Saint Hill Manor

Last updated

Saint Hill Manor
Saint Hill Manor.jpg
Type Country house
Location Saint Hill Green, East Grinstead
Coordinates 51°6′19.99″N0°01′36.55″W / 51.1055528°N 0.0268194°W / 51.1055528; -0.0268194
OS grid reference TQ 38237 35883
Area West Sussex
Built1792
Architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe (attrib.)
Architectural style(s)Late Georgian
Owner Church of Scientology
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameSaint Hill Manor
Designated2 August 1972
Reference no. 1249037
West Sussex UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of Saint Hill Manor in West Sussex

Saint Hill Manor is a Grade II listed country house at Saint Hill Green, near East Grinstead in West Sussex, England. It was constructed in 1792 and had several notable owners before being purchased by L. Ron Hubbard and becoming the British headquarters of the Church of Scientology.

Contents

Numerous protests have taken place outside the property. In 2024 the Scientology organisation asked Mid Sussex District Council to put in place a public spaces protection order to prohibit public protest outside the property.

Early history

Lithograph of Saint Hill House in 1872, before later modifications were made Saint Hill House 1872.png
Lithograph of Saint Hill House in 1872, before later modifications were made

Saint Hill House, as it was originally known, was built in 1792 by Gibbs Crawfurd – Member of Parliament for the rotten borough of Queenborough – to a design attributed to Benjamin Henry Latrobe. The more famous neoclassical architects Robert Adam and his brother John produced their own mixed Gothic and neoclassical design for the house in 1785, apparently to an earlier commission from Crawfurd, but this was never implemented. [1] The new house replaced an earlier building constructed in 1733 by Gibbs' father John, who had purchased the estate in 1715. The earlier Saint Hill House was illustrated in a surviving watercolour by the artist James Lambert. [2]

Prior to the extensive modifications made in the late 19th and 20th centuries, the house comprised a three-storey central block and symmetrical two-storey flanking wings, all with hipped roofs behind parapets. Although the design is attributed to Latrobe, the plans have not survived and the details of his involvement are obscure. [3] Local stonemason Henry Pocock is known to have been involved in the building of the house; Crawfurd presented him with a silver trowel, which still survives, inscribed "to Henry Pocock Saint Hill Aug. 1792". [4]

The house is situated on the Saint Hill Estate, 59 acres (239,000 m2) of landscaped gardens overlooking the hills of the High Weald. A number of archeological artefacts in the immediate area have been attributed to the existence of a small priory or early 17th-century dwelling on the site.[ citation needed ] The placename Saint Hill may mean "singed or burned hill". [5]

The ownership of the house passed in 1793 to Crawfurd's eldest son Charles, and then in 1814 to his grandson Robert. [2] Later owners included Edgar March Crookshank and Drexel Biddle, who commissioned the famous Monkey Mural which was painted by John Spencer-Churchill, nephew of Sir Winston Churchill. It was once owned by William Thomas Berger and in the late 1800s served as the headquarters of the China Inland Mission. Hudson Taylor and Berger met there often and it was a centre for training recruits for the mission field.[ citation needed ] During the Second World War it was used as a convalescent home for Royal Air Force officers undergoing reconstructive surgery at East Grinstead's Queen Victoria Hospital. [6]

The estate and a nearby farm were purchased in 1947 by Sawai Man Singh, the Maharaja of Jaipur. [7] Under his ownership, the house became known as Saint Hill Manor. [8]

L. Ron Hubbard purchase

L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Scientology organisation, bought the Saint Hill estate from the Maharaja of Jaipur in 1959 for a reported price of £18,000. [9] He lived there with his family until early 1966 before moving abroad, but never returned following the British government's decision in 1968 to declare him an "undesirable alien". [10]

Under Hubbard's ownership, the house was extensively modified, with a series of extensions and new buildings constructed on the estate during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s to accommodate the training and administration functions. The largest of these is a mock-gothic castle built after 1968 adjacent to the original house to provide a training facility for Scientology followers. The East Grinstead Urban District Council initially refused planning permission. After a public enquiry, however, the Church of Scientology was granted permission to go ahead with the construction of "Saint Hill Castle". [11]

