BHOD 13 - Montpellier Hall
Description - Montpellier Hall was built in 1846 from designs by Amon Henry Wilds. It has 4 floors, 22 rooms and a ghost! The house has an interesting history, having been owned by many notable figures from Brighton including its original owner Henry Smithers - the sixth mayor of Brighton, owner of the Brewery and the first chairman of the West Pier Co., and Sir Joseph Ewart, mayor of Brighton three times, between 1891-94. Now run as a guest house, the present owner, Mr Amerena, has done his utmost to keep the original fittings and has carried out restoration work in keeping with the original design. Future work includes the replacement of the veranda canopy, the plans of which will be available to see on the weekend. The garden is quite fantastic and is mostly in its original format. It has many interesting features such as furniture from HMS Ganges by Lutyens and a 100+ year old Mulberry Tree.
NOTE: Entry Charge Applies for optional cream tea in the grand dinning room. This can be booked at a cost of £6.50 per person. If you would like to take up this offer, please contact Roger Amerena on 01273 203599, between 16 August and 15 September, when you have made your reservation for a house tour. In this case, we suggest you plan 1 hour for your visit, 30 mins for the tour and 30 mins for tea. Note: Visitors who have not pre-ordered, can do so upon arrival, supplies permitting.