Literary Landcape

Reportage 13595292 | © living4media / Narratives / Sanderson, Robert | 30 images

As you turn the corner of a long pebble drive leading to the Nathan's country home, forgive your heart for missing a beat. Surrounded by a leafy framework of tall well established beech and tulip trees and banks of rhododendrons, a softly weather Regency villa with pretty ironwork spanning a long south facing veranda, takes your breath away. It certainly had that effect on Jane and Dominic when they first saw the house. 'I thought this is so pretty, so charming. I especially loved the front door and the curve tent shape porch edged in a scalloped border.' Jane says it reminded her of a Jane Austin novel. 'I could almost imagine her dropping in for tea. We soon discovered it did in fact have historical literary connections. George Bernard Shaw stayed and wrote Heartbreak House here, basing his drawing room scene on the style, size and shape of ours. We saw a production of his play in Chichester a few years back and recognised it.'