Herstmonceux Castle Estate
The gardens and grounds of the Herstmonceux Castle Estate are having a stellar season as the rain and heat experienced this summer are creating ideal growing conditions for much of the flora. The gardens and grounds are open to the public, but the castle, which is a scheduled monument, remains closed in the near term while repairs and infrastructure improvements are underway.
We are pleased that the public continue to be able to access and enjoy the gardens of the estate, and we were particularly pleased to have the historic property serve as one of the location shoots for the recent Amazon television adaptation of My Lady Jane.
Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada, owns and operates the estate and Bader College and the university cares for the gardens and several buildings on the Herstmonceux Castle Estate that are listed in the National Heritage List for England, including the Herstmonceux Science Centre. The university values these sites and will continue to abide by all requirements associated with their long-term care.
In November 2023, a detailed structural investigation of the castle revealed the need for repairs to the roof as well as the corbels in the walls of the main gate of the castle. Completing the needed structural repairs will take up to 18 months. The main gate corbels require a significant amount of work to deconstruct and reconstruct the walls surrounding them.
To facilitate the needed repairs to the facility and ensure everyone’s health and safety, the university made the decision to close portions of the castle and suspend Bader College operations through the end of the 2024-2025 school year.
This pause in operations is being put to good use. It allows for investments in additional infrastructure upgrades including new waste management treatment tanks for the castle, which are needed to mitigate any risk to the surrounding rivers and streams on the sensitive Pevensey Levels.
This move is aligned with Queen's University’s strong commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG number 6, which looks at sustainable safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
In 2024, for the fourth straight year, Queen's has ranked among the global top 10 in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, an international ranking of universities that are advancing the UN SDGs within and beyond their local communities.
The Observatory Science Centre
(This section was edited for clarity on September 3)
Earlier this year the Board of Trustees of Bader College made the difficult decision not to renew a long-term lease with The Observatory Science Centre (OSC) when its lease of the observatory buildings at the Herstmonceux Science Centre expires in 2026.
Queen’s University continues to assess and address the needs of the Herstmonceux Castle Estate. We will soon be embarking on a full operational and strategic review concerning the future orientation and sustainability of the college, the buildings, and the Herstmonceux property on which they are located. We anticipate it will take a considerable amount of time to complete this work.
The university appreciates that not renewing the lease with the OSC while we focus on assessing the estate and various components, creates challenges for their operations. Signing any long-term leases in advance of that effort would be imprudent and premature, and providing assurances about the potential to renew leases is not possible.
The university values and is committed to preserving the estate’s historic sites, including the telescopes, domes, and observatory buildings, which make up vital parts of the estate’s heritage. We will continue to abide by all requirements associated with its ownership and long-term care. In the meantime, the grounds are open to the public.
We hope to provide further updates as work progresses on these and other projects, as we recognize the castle is a vibrant and important hub for Queen’s University and the East Sussex community.