Knightrider Street

Strand Street

(Sandwich)

Photos above and below showing what is now called the Salutation or Nightrider House.

The original pub called the Salutation I have traced from between 1823 and 1899. The building here today was built by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1911-1912 for William, Gaspard and Henry Farrer as a weekend retreat to enable them to enjoy the coastal air. Named after an Inn that originally stood within the grounds, the main house is supported by Knightrider House, Gatehouse, Coach House and Gardeners Cottage.

Having been hidden and neglected for over a decade, there has been a considerable renovation programme carried out on both the house and its gardens which are now open to the public. The main house however remains a private residence.

Set within the town and adjacent to the River Stour, surrounded by 3.5 acres of delightful Lutyens and Jekyll gardens and almost entirely encircled by the old city walls, the house is afforded a remarkable level of privacy.

Jekyll & Lutyens

Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll are names synonymous with the creation of the English County Garden style. This style indicated a movement away from the highly formal Victorian garden towards a greater freedom in planting and the inclusion of a wider variety of plants. Attributes of a Lutyens-Jekyll garden included brick paths and herbaceous borders planted with lilies, lupins and lavenders, all of which can be found at The Secret Gardens of Sandwich.

Together this famous duo created many country houses with Lutyens designing the house and Jekyll providing the garden design and planting scheme. In this case Lutyens also designed the Gardens and whilst there is no definitive proof of Jekyll’s involvement with this project her influence is clear. She believed that a garden should offer unexpected views and visual surprises and should be made up of many “rooms” each with its own character; a way of thinking which is certainly in evidence at The Secret Gardens.

Above picture showing a map of the gardens.

Visit www.the-secretgardens.co.uk for information on the gardens.

LICENSEE LIST

KNOWLER Robert 1823+

BERWICK Robert 1839+

FARRER James 1840

BEACHING Nathl 1847+

EAST Henry Ellis 1874+

HOGBEN John 1878-82

HOLNESS Richard James 1899+

From the Pigot's Directory 1823

From the Pigot's Directory 1839

From the Pigot's Directory 1840

From Bagshaw Directory 1847

From the Post Office Directory 1874

From the Post Office Directory 1878

From the Post Office Directory 1882

From the Kelly's Directory 1899