The History of St. Mary’s

The origins of St. Mary’s go back to the 12th century, and the days of the Knights Templar, when five acres of land in the downland village of Bramber were given to them by the widow of Philip de Braose, following his death in 1125. The present building was constructed c1470 by William of Waynflete, Bishop of Winchester and founder of Magdalen College, Oxford, as an inn for pilgrims on their way to the tomb of St. Thomas of Canterbury.

Through the centuries, the house has had a number of distinguished owners.  Of note, in the 1890s, is Hon. Algernon Bourke, owner of White’s, the celebrated gentleman’s club in St. James’s, London. He along with his beautiful wife, Gwendolen, were the originals for the characters in Oscar Wilde’s famous play, The Importance of Being Earnest.

In 1907, St. Mary’s was sold to the wealthy socialite, Alfred Musgrave, the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes story, The Musgrave Ritual.

In 1946, the house was saved from demolition by Dorothy Ellis, who lived there for some thirty-five years, after which it was bought by Paul Smart, a lepidopterist and author of an encyclopedia of butterflies.

The current owners, Peter Thorogood and Roger Linton purchased the house in 1984. Peter, an author and composer, and Roger, a designer and landscape gardener, brought together valuable complementary skills. They immediately embarked upon a long and dedicated programme of restoration of the house which at the time was empty and in a very poor condition. Over the 40 years they have lived in the house, they have also been able to regain important land that had previously been sold off. As a result they have significantly enhanced the size of the St Mary’s estate, and the extent of the beautiful gardens. In recognition of their services to the arts and heritage they were both awarded the MBE in the Queen’s 80th Birthday Honours, 2006.

Peter and Roger have been joined in their efforts by a remarkable group of dedicated friends and volunteers who help keep the estate going and provide a warm friendly welcome to the many visitors each year. If you visit and meet them please take time to thank them for their dedicated efforts.

Click here to find out more about the Restoration of St. Mary’s