Hussey’s Chinese Things at Scotney Castle

Posted: September 25th, 2024 | No Comments »

Scotney Castle (now National Trust) at Lamberhurst, Kent, is a house built around 1837-1843 in a previous style by several generations of the Hussey family, and was modernised in the 1950s. The house has extensive ground with excellent views over the Kent Weald, an older castle ruin and a charming walled garden. However, the interior of the house is rather gloomy and not in terrifically good taste. Apparently Thatcher liked to weekend there (a woman on no taste herself) and this rather casts a pall over the place too.

What makes Scotney interesting is that it was once home to Arthur Herbert Hussey who spent significant time in East and Southeast Asia in the early 1900s. For reasons I cannot discern Hussey was granted a Chinese passport in 1906, settled in Singapore and remained there until his death from Blackwater Fever in 1923. Hussey joined the British Army in 1882 and served in both the Boer and the First World Wars, but not the Boxer campaign. When I get some time I’ll have to dig out Hussey’s China connection? Unless anyone can save me the effort?

Anyway, a few Chinese/Chinoiserie items from Scotney on display…

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