The history of Standen, considered one of the finest examples of Arts and Crafts houses by Philip Webb.

In 1891, James Beale, a wealthy middle-class solicitor from Birmingham, commissioned architect Philip Webb to design a country house in Sussex. The Beale family remained the sole owners of the property until it was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1972 by Helen Beale, the last surviving child of James and Margaret Beale.

Although Standen is recognized by architectural historians as an outstanding and complete example of Philip Webb's Arts and Crafts architecture and is widely celebrated for its wallpapers and furnishings by Morris & Co., little has been written about how the family experienced the house, the garden, and the estate, as well as the extent to which these shaped the later life of Standen under the National Trust.

This book fills that gap, focusing on the experience of the Beale family and how they collaborated with Philip Webb in creating Standen. Historical photographs and material from family and estate archives related to the property and its enchanting collection reveal the extent to which the Beale family's appreciation of the Arts and Crafts movement influenced the interior design of Standen, its gardens, and the broader estate from 1890 to the present.

Based on extensive new research, this richly illustrated publication weaves a detailed historical context for Standen and its stories of human experience.

Pages: 272, Year of Publication: 2011, Dimensions: 21.6x21.6cm