Southover Grange from Southover Grange Gardens

Image: © Marathon Taken: 6 Sep 2012

Southover Grange was formerly known as Southover House or Southover Priory. It was built by William Newton in 1572. William Newton was born around 1516 and his family was descended from Sir Isaac Newton. The Newton family occupied the Grange for almost 300 years until 1860. In 1630, William Newton’s second son married Jane Stansfield the maternal grandmother of John Evelyn the diarist who lived at The Grange as a boy from 1630 to 1637 while attending the Old Grammar School. This formerly occupied the south-eastern corner of the gardens. In the 1790s the Prince of Wales, who later became the Prince Regent and King George IV, often stayed at The Grange, sleeping in what is now known as the Regent’s bedroom. During the Second World War the house was requisitioned by the War Department. In March 1945 it was purchased by the former Corporation of Lewes and the house and gardens were opened to the public on 16th May 1945. The gardens are divided into two almost equal parts by the Winterbourne stream and have some magnificent trees. Seen here across the lawn is a wall running west to east and then in a southerly direction terminating at the Winterbourne stream. This wall was probably erected by William Newton. Above the archway in the side of the wall facing west is a carved stone boss, originally obtained from the ruins of the nearby Lewes Priory.

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