St Mary's House and Gardens has opened to the public

The house and gardens are open afternoons on Sundays, Thursdays and Bank Holiday Mondays.

There is also a sumptuous programme of concerts and events with world-class performers, all in the beautiful and elegant setting of the Victorian music room.

The house and gardens present a magical, timeless place, which is both peaceful and fascinating. The painted room – unique and decorated for the intended visit of Elizabeth I – is particularly breathtaking. Visitors can enjoy afternoon teas in the charming country-style tearoom, and the elegant Victorian music room makes an ideal venue for concerts, weddings and other events.

Visitors to St. Mary’s are warmly welcomed to this lived-in home by owners Peter Thorogood and Roger Linton, who have laboured away for over 30 years to restore this beautiful place to its original splendour, with the help of a small army of dedicated volunteers. Their achievement was recognised when St Mary’s won the coveted national Hudson’s Heritage Award for best restoration in 2011, and was awarded ‘highly commended’ in the Beautiful South Tourism Awards 2015-16.

There are five acres of grounds which include formal gardens with amusing topiary and an exceptional example of the prehistoric tree ginkgo biloba. The Victorian ‘secret’ garden, with its original fruit-wall and pineapple pits, is a haven of tranquility. Visitors can enjoy the jubilee rose garden, the terracotta garden, the unusual circular poetry garden, the landscape water garden with island and waterfall, the fully restored Victorian glasshouse and the rural museum. The King’s garden, which was opened last year by HRH Princess Alexandra, has a descendant of the famous Boscobel oak recalling the visit of King Charles II during his escape to France.

The first concert is on June 9, with the popular St Mary’s traditional palm court tea, full of nostalgic music and a delicious afternoon tea. On July 7 the well-known pianist and broadcaster, David Owen Norris, performs his fascinating repertoire and reveals some of the more extraordinary experiences in his life in music. Then on July 28 members of the Worthing Symphony Orchestra perform beautiful music for strings.

St Mary’s House and Gardens has a five star rating on Trip Advisor, where a recent visitor wrote: “Visited with a party from our local history society, and we were all fascinated.

“There really are unexpected and wonderful gems from the history of the house, and indeed our country, to find and have explained.

“Be sure to go, we loved it!”

St Mary’s House and Gardens are open to the public on Sundays, Thursdays and Bank Holiday Mondays, plus Wednesdays in August, from 2pm to 6pm.

For more information, payment details or to book tickets for concerts and events, visit the website www.stmarysbramber.co.uk or telephone 01903 816205.