Bateman's House and Gardens

Bateman’s House is a Grade I listed building within Grade II listed gardens situated in the High Weald National Landscape in Sussex. The house was originally constructed in 1634, having a classic Jacobean design and the gardens still remain relatively unchanged from their original mediaeval landscape pattern. The property is perhaps most famous for being the former residence of Rudyard Kipling, the author of the beloved Jungle Book and Just So stories. The gardens and surrounding landscape are thought to have provided inspiration to the writer. Arkwood were commissioned by the National Trust alongside Thomas Ford and Partners to create a flood alleviation strategy that seamlessly fits into the surrounding riverine landscape and attenuates water, preventing flooding of both the house and gardens.

Client and Contract Period

The National Trust

2025

Project Objectives

Arkwood were commissioned to design five potential nature based solutions to support flood attenuation or diversion around the grounds and away from the house as there is an issue with both pluvial and fluvial flooding. Our goal was to maintain the existing course of the river (as historically the course has change little over the centuries) and retain as much vegetation and mature trees along the river whilst optimising benefit in terms of flood alleviation. Some of the methods we chose included the creation of scrapes, bunds, swales, raised walkways and also changes to the width of the existing river, and the an addition of a second channel in the landscape, both increasing capacity to prevent flooding in the gardens and house and retain existing mature trees and vegetation. The implementation of low-impact landscape interventions was a key aspect of our options to reduce the impact on the listed building and gardens, and the wider High Weald National Landscape.

Issues, Challenges, and Outcomes

Working with a historic sensitive landscape within the wider National Landscape designate for its beauty, it was important to provide options that not only are the least intrusive to the existing character, but also add visual interest for people enjoying the landscape, as well as work in harmony with natural systems and wildlife. It was important to tell the story of the site and its surrounding outstanding landscape, while demonstrating why the nature based flood alleviation interventions are important in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises and why this matters to the future of the house and gardens.

Although these five solutions were presented separately, the ideal outcome was a holistic incorporation of all five proposals as an integrated catchment based solution. This comprehensive approach would provide the most effective flood protection while delivering multiple additional benefits such as an improved visitor experience and a varied and more effective flood alleviation.

One of our proposed options included channel widening, which would involve lowering and widening existing river banks, and the creation of backwaters connected to the existing channel to slow the flow and increase storage capacity, alongside increasing habitat and species diversity. We concluded that the channel was not suitable for a complete realignment as this would have a significant impact on the landscape and the setting of the house and result in wholesale removal of large amounts of vegetation and significant trees. Heavily engineered realignment projects are also cited as key negative forces for change on the High Weald National Landscape.

Services