Saint Hill Manor served as Hubbard's organisational headquarters until 1967. It was inaugurated in 1955 and was the site where Hubbard “announced Scientology milestones emerging from his research.” It was also the site of the organisation's first Distribution Centre, which was operative for the organisation's missionary outreach. [12]

In August 1972, Saint Hill Manor was Grade II listed on the National Heritage List for England. [13]

2015 renovations

The Church of Scientology's renovations on the Saint Hill Manor were completed in the summer of 2015 and are reported to have cost a total of US$16 million. The organisation claims that they are preserving it as a "historic monument". Its leader David Miscavige and Scientologist actor Tom Cruise donated $10,000 to cover the local rugby team's costs and invited team director Phil Major to an annual gala when their activities were disrupted for six months because of the renovations. [14] Saint Hill Manor is now a museum that features the works of L. Ron Hubbard, and exhibits about what the Scientology organisation claims are his accomplishments. [12]

Following the completion of the renovations, the Church of Scientology purchased seven new 29-seater ADL Enviro200 midibuses to transport the 400 staff members between the manor and the town of Crowborough, 14 miles (23 km) away. [15]

Protests

Group of demonstrators outside Saint Hill Manor, October 2023 Saint Hill Protest - October 2023.jpg
Group of demonstrators outside Saint Hill Manor, October 2023

Protests against Scientology abuses have been held outside the gates of Saint Hill Manor grounds in 2008, 2023 and 2024. [16] [17] Prior to the 2024 International Association of Scientologists event, which was to be held there on 25 October 2024, the Church of Scientology asked the Mid Sussex District Council to put in place a public spaces protection order to prohibit protesting outside the property. Protest organiser Alexander Barnes-Ross said this was a "direct threat to [ex-Scientologists] freedom of speech and right to protest". The district council scrutiny committee decided that the issue should be consulted on by the cabinet, and stated that observations by the Council and the Police would be made during the event. [18]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disconnection (Scientology)</span> Mandated shunning-type practice

Disconnection is the severance of all ties between a Scientologist and a friend, colleague, or family member deemed to be antagonistic towards Scientology. The practice of disconnection is a form of shunning. Among Scientologists, disconnection is viewed as an important method of removing obstacles to one's spiritual growth. In some circumstances, disconnection has ended marriages and separated children from their parents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Sue Hubbard</span> Third wife of L. Ron Hubbard (1931–2002)

Mary Sue Hubbard was the third wife of L. Ron Hubbard, from 1952 until his death in 1986. She was a leading figure in Scientology for much of her life. The Hubbards had four children: Diana, Quentin (1954–1976), Suzette, and Arthur.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Association of Scientologists</span> Membership organization for Scientology

The International Association of Scientologists (IAS) is a fundraising and membership organization run by the Church of Scientology. Headquartered in England at Saint Hill Manor, the IAS operates several affiliated but similarly-named organizations. There are IAS offices in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and three in the United States. The periodical magazine Impact is the official IAS publication.

The International Association of Scientologists (IAS): The membership organization of scientology—all scientologists are required to be members in order to qualify for discounts on books, meters, and services. It is also a major fundraising organization for scientology that has amassed a war chest to protect scientology. Originally formed to keep money out of the reach of the IRS in foreign bank accounts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religious Technology Center</span> Scientology holder of trademarks

The Religious Technology Center (RTC) is an American non-profit corporation that was founded in 1982 by the Church of Scientology to control and oversee the use of all of the trademarks, symbols and texts of Scientology and Dianetics. Although RTC controls their use, those works are owned by another corporation, the Church of Spiritual Technology which is doing business as L. Ron Hubbard Library, registered in Los Angeles County, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Miscavige</span> Leader of the Church of Scientology (born 1960)

David Miscavige is an American Scientologist who is serving as the second and current leader of the Church of Scientology. His official title within the organization is Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Center. RTC is a corporation that controls the trademarks and copyrights of Dianetics and Scientology. He is also referred to within the Scientology organization as "DM", "COB", and "Captain of the Sea Org".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair game (Scientology)</span> Actions of the Church of Scientology towards perceived enemies

