[Vwoolf] Travel to Monk's House for First Time -- Any Tips?

[Neverow, Vara S.]

Dear Adela,

Responding just to you.

I concur with Anne Byrne on all points and especially regarding walking to Rodmell from Lewes. Don't do that! I did it—in the pouring rain on a chilly summer day walking through tall weeds and getting splashed by speeding vehicles. A bus ride or a taxi would be far better if the weather is iffy. (Though the bike ride sounds lovely if the day itself is lovely.)

I hope it's a delightful adventure.

Vara

Vara Neverow
(she/her/hers)
Professor, English Department and Women’s and Gender Studies Program
Managing Editor, Virginia Woolf Miscellany
Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, CT 06515
203-392-6717
neverowv1 at southernct.edu

I acknowledge that Southern Connecticut State University was built on traditional territory of the indigenous peoples and nations of the Paugusett and Quinnepiac peoples.
________________________________
From: Vwoolf <vwoolf-bounces at lists.osu.edu> on behalf of Byrne, Anne (Soc & Pol) via Vwoolf <vwoolf at lists.osu.edu>
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 6:25:20 AM
To: Adela Hurtado via Vwoolf <vwoolf at lists.osu.edu>; Adela Hurtado <amh581 at nyu.edu>
Subject: Re: [Vwoolf] Travel to Monk's House for First Time -- Any Tips?

Dear Adela Your message reminded me that it’s been a decade and more since I first saw Monk’s House in the village of Rodmell in Sussex, in early Spring. Initially I visited as a curious Woolfian then stayed awhile as a National Trust volunteer. 

Dear Adela

Your message reminded me that it’s been a decade and more since I first saw Monk’s House in the village of Rodmell in Sussex,  in early Spring. Initially I visited as a curious Woolfian then stayed awhile as a National Trust volunteer. The Trust manage the property and timed visits as you probably know from their website. If it is still available,  a copy of the Trust’s ‘Virginia Woolf and Monk’s House’ (1998) is an introductory guide for the visitor in addition to the stories and readings of happy volunteers.  A full day is needed to explore the villages of Lewes and Rodmell, to walk slowly along the water meadows and banks of the river Ouse from Lewes, to visit Monk’s House  green painted sitting room, Woolf’s bedroom, the kitchen and dining room, the glass paned greenhouse, to look at the art works and furnishings, to peer through the windows into Virginia’s writing room, ‘The Lodge’,  while walking  around the gardens bursting with colourful blooms, fruits, vegetables, trees, a pond and graced by sculptures of Leonard (by Charlotte Hewer)  and Virginia (by Stephen Tomlin).


The Sussex home of Virginia and Leonard, now a house museum,  continues to animate and inspire writers, artists, cooks, gardeners and accidental visitors. Woolf writes about Rodmell, Monk’s House and trips around Sussex in her diaries and letters and it features in scholarly articles (including the Virginia Woolf Miscellany and Virginia Woolf Bulletin) and in many beautiful books by Woolfians, who might recommend their own favourite books about Monk’s House and other Bloomsbury residences to you. Woolf‘s diary entry of July 3 1919 recalls the tense auction and their happy purchase of Monk’s House. A photograph by Stephen Barkway of the wooded village of Rodmell is the upper wrapper of Issue 68 of the Bulletin, 2021. Sarah Bird  Wright  (1998, 2001) wrote of her time there, ‘Staying at Monk’s House’, published by the marvellous Bloomsbury Heritage Series (Cecil Woolf Publishers).


In the local church I purchased a few illustrated pamphlets from Rodmell publications - two of my favourites are ‘The Rodmell Sundial’ by Madeleine and John Harvey (2006) and ‘Rodmell in the Second World  War’ by Peter Ediss (2002). The latter has a paragraph on the Woolfs and the cover illustration is a wood engraving of low flying planes by Diana Gardener (1940). These and other publications about Rodmell may or may not be still available from the wardens at St Peter’s Churchyard.


I travelled from Brighton to Lewes by train with my bike and then cycled to Rodmell. It was my only way of getting there. Later I Iearned from her diary that Virginia cycled from Lewes on her first visit to see the property.  There was an off road push the bike/ walking track though fields from Lewes to Rodmell,  if you are feeling adventurous, as the road itself was very busy with traffic to walk safely.  Charleston and Bewick Church are within bus/ driving distance of Rodmell and also accessible by walking across the magnificent Downs. Maybe a two day visit if you have the time?


Apologies for the long reply but your query provoked these random and perhaps not very useful to you reminiscences. In reading about and visiting the Woolfs’ home, there is much to be felt, explored and discovered. I hope you have a lovely visit.


Kind regards Anne

Emerita Professor of Political Science and Sociology
An tOllamh Emerita, Eolaíocht Pholaitiúil agus Socheolaíocht

School of Political Science and Sociology, College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, University of Galway.



________________________________
From: Vwoolf <vwoolf-bounces+anne.byrne=nuigalway.ie at lists.osu.edu> on behalf of Adela Hurtado via Vwoolf <vwoolf at lists.osu.edu>
Sent: 29 April 2023 20:19
To: vwoolf at lists.osu.edu <vwoolf at lists.osu.edu>
Subject: [Vwoolf] Travel to Monk's House for First Time -- Any Tips?

EXTERNAL EMAIL: This email originated outside the University of Galway. Do not open attachments or click on links unless you believe the content is safe.
RÍOMHPHOST SEACHTRACH: Níor tháinig an ríomhphost seo ó Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Ná hoscail ceangaltáin agus ná cliceáil ar naisc mura gcreideann tú go bhfuil an t-ábhar sábháilte.


Hi everyone! :)

Hope you’re well! I’m going to England for the first time in a long time towards the end of July, staying in London. This time I’d love to go to Monk’s House. Any advice on how to get there, Monk’s house tips, Woolf tips in general, etc.? (Woolf restaurants to visit?) I’m so excited to go!

Thank you! :)

Adela Hurtado
_______________________________________________
Vwoolf mailing list
Vwoolf at lists.osu.edu
https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/vwoolf
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.osu.edu/pipermail/vwoolf/attachments/20230508/bb4066b2/attachment-0001.html>