When the sky is low, the unusual chimneys of Gravetye Manor seem to hold it up to stop it sinking any further… Gently faded by time, forgotten in a quiet corner of Sussex, this manor house seems to have gradually melted into its surroundings to the point where they have become one.

This is an enchanting place, close to the pleasures of London and yet far from its bustle. The great Irish horticulturist William Robinson created the gardens. It was he who invented the notion of the “wild garden” at the beginning of the 20th century. This romantic gardening philosophy gives wild flowers their place in a garden and lets them grow naturally rather than strictly controlling them. There are three famous English stately homes to visit in the area: those of King George VI, Sir Winston Churchill and Rudyard Kipling.