Built between 1701 and 1705 for the Rev. Thomas Hooper, Hailsham Grange was designed in the “Mary-Anne” style, combining the formality of the Queen Anne period with the Dutch influence of William and Mary. Located in the center of the town, the setting is so peaceful and serene that it seems like a much larger country manor. The gardens took five years to establish. “Relatively speaking, by English standards anyway, this is a fairly small garden at around an acre, and it’s in an urban environment, so I needed to create something that would suit the location and the house,” said homeowner Noel Thompson.
After purchasing the property in 1987, the first thing Thompson did was build a summerhouse to give the rear garden a focal point. Then he obscured the view of the backs of the shops behind the property that could be seen from the upper storeys of the house. “I pinched an idea from David Hicks’ garden for that and planted a hedge on ‘stilts,’” he said. The front is very formal with box hedging, and the white garden was influenced by Sissinghurst. After the plans for the garden were in place, Thompson then turned his attention to the house, which had sustained a number of alterations over the centuries. Impressive but not at all showy, it possesses an effortless English elegance. Let’s take a tour of this beautiful East Sussex home, which also happens to be for sale! Images are from Wealden Times and Hailsham Grange.
For more English homes featured by The Glam Pad, please click on the links below:
- AT HOME WITH PLUM SYKES
- RITA KONIG’S ENGLISH COUNTRY FARMHOUSE
- AN ELEGANT HOME AND GARDEN IN ENGLAND
- A CLASSIC GEORGIAN HOME IN THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE
- AN OLD FASHIONED ENGLISH COUNTRY HOUSE
- BEN PENTREATH’S ENGLISH COUNTRY HOME
- LOUISE TOWNSEND’S IDYLLIC ENGLISH COUNTRY HOME
- ALICE NAYLOR-LEYLAND’S ENGLISH COUNTRY WONDERLAND
- MARK GILLETTE REFRESHES A 300-YEAR-OLD ENGLISH MANOR
- FARM FROM HOME WITH AMANDA BROOKS
- LAST NIGHT I DREAMT I WENT TO MANDERLEY AGAIN
- BOWOOD HOUSE
- INSIDE ENGLAND’S SEEND MANOR WITH AMANDA CLARK
- JOHN FOWLER’S NANTCLWYD HALL REVISITED
- BRITISH ELEGANCE WITH SERENA FRESSON AND ALICE NAYLOR-LEYLAND

What a wonderful house. And they did all the right things to it. Very beautiful and much loved. Can’t believe they could part with it.
Hi Cynthia,
Isn’t it perfect? I would love to buy it!!
Xx,
Andrea
The Glam Pad
Posh, yet cozy- a delight!
An old friend, Jerry Dalton, is going to visit Dunmore in a couple weeks- (Scotland)
He will also see the Dunmore Pineapple ! A favorite architectural jewel-
Gorgeous house in the best english tradition , i love everything about it !! Great post
Thank you, Rodrigo! I just adore classic English style! 🙂
Xx,
Andrea
The Glam Pad