Monk's House is a 16th-century weatherboarded cottage in the village of Rodmell, three miles (4.8 km) south of Lewes, East Sussex, England. The writer Virginia Woolf and her husband, the political activist, journalist and editor Leonard Woolf, bought the house by auction at the White Hart Hotel, Lewes, on 1 July 1919 for 700 pounds, and received there many visitors connected to the Bloomsbury Group, including T. S. Eliot, E. M. Forster, Roger Fry and Lytton Strachey. The purchase is described in detail in her Diary, vol. 1, pp. 286–8.
Busts of Virginia and Leonard Woolf in the garden of Monk's House
During the Woolfs' early years at Rodmell, Monk's House was of modest dimensions with three-quarters of an acre of garden including an orchard and a number of outbuildings. Conditions were primitive and over the years the Woolfs made many alterations and additions, including: improvements to the kitchen; the installation of a hot water range and bathroom with water closet; and a two-storey extension in 1929. In 1928 they bought an adjoining field to preserve the beautiful views from the garden towards Mount Caburn.[2]
The Woolfs spent more and more time in Rodmell, eventually living there full-time from 1940 when their flat in Mecklenburgh Square, Bloomsbury, London, was damaged during an air raid. The solitude of village life allowed Virginia respite from the tumult of London, and it was in the small wooden lodge at the bottom of the garden that many of her novels took shape. Jacob's Room, published in 1922, Mrs Dalloway (1925), To The Lighthouse (1927), Orlando (1928), The Waves (1931), The Years (1937) and Between The Acts (1941), as well as other works, were also written there.[3] Her final novel, Between the Acts,[4] published posthumously in July 1941, is steeped in references to Rodmell and the traditions and values of its villagers.
Virginia documented her life at the house in photographs. Preserved in the Monk's House Albums, these include portraits and group pictures of many who visited the house.[5]
In March 1941, Virginia died by suicide, drowning herself in the nearby River Ouse. Leonard continued to live at Monk's House until his death in 1969, and played an active role in village life. Both he and Virginia had been members of the socialist party,[dubious – discuss] and he became a manager of the village school in Rodmell in the 1930s. He was also treasurer and president of the Rodmell and District Horticultural Society.[6]
Upon Leonard's death the house was bequeathed to his close friend, the artist Trekkie Parsons, née Ritchie, who sold it to the University of Sussex in 1972. It was eventually turned over to the National Trust in 1980,[6] and is open to the public. The ground floor, including sitting room, dining room, kitchen and Virginia's bedroom, is on display and Virginia's writing lodge can be found at the bottom of the garden with views across to Mount Caburn.
Referencesedit
^ abc"Monks House". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
^The Diary of Virginia Woolf, ed. Anne Olivier Bell and Andrew McNeillie, 5 vols, Hogarth Press, 1977–84; The Letters of Virginia Woolf, ed. Nigel Nicolson and Joanne Trautmann, 6 vols, Hogarth Press, 1975–80.
^Cooper, Robert M. (1998). The Literary Guide & Companion to Southern England. Ohio University Press. p. 122, 123.
^Maggie Humm, Snapshots of Bloomsbury: The Private Lives of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell, Tate Publishing, 2006.
^ abLW Papers, University of Sussex Library Manuscript Collections.
Further readingedit
Caroline Zoob (1 November 2013). Virginia Woolf's Garden: The Story of the Garden at Monk's House. Jacqui Small. ISBN978-1-909342-13-2.
Strachey, Nino (2018). Rooms of Their Own: Eddy Sackville-West | Virginial Woolf | Vita Sackville-West (1st ed.). London: National Trust. ISBN9781841657882.
Nuala Hancock (27 June 2012). Charleston and Monk's House: The Intimate House Museums of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell: The Intimate House Museums of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN978-0-7486-4674-6.
Richard Shone (October 2006). Virginia Woolf and Monk's House. National Trust. ISBN978-1-84359-205-1.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monk's House.
