Age to today. Parham house sits confidently and quietly in its landscape and gardens. A visit is the perfect summer holiday treat. To find out more go to www.parhaminsussex.co.uk.