Charleston, an old farmhouse set in the stunning landscape of the South Downs, was the country meeting place for the writers, painters and intellectuals known as the Bloomsbury Group. The artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant moved there in 1916 and immediately began to transform the house with decorations, painting the walls, doors, furniture and ceramics. Clive Bell and Maynard Keynes lived at Charleston for considerable periods and Virginia Woolf, E M Forster, Lytton Strachey and Roger Fry were frequent visitors.

The guided tours are full of anecdotes about these characters and add a human dimension to this unique and personal place. Charleston also houses a wonderful collection of works by artists such as Renoir, Picasso and Sickett.

Visitors can also explore the garden, with its orchard, mosaics, statues and ponds. The Charleston Gallery shows an exciting programme of exhibitions and the shop is Crafts Council selected.

Charleston is a magical and unique venue for summer parties, wedding receptions, corporate entertaining or private events and our very reasonable venue hire fee includes use of our marquee and exclusive access to Charleston’s beautiful gardens.

Located in the midst of rural East Sussex, Charleston is secluded yet easily accessible from nearby Lewes (7 miles), Brighton (14 miles) and Eastbourne (10 miles).

Seating up to 100 people for a sit-down dinner and 200 for a drinks reception, the marquee at Charleston is the perfect solution for your event. The marquee can be decorated to your own individual requirements allowing you to create the perfect look for your event, and we can recommend caterers and suppliers to make your party beautifully stylish and stress-free.

Venue hire at Charleston is available from June to October and starts at £1,000. Special decoration of the marquee, furniture, catering, drinks, flowers and all other ancillary services are additional. Special offer last minute deals are available for July and August 2007, please ask for more details. Please note that Charleston is not licensed for wedding ceremonies.