Monk's House information at the National Trust
The Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain
January 29, 2024
monk, house, 16th, century, weatherboarded, cottage, village, rodmell, three, miles, south, lewes, east, sussex, england, writer, virginia, woolf, husband, political, activist, journalist, editor, leonard, woolf, bought, house, auction, white, hart, hotel, lew. Monk s House is a 16th century weatherboarded cottage in the village of Rodmell three miles 4 8 km south of Lewes East Sussex England The writer Virginia Woolf and her husband the political activist journalist and editor Leonard Woolf bought the house by auction at the White Hart Hotel Lewes on 1 July 1919 for 700 pounds and received there many visitors connected to the Bloomsbury Group including T S Eliot E M Forster Roger Fry and Lytton Strachey The purchase is described in detail in her Diary vol 1 pp 286 8 Monk s HouseMonk s HouseLocationThe Street Rodmell East Sussex EnglandCoordinates50 50 19 N 0 00 59 E 50 8387 N 0 0165 E 50 8387 0 0165Built18th centuryOwnerThe National TrustListed Building Grade IIOfficial nameMonks House 1 Designated27 September 1979 1 Reference no 1273935 1 Location of Monk s House in East SussexShow map of East SussexMonk s House England Show map of EnglandVirginia s sister the artist Vanessa Bell lived at nearby Charleston Farmhouse in Firle from 1916 and though contrasting in style both houses became important outposts of the Bloomsbury Group The National Trust now operates the building as a writer s house museum Contents 1 Life at Monk s House 2 Monk s House today 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksLife at Monk s House edit nbsp Busts of Virginia and Leonard Woolf in the garden of Monk s HouseDuring the Woolfs early years at Rodmell Monk s House was of modest dimensions with three quarters of an acre of garden including an orchard and a number of outbuildings Conditions were primitive and over the years the Woolfs made many alterations and additions including improvements to the kitchen the installation of a hot water range and bathroom with water closet and a two storey extension in 1929 In 1928 they bought an adjoining field to preserve the beautiful views from the garden towards Mount Caburn 2 The Woolfs spent more and more time in Rodmell eventually living there full time from 1940 when their flat in Mecklenburgh Square Bloomsbury London was damaged during an air raid The solitude of village life allowed Virginia respite from the tumult of London and it was in the small wooden lodge at the bottom of the garden that many of her novels took shape Jacob s Room published in 1922 Mrs Dalloway 1925 To The Lighthouse 1927 Orlando 1928 The Waves 1931 The Years 1937 and Between The Acts 1941 as well as other works were also written there 3 Her final novel Between the Acts 4 published posthumously in July 1941 is steeped in references to Rodmell and the traditions and values of its villagers Virginia documented her life at the house in photographs Preserved in the Monk s House Albums these include portraits and group pictures of many who visited the house 5 In March 1941 Virginia died by suicide drowning herself in the nearby River Ouse Leonard continued to live at Monk s House until his death in 1969 and played an active role in village life Both he and Virginia had been members of the socialist party dubious discuss and he became a manager of the village school in Rodmell in the 1930s He was also treasurer and president of the Rodmell and District Horticultural Society 6 Monk s House today edit nbsp Virginia Woolf s bed at Monk s HouseUpon Leonard s death the house was bequeathed to his close friend the artist Trekkie Parsons nee Ritchie who sold it to the University of Sussex in 1972 It was eventually turned over to the National Trust in 1980 6 and is open to the public The ground floor including sitting room dining room kitchen and Virginia s bedroom is on display and Virginia s writing lodge can be found at the bottom of the garden with views across to Mount Caburn References edit a b c Monks House British Listed Buildings Retrieved 25 January 2018 The Diary of Virginia Woolf ed Anne Olivier Bell and Andrew McNeillie 5 vols Hogarth Press 1977 84 The Letters of Virginia Woolf ed Nigel Nicolson and Joanne Trautmann 6 vols Hogarth Press 1975 80 Cooper Robert M 1998 The Literary Guide amp Companion to Southern England Ohio University Press p 122 123 Between the Acts Hogarth Press 1941 Maggie Humm Snapshots of Bloomsbury The Private Lives of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell Tate Publishing 2006 a b LW Papers University of Sussex Library Manuscript Collections Further reading editCaroline Zoob 1 November 2013 Virginia Woolf s Garden The Story of the Garden at Monk s House Jacqui Small ISBN 978 1 909342 13 2 Strachey Nino 2018 Rooms of Their Own Eddy Sackville West Virginial Woolf Vita Sackville West 1st ed London National Trust ISBN 9781841657882 Nuala Hancock 27 June 2012 Charleston and Monk s House The Intimate House Museums of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell The Intimate House Museums of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell Edinburgh University Press ISBN 978 0 7486 4674 6 Richard Shone October 2006 Virginia Woolf and Monk s House National Trust ISBN 978 1 84359 205 1 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monk s House Monk s House information at the National Trust The Virginia Woolf Society of Great Britain Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Monk 27s House amp oldid 1155334086, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