The term fair game is used to describe policies and practices carried out by the Church of Scientology towards people and groups it perceives as its enemies. Founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard established the policy in the 1950s in response to criticism both from within and outside his organization. Individuals or groups who are "fair game" are judged to be a threat to the Church and, according to the policy, can be punished and harassed using any and all means possible. In 1968, Hubbard officially canceled use of the term "fair game" because of negative public relations it caused, although the Church's aggressive response to criticism continued.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anderson Report</span> Australian investigation into Scientology

The Anderson Report is the colloquial name of the report of the Board of Inquiry into Scientology, an official inquiry into the Church of Scientology conducted for the State of Victoria, Australia. It was written by Kevin Victor Anderson QC and published in 1965. The report led to legislation attempting to ban Scientology in Victoria and similar legislation in several other States of Australia. No convictions were made under the legislation and Scientologists continued to practice their beliefs, although the headquarters was moved to South Australia. The legislation has been repealed in all States and subsequently Scientology was found to be a religion by the High Court of Australia.

The Dumbleton–Powles Report is a report on Scientology prepared for the government of New Zealand by E.V. Dumbleton and Sir Guy Richardson Powles, and published on 30 June 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Scientology</span> American organization and business

The Church of Scientology is a group of interconnected corporate entities and other organizations devoted to the practice, administration and dissemination of Scientology, which is variously defined as a cult, a business, or a new religious movement. The movement has been the subject of a number of controversies, and the Church of Scientology has been described by government inquiries, international parliamentary bodies, scholars, law lords, and numerous superior court judgements as both a dangerous cult and a manipulative profit-making business.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of Spiritual Technology</span> Scientology organization

The Church of Spiritual Technology (CST) is a California 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, incorporated in 1982, which owns all the copyrights of the estate of L. Ron Hubbard and licenses their use. CST does business as L. Ron Hubbard Library. The Church of Spiritual Technology points to Hubbard as the “focal point,” with the structure designed to realize what Scientologists understand to be his vision. The stated purpose of the archive in CST, according to the church is “so that future generations will have available to them all of L. Ron Hubbard’s technology in its exact and original form, no matter what happens to the society.”

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Base</span> International headquarters of the Church of Scientology

Gold Base is the de facto international headquarters of the Church of Scientology, located north of San Jacinto, California, United States, about 85 miles (137 km) from Los Angeles. The heavily guarded compound comprises about fifty buildings surrounded by high fences topped with blades and watched around the clock by security personnel, cameras and motion detectors. The property is bisected by a public road, which is closely monitored by Scientology with cameras recording passing traffic.

<i>A Piece of Blue Sky</i> 1990 book about Scientology and Dianetics

A Piece of Blue Sky: Scientology, Dianetics and L. Ron Hubbard Exposed is a 1990 book about L. Ron Hubbard and the development of Dianetics and Scientology, authored by British former Scientologist Jon Atack. It was republished in 2013 with the title Let's sell these people A Piece of Blue Sky: Hubbard, Dianetics and Scientology. The title originates from a quote of Hubbard from 1950: an associate of Hubbard's noted him saying that he wanted to sell potential members "a piece of blue sky".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of Scientology</span>

This is a Timeline of Scientology and its forerunner Dianetics, particularly its foundation and development by author L. Ron Hubbard as well as general publications, articles, books and other milestones.

Saint Hill Green is a small village near East Grinstead, West Sussex, England. Its name is first attested in 1568 as Saynt Hill, which may mean "singed or burned hill".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology in New Zealand</span>

Scientology has been established in New Zealand since 1955 and the Auckland organisation was the second Church of Scientology established in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology in the United Kingdom</span>

Scientology in the United Kingdom is practised mainly within the Church of Scientology and its related groups which go under names including "Hubbard Academy of Personal Independence" and "Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Centre". The national headquarters, and former global headquarters, is Saint Hill Manor at East Grinstead, which for seven years was the home of L. Ron Hubbard, the pulp fiction author who created Scientology. In the 2021 census, there were 1,844 individuals in England and Wales who listed themselves as Scientologists in their census returns, almost half of which lived in the area around East Grinstead in West Sussex, which hosts the British Scientology Headquarters at Saint Hill Manor. This is a decline of just under a quarter since census day, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scientology officials</span> Staff hierarchy, practices, personnel of Scientology network

The Church of Scientology network operates as a multinational conglomerate of companies with personnel, executives, organizational charts, chains of command, policies and orders.

