Lavant House

Lavant House School

Lavant House (or West Lavant House) is an old English estate.

History

The earliest unarguable documentary reference to Lavant House dates to 1762-3. Architectural analysis of the building, its photographic depictions and an eighteenth century watercolour suggest that it was built between 1707 and 1725. The Richard Budgen map of Sussex (1723–24) shows two houses considered worthy of note in the manor of West Lavant, of which one is undoubtedly West Lavant Farm (built in 1711) while the other is likely Lavant House, given that no remains or records document another large house in the area.

Sir John Miller

Its first definite owner was Sir John Miller (the 4th Baronet) whose family had been prominent in Chichester first as justices of the peace and mayors then becoming members of parliament from the later 17th century. Sir John had enclosed the ‘park’ at West Lavant by 1740 after which date he may have resided in the first form of Lavant House, its central section.

The Duke of Newcastle’s brother (Henry Pelham) wrote to the Duke saying "you know my thoughts on Sir John he is as friendly and honest as the day is long".[1]:157 This has to be balanced with the fact that the Second Duke of Richmond could relate to the Duke of Newcastle that Sir John had stated that he did not care a fart for [his father-in-law] Dr. Combs.[1]:38 Sir John is believed to be depicted as a lesser figure in a 1759 painting by George Stubbs showing the Third Duke of Richmond out hunting (this hangs in the front hall at Goodwood House). He died in 1772 and his relict Dame Susanna remained at Lavant House until her death in 1788 when the house was put on the market by her eldest Son (Sir Thomas Miller) who had by then moved to live in Hampshire. This was the advertisement in the The European magazine, and London Review.[2]

Third Duke of Richmond

In 1791 the house was bought by The Third Duke of Richmond who rented it to Lord Bathurst. In 1798 the Duke started work on the house. Apparently this was when the house was reoriented to face north (maps show the drive originally approaching from the south). He appears to have died (in 1806) while the project was underway.

The next inhabitant was Henriette Ann Le Clerc, now thought to be the Duke’s illegitimate daughter. Henriette was brought from France by his sister, Lady Louisa Conolly, in 1778 at age 5 to live at her Goodwood estate.[1]:265 His will named her the first beneficiary, receiving life tenure of West Lavant House and Park and other lands and farms. She married Colonel (later General) John Dorrien on 28 March 1808. John and Henriette’s only child, Charles (the traditional Lennox family name), was born in Lavant in January 1809. Following John’s death in 1825, Henriette ran her estate, which she mentions in a series of letters to the Fifth Duke.[3] She remained much of the time at Lavant. Forty years after moving into Lavant House, the Agricultural Gazette announced her death on January 6, 1846.

The house then returned to the Goodwood Estate and was rented to a series of tenants.

Twentieth century

In 1907 the house was sold in 1907 to Mr Morrison and family. He is probably responsible for the dining room decoration.

The house was then sold to Major Henry Frederic Low and family. In 1921 his relict sold it to Major Julian Day and Isabella. She then sold the building to the school.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Brian Fitzgerald (1957). Letters of Lady Louisa Conolly and William, Marquis of Kildare (2nd Duke of Leinster). Correspondence of Emily Duchess of Leinster (1731–1814). 3. Irish Manuscripts Commission. ISBN 9780903532211.
  2. ↑ The European magazine, and London Review, volume 14 (1788), p. 79.
  3. ↑ Goodwood Archive at the WSRO
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