Lamb House, Rye

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A fine brick-fronted house, standing on top of Mermaid Street, was once resided in by James Lamb, who was a mayor of Rye, is currently managed by the National Trust including the back garden.

The house also has literary associations – both Henry James and E.F. Benson lived there.

The residents live on the first floor and therefore visitors can look round the historic rooms on the ground floor and garden on Thursday and Saturday afternoons.

It is said that the George 1st visited Lamb House at the beginning of the 18th century. There is a portrait of George 1st in the Drawing Room. This room is furnished with the panels, marble fireplace, and 18th century furniture.

In the hall, there are a number of portraits and illustrations of people who visited Henry James between 1897 and 1912. In the Telephone Room, there are family photos and portraits of his childhood hanging on the wall, and a number of Henry James and E.F Benson’s first editions displayed on the bookshelves.

The Drawing Room facing to the garden is the biggest and most distinctive showroom in the Lamb House. There are a series of the Venetian windows which were installed by Henry James, and a number of pieces of European porcelain displayed in the cupboard.

There are a wide variety of flowers, e.g. geraniums, roses, dahlia, sweet peas, climbing roses, ivy, and honeysuckles grown in the walled garden, and it is an ideal place to rest as well as strolling through the English Garden. There used to be the Garden Room which was the base for Henry James’ literary works. However, the Garden Room was destroyed by the air raids as well as his literary works. There are lines indicating where the room was in the garden.

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