Religious Technology Center is the most powerful executive organization within the Scientology empire, and its current chairman, David Miscavige, is widely recognized as the effective head of the church.

We Stand Tall is a 1990 music video produced by the Church of Scientology. It features many individuals, including current Scientology leader, David Miscavige. Many of the participants have either come to publicly criticize the practices of the Church or have disappeared.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tax status of Scientology in the United States</span>

The tax status of the Church of Scientology in the United States has been the subject of decades of controversy and litigation. Although the Church of Scientology was initially partially exempted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from paying federal income tax, its two principal entities in the United States lost this exemption in 1957 and 1968. This action was taken because of concerns that church funds were being used for the private gain of its founder L. Ron Hubbard or due to an international psychiatric conspiracy against Scientology.

The Cadet Org is a subdivision of the Church of Scientology for the children of members of the Sea Org (SO), an internal Scientology grouping of the organization's most dedicated members. It operated for about thirty years between the early 1970s and the early 2000s in a number of locations in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Some of its facilities reportedly housed as many as 400 children who were aged between a few months and sixteen years old.

References

  1. ↑ King, D. (2013). Complete Works of Robert and James Adam - Built and Unbuilt. Taylor & Francis. ISBN   978-1-135-14249-0 . Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Saint Hill House, Sussex, for Gibbs Crawfurd, variant designs for a house, 1785, unexecuted (13)". collections.soane.org. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  3. ↑ Fazio, M.W.; Latrobe, B.H.; Snadon, P.A. (2006). The Domestic Architecture of Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 592. ISBN   978-0-8018-8104-6 . Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  4. ↑ "The Bulletin of the East Grinstead Society" (PDF). No. 96. East Grinstead Society. Winter 2008–09. p. 12.
  5. ↑ "Saint Hill – Survey of English Place-Names". English Place-Name Society. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  6. ↑ Dennison, E.J. (1963). A Cottage Hospital Grows Up: The Story of the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead. Anthony Blond. p. 105. OL   11614654M . Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "Fashionable and Personal" . Kent & Sussex Courier. 5 September 1947.
  8. ↑ "Results for 'Saint Hill Manor'" . British Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Dale, Michael (20 March 1960). "£36 for a box of rubbish" . The People.
  10. ↑ Urban, H.B. (2013). The Church of Scientology: A History of a New Religion. Princeton University Press. p. 123. ISBN   978-0-691-15805-1 . Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  11. ↑ Rolph, C.H. (1973). Believe What You Like: What Happened Between the Scientologists and the National Association for Mental Health . Andre Deutsch Limited. Chapter 6: Scientologists and the Law I . ISBN   0-233-96375-8.
  12. 1 2 Rothstein, Mikael (2017). "Space, Place and Religious Hardware: L. Ron Hubbard's Charismatic Authority in the Church of Scientology". In Lewis, James R.; Hellesoy, Kjersti (eds.). Handbook of Scientology. Brill Handbooks on Contemporary Religion. Brill. p. 515. ISBN   9789004330542.
  13. ↑ Historic England, "Saint Hill Manor (1249037)", National Heritage List for England , retrieved 26 October 2017
  14. ↑ Finnigan, Lexi (7 April 2016). "Tom Cruise moving into Scientology UK headquarters". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  15. ↑ "Seven new Enviro200s for Church of Scientology | Alexander Dennis". Archived from the original on 15 June 2018.
  16. ↑ Siddique, Haroon (25 October 2023). "Protesters planning action outside Scientology's UK HQ during its 'greatest gathering'". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  17. ↑ Dunn, Billie (25 October 2023). "Scientology Faces Largest Protest in Years Against David Miscavige". Newsweek . The Guardian. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  18. ↑ Dunn, Karen (9 October 2024). "Church of Scientology seeks HQ protest ban". BBC News . Retrieved 9 October 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.