Bateman's
Bateman's, Burwash, East Sussex, TN19
Bateman's is Rudyard Kipling's 17th-century home in Burwash, East Sussex, now cared for by the National Trust, with a garden Kipling made himself and a restored watermill on the River Dudwell.
Visit information checked 22 October 2026
Garden UK guide
Why visit Bateman's?
Bateman's is a sandstone Jacobean house of 1634 in the Sussex Weald, and it was Rudyard Kipling's home from 1902 until his death in 1936. The rooms are kept much as the Kiplings left them, but the garden is a big part of the visit too, because Kipling created it himself from 1907, paying for the work with money from his Nobel Prize in Literature. It is a garden made by a writer who also wrote "The Glory of the Garden" here, and that personal link gives it real charm.
As you walk out from the house, the garden leads down towards the meadows and the River Dudwell. The formal areas near the house, including the rose garden, give way to a more open, rural setting. Follow the path to Park Mill, a watermill on the estate built in 1751 to 1753 on a site where a mill is recorded as early as the 1240s. Kipling put an electric turbine in it to power the house, and it has been restored twice, most recently between 2017 and 2020. From the house you can also see Pook's Hill, which gave its name to Puck of Pook's Hill.
Gardeners will enjoy the way the garden frames the old house and the views out over the valley, and the mill walk adds a gentle stroll along the water. Inside, the collection of almost 5,000 items includes Kipling's Nobel Prize and his Rolls-Royce. Allow time for both house and garden.
What to see
- The garden Kipling created from 1907 with his Nobel Prize money.
- The rose garden near the house.
- Park Mill, the restored 18th-century watermill on the River Dudwell.
- Views to Pook's Hill, which inspired Puck of Pook's Hill.
- Kipling's study, kept much as he left it, inside the house.
Bateman's through the year
- spring
- The garden and meadows towards the River Dudwell freshen up, making it a pleasant time for the mill walk.
- summer
- Roses near the house are in flower and the garden is at its fullest.
- autumn
- The Wealden trees around the estate colour up and the walk to Park Mill is especially pretty.
- winter
- Opening of the house and garden can be limited in winter, so check the National Trust website for season dates.
The story behind the garden
Bateman's was built in 1634. Tradition, favoured by Kipling, credits a Sussex ironmaster with building it, though historians have also suggested a lawyer, William Langham. By 1900 it had become a run-down farmhouse. Rudyard and Carrie Kipling first saw it that year and bought it in 1902, with 33 acres, from the stockbroker Alexander Carron Scrimgeour.
Kipling laid out the garden from 1907, using his Nobel Prize money, and wrote some of his best-known works at the house, including "If" and Puck of Pook's Hill. The Kiplings' only son, John, was killed at the Battle of Loos in 1915. Kipling died in 1936 and Carrie in 1939, when her will left Bateman's to the National Trust. Park Mill on the estate was restored by the Trust in 1975 and again between 2017 and 2020.
Plan your visit
- Best for
- Kipling readers, lovers of old houses, and gardeners who enjoy a personal garden with a gentle riverside walk.
- Getting there
- Bateman's is just outside the village of Burwash in the High Weald of East Sussex.
- Before you go
- Leave time for the walk down to Park Mill as well as the house and garden. Check the National Trust website for current opening times and tickets.
Source: Wikipedia: Bateman's
Questions about visiting Bateman's
Is Bateman's National Trust?
Yes. Carrie Kipling left Bateman's to the National Trust in her will when she died in 1939. The Trust cares for the house, the garden Kipling created and Park Mill on the estate.
Did Kipling design the garden at Bateman's?
Yes. Kipling created the garden from 1907, using money from his Nobel Prize in Literature. He also wrote the poem "The Glory of the Garden" while living at Bateman's.
What is Park Mill at Bateman's?
It is a watermill on the River Dudwell, built in 1751 to 1753 on a site with a mill recorded since the 1240s. Kipling installed an electric turbine to power the house, and the mill was restored between 2017 and 2020.
How long do you need at Bateman's?
Allow at least half a day to see the house, the garden and the walk down to Park Mill. Kipling fans may want longer to look at the collection of almost 5,000 items.
Garden features
Location
Bateman's, Burwash, East Sussex, TN19
Nearby gardens
Gardens within 40 miles, sorted by distance.
Similar gardens
Gardens with similar features.