What I thought of Bateman's (and my newly founded literary crush on Rudyard Kipling)
I have just got back from a blissful weekend stay in East Sussex with my partner. Our B&B host recommended a visit to the home of Rudyard Kipling in Burwash. I'm ashamed to say that before today I couldn't even have told you where our dear friend Rudyard even came from, let alone lived. I am so very happy that we made this excursion this morning. It has been a rewarding and inspiring experience. I feel like I almost know Rudyard Kipling now on a personal level.
You really get a taste of Kipling's personality from the quirky artefacts which adorn the interior of his house, where he lived from 1902 to 1936. A friendly volunteer in each room points out the various wonders, from the brass fish hanging from the mantelpiece in the reception hall - which supposedly told the Kiplings whether someone ought to be received into their house or not from the direction it was facing (from Rudyard's time spent in India) - to the ornate, floral wall-decoration in the dining-room made of embossed leather which is vividly colourful and beautiful (a personal favourite of mine).
As an aspiring author-ess, it was a special moment for me, being able to walk into the room where he used to work. With bookcases lined with books, his table covered in his work and his waste-paper bin full of old drafts, you really get a flavour of Kipling as an author. You can almost picture him scribbling into his book and tapping his forehead while he thinks, while his wife, Carrie, bustles around him, perhaps reminding him to hurry up and get dressed for dinner. (She supposedly wore the trousers in their relationship). You feel that for the most part it was a happy household, despite the tragedy which befell them.
As you make your way around the house, you find yourself immersed in Kipling's life. His father's artwork, photos and paintings of his children, his own literature, the unique pieces of furniture he picked up from antique dealers. I got the sense that Rudyard Kipling was a family-man, every bit as much as an author. And I simply love the following typewritten note as it suggests a witty side to his character:
It reads:
Rules for Guests
1. No guests to walk more than 5 miles an hour.
2. No guest to walk more than 2 hours at a time.
3. Guests are strictly forbidden to coerce or cajole the natives to accompany them in said walks, as the proprietors cannot be responsible for the consequence.
Signed Rudyard Kipling, Caroline Kipling, Elsie Kipling (natives)
It is the 'feel' of Kipling in the house which makes the place so special. If ghosts are real, then his is definitely lurking in the halls, probably making up stories about all of the visitors.
There is a particular portrait of Kipling in the hallway upstairs which I love. It portrays him as having a kindly, warm sort of face and a sparkle in his eyes which makes you want to be his friend. In true Anne of Green Gables style, I believe Kipling and I would have been kindred spirits.
The architecture of Bateman's and the surrounding grounds are exquisite. There is a lovely, quaint, English feel to the whole place, which is probably exactly what made Rudyard and his wife Caroline fall in love with it. It is no wonder that they spent many a long year there, and that from its heart was birthed some of Kipling's greatest work, including his famous poem, 'If'.
I caught sight of this poem upstairs in the exhibition room. I regret that I had never even heard of it previously. Having just read the first two lines, I was already caught up in its beauty and poignancy. As a result I couldn't wait to read more of this poem amongst others, and purchased a copy of his poetry from the shop on my way out. Which, I hasten to add, was quite a bargain: £3.99 only for a lovely thick paperback.
I have now developed quite the literary crush on Rudyard Kipling, and I am a little in awe of the place he got to call home for many years. The National Trust does a fantastic job of keeping it in tip-top condition and making it a suitable day-out for the whole family.
