In 1919 Virginia Woolf and her husband Leonard, leading lights of the literary Bloomsbury Group, bought this modest weatherboarded house in the main street of Rodmell as a retreat from London life.
The large garden and beautiful view across the river Ouse to the hills beyond made up for some of the disadvantages of the house. These included a well as the only source of water and oil lamps for lighting.
By this time Virginia Woolf, one of the most innovative novelists of the 20th century, had completed her first two novels. However, the experimental work and in particular 'To the Lighthouse', 'The Waves' and 'Mrs Dalloway' which was to establish her reputation, was still in the future. Two years earlier Virginia and Leonard had founded the Hogarth Press at their home in Richmond. The company, whose list included the first published works of T.S. Eliot, was to make an outstanding contribution to literary life.
During their years at Monk's House the Woolfs entertained some of the best-known literary and artistic figures of the day. Among the visitors were Vita Sackville-West, Lytton Strachey, E.M. Forster, Maynard Keynes, T.S. Eliot and Roger Fry. Many were members of the Bloomsbury Group which Virginia and Vanessa founded with their brother Thoby.
There are only echoes of Virginia Woolf at Monk's house but the house is full of reminders of the talented circle in which she moved. Virginia's sister Vanessa and her art critic husband Clive Bell set up home with the artist Duncan Grant at Charleston, an 18th century farmhouse ten miles away across the South Downs.
At Monk's House there are pieces of painted furniture by Vanessa and Duncan Grant in post-Impressionist style. In the sitting room there is a table and chairs in muted abstract designs relieved by a panel of peaches on the back of each chair. Decorated china by Duncan Grant, Vanessa Bell and her son Quentin is displayed on the mantlepiece and in the dresser in the tiny kitchen.
Every room is hung with paintings by the family circle. There are paintings and portraits by Vanessa including a haunting likeness of Virginia.
The garden is still as the couple left it. There is a large open lawn where they played bowls, some fine old trees and three ponds. Near the house there is a formal garden where paths, yew hedges and flint walls shelter a herbaceous area. There is an orchard under-planted with different species of daffodils and autumn crocuses. Leonard spent a great deal of time growing prize-winning vegetables.
The garden house has a large window looking out towards the River Ouse and and the South Downs beyond. At a huge battered table in the garden house Virginia wrote on her distinctive blue paper. In the extension is a display of the photographs Virginia took at Monk's House, with quotations from her letters and diaries.
Virginia and Leonard Woolf divided their time between Monk's House and their London house until 1940 when the latter was bombed. In 1941 Virginia Woolf drowned herself in the river Ouse. Her ashes are buried in the garden at Monk's House. Leonard stayed here until his death in 1969.
2008: 2 Apr-29 Oct 14:00-17:30 Wed & Sat. Last entry 30mins before close.
Tel: 01323 870001 Monks House Website
