Monday 2 June 2008

BATEMAN'S - Rudyard Kiplings Home

On a recent day out we managed to visit 3 National Trust venues and the lovely village of Burwash. The reason we could manage so much in one day is because we have visited all of these places before so we were going over familiar ground.

For this post we are visiting Bateman's, the home of Rudyard Kipling.


Rudyard Kipling described Bateman's, his family home from 1902 - 1936, as "a real home to settle down for keeps" . Built in 1634 of the local sandstone, this dignified home excuded the calm tranquility Kipling needed to write, and the gardens and surrounding countryside became the inspiration for much of his work.


Today the house is shown as it was in his time, filled with the traces and memories of his extraordinary life and work. His study overlooks the Dudwell Valley and it was here that he wrote 'Puck of Pook's Hill' and 'Rewards and Fairies'.

My own childhood memories of Kipling were through the Jungle Books which I Ioved and my favourite poem of his is "IF". This poem was voted Britain's favourite a couple of years back.


The House from the front lawn

followed by views from different angles


amongst the formal gardens













Kipling designed and built this pond after winning The Nobel Prize for literature









See the Oust House to the left



These were used as a free standing Kiln for drying Hops

This one has had a Dovecote placed on the top and it is now part of the Gift shop



The Orchard



Some views of the Wild Garden









The Gift shop







Kiplings 1928 Rolls Royce
There was a lot of reflection on the glass surround to get a good picture




IF

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stood and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can walk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
by Rudyard Kipling

Kipling never got over the death of his son having got special permission for him to be accepted into the army (even though he had been rejected initially because of poor eyesight)
He was traumatised to learn of the death of his son while fighting in World War I
This was portrayed vividly in the recent film
My Boy Jack


13 comments:

Dorothy said...

Barbara...Beautiful home ..the grounds are just gorgeous... I love the poem...We saw the movie My Boy Jack just recently...very sad...

Vee said...

Kipling's home is marvelous. I have always loved the poem "If" as well and can easily see how it was voted Britain's favorite. So much wisdom contained in it. I'll have to keep my eye open for "My Boy Jack."

Adrienne said...

Thank you for sharing this lovely place with us. I wonder if I will ever have a chance to see it up close and walk around those beautiful grounds? Ah, such a dream of mine. ~Adrienne~

duopastorale said...

Great photos Barbara! 3 in one day is a real feat!

Needled Mom said...

WOW....that is a beautiful and serene home. Thanks for posting the poem as it is such a delightful one.

Lavinia said...

Oh how I admire that poem. Thank you for the tour of his home; what a tranquil, serene place. I like the wild garden.

I would love to spend a day here.

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

Wow the grounds and the home are stunning. So sad about his son. I never knew that. Or if I did I forgot.

Anonymous said...

Very impressive post about Kipling and his home and car. My first visit impressed me.

Jeanne said...

How very tragic for his loss
That verse has always been a favorite of mine.
I love all that you share.
Love you

Charm and Grace said...

What a truly lovely history/literature lesson and field trip. I, too, love the poem "If" because it resided on my dad's boyhood bedroom wall and was a favorite of his. I must get the movie you mentioned... our library often gets those kinds of movies, so I'll check there first. Your photos astound me. So beautifully shot!

Blessings,
Christi

a woman who is said...

I have the movie recorded, but haven't watched it yet. Thank you for sharing his home, garden, and especially the poem.

I will now for sure watch this movie. I really didn't know what it was about. I have just been recording all the Masterpiece Movies. I just today finished watching the Cranford series.

I really enjoyed them too!

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

Barbara, thank you for taking us to Kipling's home. I saw My Boy Jack recently on TV; it was so poignant and heartbreaking. Obviously they filmed much of it there at Bateman's, for I recognize some of it.

"If" is my husband's favorite poem; he carries a copy in his wallet, and he taught it to all his students when he was still teaching.

Mmm said...

Even the gift shop is charming! I love Rudyard Kipling.