The future of a family home in doubt
LAST year saw the publication of an outstanding biography by John Stewart, Sir Herbert Baker: Architect to the British Empire. A contemporary and sometime friend of Lutyens, Baker’s reputation has suffered in comparison to that playful genius, well remembered as the architect of New Delhi in India. But, as Mr Stewart observes, when that great project began in 1911, Baker could claim to be the more senior figure, having worked on literally hundreds of buildings, some of them public commissions, in South Africa. Lutyens, by contrast, had not yet designed much beyond country houses. Naturally the reputation of anyone such as Baker, who was closely associated with Cecil Rhodes, can now be challenged. But that only makes him the more interesting.
His star, if not exactly rising, is fixed in the sights of the critical telescope and his best work—an example of which is discussed in this week’s architectural feature (page 112)—clearly merits scrutiny.
Athena’s interest in Baker has brought to her attention the present predicament of his family home, Owletts, Kent, an unpretentious country house of the 1680s (COUNTRY LIFE, March 25, 2020). Baker, a fine cricketer who saw himself as a yeoman of Kent, restored the property and filled it with furniture, much of it designed by himself. Although the family gave it to the National Trust in 1938, Owletts has been lived in by his descendants ever since— as well as by the descendants of Baker’s gardener. Part of the charm of visiting used to be that the Bakers themselves did the gardening and provided the teas. They and the team of volunteer guides could speak knowledgeably about the property and the family also possessed historic contents that added to the interest of the house, such as Baker’s travelling tea set. A perfect arrangement, you might think.
This year, however, Owletts is omitted from the National Trust’s handbook, which must have gone to press last year (the property is described as ‘temporarily closed’ on the website, too). Hitherto, Athena understands that the rent here has been reduced by half in lieu of opening to the public. If the house is closed for the foreseeable future, does that mean the rent is about to double? And is the closure part of an orchestrated attempt to boost revenue at a cost to public access? That would be a poor return for the family who have kept Baker’s flame alive here and have worked hard and successfully to increase visitor numbers.
No less concerning is the fact that the changes at Owletts might form part of a wider review of the Trust’s portfolio of family-sized houses. It may be greatly to the National Trust’s financial benefit to reposition more of these buildings as private homes with high rents (and historic contents in store), but does it benefit the membership or fulfil the charity’s boast of acting ‘for everyone, for ever’?
A doubling of the rent would be a poor return for the family who have kept Baker’s flame alive