Parham

Parham House lies tranquilly at the foot of the South Downs, an Elizabethan house with weathered stone walls, glittering leaded windows and a gabled silhouette. In its ancient park, deer roam beneath spreading oaks and 18th-century lawns spread out towards the church, all that remains of Parham village. Rescued from decay and lovingly restored by Clive and Alicia Pearson and their architect Victor Heal, the house was opened to the public in 1948. This book tells the story of the house, and of the three families - the Palmers, the Bisshopps and the Pearsons - who owned it for more than 400 years. Parham: A Sussex House And Its Restoration, brings to life the way its restorers dealt with the practical and aesthetic problems they encountered.

A precious archive of drawings, letters and other papers has revealed much new evidence about changes to the fabric. Professional and volunteer archaeologists have searched the park for traces of the monastic grange and village that once stood somewhere within it, while personal recollections have added yet another perspective. All the findings have been masterfully pieced together by Jayne Kirk, who has thrown a brilliant light onto the hidden history of this intriguing country house.