Standen

About the museum

Standen was built in the early 1890s for James Beale, a London solicitor, his wife Margaret and their seven children. The architect Philip Webb, a friend of William Morris, designed the house in a style inspired by the traditional buildings of the Sussex Weald, using sandstone quarried on the estate with local brick and tile. It was lit by electricity from the start, with fittings designed by W.A.S. Benson.

The interiors are decorated throughout with Morris & Co. wallpapers, fabrics and carpets, and the house is regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of Arts and Crafts domestic design. The Beales also created a garden of about twelve acres on the hillside, shaped by Webb's preference for a mix of formal and natural planting.

James Beale died in 1912, and Margaret stayed on at the house. After her death their daughters held it in turn, and Helen Beale left Standen to the National Trust in 1972. Visitors today can explore the family rooms, the garden with its orchard, kitchen garden and rosery, a natural play area and footpaths into the High Weald woods and Ashdown Forest.

Highlights

• Arts and Crafts house designed by Philip Webb
• Interiors with Morris & Co. wallpapers, fabrics and carpets
• Hillside garden with orchard, kitchen garden and rosery
• Barn Cafe serving produce from the kitchen garden
• Estate walks to the High Weald and the Bluebell Railway at Kingscote
• Natural play area with a willow maze

Permanent exhibition

• The house at Standen – The Beale family home designed by Philip Webb and furnished with Morris & Co. fabrics and wallpapers.

Founded

1891

Operated by

National Trust

Admission & discounts

Prices from 1 March 2026 without Gift Aid; with Gift Aid the adult price is £19.80, child £9.90, family £49.50 and one-adult family £29.70. Free entry for National Trust members. Seasonal trails cost extra (for example £3 to £4.50).

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Mobility parking is near the entrance. The grounds are partly accessible, with slopes and steps, and the house has narrow corridors, ramps and uneven terrain in places. Adapted toilets are available. Access to the upper gardens is via the bookshop steps. An access statement for 2026 is available on the National Trust page. Well-behaved dogs on short leads are welcome in the garden but not in the house.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Playground / play area

Family-friendly activities include trails in school holidays, woodland paths, den building and the natural play area (with a willow maze, wooden swing and balance beam). Free family maps can be picked up on site.

Getting there & parking

Standen is 2 miles south of East Grinstead, signposted from the town centre and the B2110 (Turners Hill Road). National Cycle Network route 21 passes about 1¼ miles away.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

The Barn Cafe in a converted eighteenth-century barn serves lunches, snacks and cakes using produce from the kitchen garden. The shop in the old scullery sells Arts and Crafts and Morris & Co. inspired gifts, and there are a plant shop and a second-hand bookshop.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit