As is often the case with many of our Blue Book properties, remarkable homes are made all the more spectacular by the people who inhabit them and the myriad of memories they create.
In 2006, Swiftsden House played host to the first in a series of small yearly music festivals that ran until 2011, aiming to raise money and awareness for Spinal Research. Known as ‘The Great Escape’, these hotly-attended ‘happenings’ soon became bywords for ‘off-beat cool’ and lent a degree of laid-back glamour to the magic of the East Sussex countryside.
Like most noteworthy events, tickets were notoriously hard to come by. The festivals attracted around 1,000 people each year and received sponsorship from major global hospitality brands, all eager to be part of the party being created by the family at Swiftsden.
In the weeks and days leading up to the event, Swiftsden became a home for artists, stagehands and production teams, and the house was enveloped in a wonderfully lively and effervescent atmosphere— a feeling the previous owners loved:
“The joy of Swiftsden has always been something to share with many.”
Looking back, there are thousands of people for whom Swiftsden became a destination for fun and the house has hosted plenty of extraordinary parties over the past 50 years. Whilst all were spectacular, the current owners argue that none were more special than those August nights when young, up-and-coming artists and their friends joined with DJs and locals to revel in glorious surroundings. The majestic façade of the house was visible from the various fields where people pitched tents, parked cars or simply lolled about, soaking in the evening sunshine— all to the beat of good music.
As the first small festival of its kind, Swiftsden’s Great Escape paved the way for many more gatherings around the country, showing that you didn’t have to be the likes of Glastonbury or Woodstock to create magical memories and leave a positive impact on the world around you.
Growing year on year, the line-up often featured now-familiar names from the festival circuit, and the success of each edition was punctuated by the legendary stories that came from those nights.
Livestock were taken out of the fields to allow the grass and wildflowers to grow long, and paths were mowed throughout, conjuring a sense of enchantment that took revellers down a hill and into a secluded huddle of tents and seating areas— dominated by forests and rising hills, along with the 60-foot stage. A dance tent would come to life at midnight, all strobe lights and Day-Glo sticks, taking the party into the small hours. And, as is so often the case, there were parties within parties lining the banks of the fields and rivers. The cool waters of Swiftsden’s swimming pool revived more than a few jaded spirits the following day.
The ‘Great Escape’ is part of the rich legacy of Swiftsden House. Testament not only to its size but it’s warm heart and boundless capacity for entertaining, the unique festivals – still talked about amongst those who were there, and those who wish they had been – were emblematic of the house’s charm and mesmerising quality. The stage is set for Swiftsden, whoever chooses to write the next chapter.
