All about Bailiffscourt

Walter Edward Guinness (1st Baron Moyne), youngest son of Edward Cecil Guinness (portrayed by the dashing @louispartridge_ in the recent Netflix series) and his wife Lady Evelyn Hilda Stuart Erskine Guinness created the magic that is Bailiffscourt.

Lord & Lady Moyne enjoyed yachting and kept a holiday home known as 'The Huts' at Climping to give them access to the sea, within easy reach of London and Sussex society and the great houses of Cowdray, West Dean & Goodwood. The area came under threat of a huge housing development so they bought 750 acres of the surrounding land, and a chance meeting at an antiques shop in Hertfordshire - saw Lord Moyne meet the owner's son, Amyas Philips.

Bailiffscourt included a building for Lord Moyne and another building for Lady Moyne - connected by an underground tunnel - and was completed in 1933 as their private hideaway and stunning setting for Britain's political and social elite to gather, and while we have added to it over the years, much of their creation is still in situ.

They say the cost of the land and the build was approx. £1m - which would be something like £55m in today's money..

Our name 'Bailiffscourt' is inspired by the chapel. A year after the Norman conquest Roger de Montgomerie (one of William the Conqueror's principal advisors) was presented by his grateful king with a vast estate which included most of what is West Sussex today, and including the area surrounding Bailiffscourt. As his own gift, the earl then presented part of his dominion to the Abbey of Seez in Normandy. A group of monks from Northern France was sent over to administer the land and collect tithes. A small chapel was built, and then a house where the bailiff-monk held court.

These Benedictine monks settled comfortably in the area for many years but left shortly after the turn of the 14th century, when tensions were mounting with France, and sadly the chapel fell into disrepair. Fast forward to the more dazzling world of the roaring 1920's and the Chapel was painstakingly restored by Amya Phillips during the Guinness family ownership of the estate.

Bailiffscourt is proud to be a member of PoB Hotels, a collection of carefully curated rooms, the finest restaurants and spas, and the most authentic regional experiences across the British Isles.

PoB Hotels only invite the very best independent hotels to join their collection - but there's much more to it than that. Think of PoB Hotels as the key and each hotel as a door to new experiences. Each completely unique. Each hand-picked. Each the Pride of Britain.

Established in 1982 by a group of 12 passionate hoteliers, PoB Hotels today has grown to over 50 city-based, countryside and coastal locations. The essence of PoB Hotels is built on its British heritage, honouring provenance and sincere, authentic service. They love the independent nature and unique culture at each property. What ties the hotels together is not being the same but celebrating individuality with a common vision- offering guests the best experiences.

They're all about pairing each guest with an experience that's extraordinary and unique, so all members are inspected annually to ensure they live up to the PoB standard. Plus, admission of new members is subject to successfully passing an anonymous overnight inspection and a ballot of the membership.

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