Charleston

Brilliant experience. The house is beautiful and absolutely fascinating. We visited on a cold January day and spent a good hour and a half there, exploring each room of the house and learning about the lives of the Bloomsbury Group. There are volunteers in each room who are very friendly and happy to answer any questions - they had a wealth of knowledge and really brought the house to life. Highly recommended.

Just stunning, absolutely stunning. We managed to time our visit on a cold December day when we were literally the only visitors in the house and were treated to a quiet and unhurried tour by the thoroughly charming and friendly guides. Words cannot do justice - such a fascinating place lived in by fascinating and talented people. The studio room will take your breath away. A must visit.

I was lucky enough to visit the farmhouse a couple of times soon after it opened to the public. I remember the joy of being able to see a house I’d studied at college. This time I came to revisit the garden and see the new exhibition spaces. The garden resembles a very shaggy dog and is ablaze with colour and towering hollyhocks. The current exhibition is beautifully curated but very overpriced for the size of the galleries. There is a lovely shop and if you have children the cafe appeared to have a large play area. Like everywhere along the south coast the house was very busy so go early!

What a brilliantly preserved home. The interiors have been lovingly restored and the story of Charleston’s inhabitants really shines through. The knowledgable guides were so happy to answer questions and share their expertise. A must-see for anyone interested in the intersection of art, history and queer experiences. Charleston also offers a discounted entry rate for under 30s, which I didn’t realise beforehand but very much appreciated.

What a fantastic place to visit. Gardens and house are wonderful. Great shop with fabulous items on sale. Cafe and exhibition areas also top class. Would definitely recomend

Well loved, well restored house full of interesting art and objects from the 'Bloomsbury Ser'. Also has small gallery on site all in a lovely country settiing.

Beautifully maintained house, knowledgeable and cheerful guides, small but vibrant walled flower garden. Not really worth £20 + exhibition fee unless you are *very* into the Bloomsbury Group. Managed to eke the visit out for about 2 hours, mainly because the house is painstakingly preserved. Masses of interior design inspiration! Take a picnic lunch; the cafe is lovely but similarly overpriced, unless you are happy with a rather bland Italian-adjacent (read: olive oil-drenched, nom nom) lunch.

An absolutely wonderful place to visit. The history of the Bloomsbury group is fascinating and the volunteers in the house are so knowledgeable I think they would answer any question I could have possibly asked. The house itself is beautiful, the art and pieces of lives gone by throughout is something any person interested literature, history or art would love to see. The garden too is stunning, colourful and full of life. Definitely book in advance, they limit the number of people in the house at once so slots are filled quickly!

This charming country house is a must for anyone interested in the Bloomsbury group. Vanessa Bell--Virginia Woolf's sister--and Duncan Grant lived and painted here for many years. The understanding landlord let them decorate the walls, fireplaces, armoires, you name it. The volunteer docents are a wealth of knowledge--including tidbits about the sex lives of these bohemian intellectuals. There's also a wonderful English garden in the back. We even found the onsite café delightful. You won't be disappointed if you visit.

This is a fantastic place to head for anyone interested in art and literature. The country home of the Bloomsbury Group; Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell's unconventional household of artists and writers is open to the public and contains an array of paintings, murals and painted furniture that has taken 60 years to come to fruition. As Bell herself said: "It will be an odd life, but...it ought to be a good one for painting." It takes a good half a day to enjoy everything there is to see at Charleston and in the busy weekend days, it can be a bit tricky getting people inside the rooms but there's plenty more to see around the estate if certain rooms are full. I can't recommend this place enough to form part of your day out in Lewes. A very special place indeed.

Charlston house is tucked away down a lane on the A27 just past Lewes. You do get the obligatory brown road sign and I must admit that it took a BA History of Art excursion to get me there. Trust me, a visit is well worth it. The house was the base of the Bloomsbury art group just before and during the First World War. The best way to describe the house is a canvas for the artists. Whether its painted colanders for lamp shades or painted walls as wallpaper, this is probably a bespoke a house decor as you will ever see. The main painting studio is still set up as it would have been for the artists, including original tubes of oil paint (I inherited my granddad's old paint set and found the same tubes of oil paint that sit on the benches here) . We were lucky enough to get to see the private room of Vanessa Bell in the attic, but even without this exclusive addition, there is more than enough to see for your money. I would suggest going to the house on a nice day, as the gardens (including a pond) are very pleasant. Echoing Jame's advise, you may want to try and get to the house on a weekday, as some of the rooms and corridors are somewhat small. I'm sure that any children will be captivated by the magic of the house and if you fancy some DIY interior design, you would find great inspiration at Charlston. Certainly a top day out if you are looking for something a little different in the area.

I would agree whole-heartedly with the previous reviews - the house is lovely and set in gorgeous surroundings. My wife and I are fascinated by Bloomsbury history - this is a must for all fans and highly recommended for anyone visiting the Lewes area.

Most beautiful historical country place kept in great condition. Houses the best representation of artistic endeavors by the Bloomsbury group or artists and writers. The decorative art pieces are amazing- wall murals, lighting fixtures, painted furniture, artsy ceramics, textiles, just amazing. Very know knowledgable staff, excellent cafe and gift shop. Worth the trip- And I came all the way from America!