Mounton House: The Birth and Rebirth of an Edwardian Country Home

Product Information

Mounton House, now a special school for boys, was built as a country house in the Arts and Crafts style in 1914 by Henry Avray Tipping, a leading garden designer and writer, assisted by the local architect Eric Francis. Cadw. "North Pergola at Mounton House(Grade II) (24081)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 17 May 2020. The more I worked in the garden, the more intrigued I became with the man who created such a paradise. I found he had written many important books - nine huge volumes on country houses, books on furniture and wood carving, a book on garden history and a practical garden book, as well as the garden column for the Observer and Morning Post. I slowly bought those books on the internet and in old book shops, and began to research the story of his life. By now I was so interested in Tipping that I went to Bristol University to take a Masters degree in Garden History, writing my dissertation on the life and work of Henry Avray Tipping. The world of English country-house living changed irrevocably, so Tipping never saw his hopes for the house come to fruition. The well-planned and versatile living accommodation comprises to the ground floor; reception hall, study/ fifth bedroom, lounge, open plan kitchen/ breakfast/ family room with stunning glass roof lantern, dining room, utility and a WC/ cloakroom. The first floor offers four double bedrooms (two benefitting En-suite facilities) as well as a family bathroom.

The south elevation and kitchen wing look into the walled orchard and have lower roofs. Mullion-and-transom windows on the ground floor, 3 and 4-light windows above, 4-light flat topped dormer in the end of the main range. All of the footpaths should be signposted from tarmac roads and way-marked with yellow arrows at various stages along the footpath. If you follow the general direction of these you are unlikely to go wrong. Although the description may indicate a stile, ongoing improvements to the Public Rights of Way System may mean that these have been replaced by gates or kissing gates. When paper manufacturing ceased in 1868, Linnet Mill was used to produce carpets and cloth. The mills closed in 1893.

Exterior

In 1910, Mounton House was renovated by Henry Avray Tipping, architectural editor of Country Life magazine and a leading authority on the history and furnishings of grand country houses.

In 2002, it was converted into 17 dwellings and the garden was left to decay. Since its conversion, the current owners have systematically bought up units and now own the whole house. Taking a most scholarly and sensitive approach, they have restored Tipping’s interiors and overseen a remarkable re-creation of his gardens. Arne Maynard Garden Design was appointed in 2016 and work is still going on. a b c Cadw. "Mounton House(Grade II*) (24061)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 17 May 2020. Cadw. "Garden Walls at Mounton House(Grade II) (24078)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 17 May 2020. Cadw. "1, Mounton House Cottages(Grade II) (24075)". National Historic Assets of Wales . Retrieved 17 May 2020.Continue straight along the valley and after about 400 metres, fork right and cross a stile into a field named ‘The Leighs’. This field is known locally as the Target Field because it was here that Chepstow Home Guard trained and carried out target practice. It also gives a rich and evocative portrait of Tipping and his friends, with visits from Lloyd George and from Tipping's gardening colleagues, including Harold Peto, Gertrude Jekyll and William Robinson.