The History of Courtlands

Courtlands today is an impressive country mansion, but now it is set in the centre of Goring, surrounded by bungalows. The gardens are much smaller than they were but include the lake and a large area of lawn. It is used as an office by Bond International Software who have restored it to its previous elegant splendour.

In 1832 the estate was all part of Sea Place Farm owned by William Olliver, who became an important figure in local affairs and was a member of the Worthing Board of Commissioners. He was a partner of George Henty who owned most of Ferring and together they ran a bank.

The original house built about 1820, was a plain, square, two-storey, Regency style building with a small east wing, having a central entrance under a pillared arch on the East side, and a canopy to the ground flor on the south. A typical 19th-century better class yeoman farmhouse.

 
The Ollivers lived here until 1899 when Mr Paul Ernest Schweder rented and later purchased the house with about 20 acres of land. The estate grew with the purchase of more land, and in due course was bounded by the railway to the north, Sea Place to east, Alinora Avenue to the west, and to the stone wall just south of the lake towards the sea. At this time Schweder organised elaborate shooting parties on the estate, shooting partridge and pheasants.

 
The ceiling panels of the Rococo style French Drawing Room, also known as the Gold Room, were removed from Place Vendome in Paris when the Ritz Hotel was being extended.

The glass dome of the entrance hall came from the Cordwainers Hall in Cheapside when it was demolished in 1904.

Pilasters and balconies, staircase, stair-rail, and marble mantlepieces came from Lebanon House at Twickenham which had been burnt down. Library panelling, mantlepiece, overmantle, and most of the floor came from a house in Queen Square, Bloomsbury.

Indeed nearly every feature in the house has a history.

The gardens were equally splendid, and were in part laid out by architect/designer Charles E Mallows.

 
Paul Schweder was a vigorous opponent of anything verging on what he called bumbledom, or official encroachment upon private rights and property. In the Nuisance Case of 1901 which he lost, he conducted a campaign to stop the burning of household rubbish north of Courtlands beside the railway line. But later, probably as a reult of his fuss, a new destructor was built in East Worthing.

 
The Goring Lane Tunnel Case of 1912 which he also lost, opposed the erection of a gas-holder between West Worthing and Goring. He refused to grant way-leave to the gas company across his land which in those days extended to the centre of adjoining roads, below a depth of two feet. At dawn one summer morning his men opened up the road, dug a tunnel to join the two parts of his property, from the south of Goring Way to the north of the road. The tunnel was classed as a building and therefore could not be breached without a court order. Schweder was eventually paid £1000 as compensation and the wayleave was granted.

 
Schweder died in 1936 at the age of 79. By this time Parklands Avenue had been built through the garden temple and the lovely lime avenue which ran east/west across the estate. There were various plans: a hydro with 12 Italian style chalets in the grounds, a country club, a hotel, but then the house was commandeered by the military.

 
In 1998 it was bought by Bond International Software , moving in during March 1999 after spending £1.4million on refurbishment.
During the redevelopment of Grade II listed Courtlands, builders used an estimated 40 kms (25 miles) of data cabling to service Bond's computer network, around two tons of wood, and 6,666 lbs of plaster.

 
The house today is an impressive building of three storeys. A new north wing is planned, and refurbishment continues in the house and in the gardens.

 
The spectacular entrance hall remains with its domed glass ceiling, and the Wedgewood pattern plaster mouldings on the walls painstakingly restored.

 
In recognition of the splendid refurbishment of a building which was steadily declining into a ruin, Worthing Borough Council awarded the 1999 Building Award to Bond International.

 
As part of the improvements to the gardens there is now a memorial seat overlooking the lake to the late 'Fox Man of Worthing' Eric Fossleitner. Eric, who became an international celebrity with his tame fox Ben, first became interested in foxes in 1989 when he spotted some playing one night in the grounds of Courtlands in Parklands Avenue, Goring.

 
On 9th May 1999, the grounds at Courtlands were thrown open for an open-air concert by Worthing's JSS Singers. The event raised raises £500 for Mayor's Fund.

 
The Antiques Valuation Day on Saturday 25 March, opened by Dame Vera Lynn has raised £650 for The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home for Ex-Servicemen, Gifford House.

The Phillips specialists, who carried out hundreds of valuations in the splendour of the Gold Room at Courtlands, unearthed a number of treasures, including a postcard from The Titanic. It was sent by the late grandfather of Worthing resident Faith Pakeham-Beatty. who sadly perished in the Titanic disaster, aged 32, leaving a wife and three daughters.