The White House, originally a farm house, was built in two parts. The back of the house was built approximately 300 years ago and the Georgian frontage was added around 100 years later. The wall in the front was originally full height with two gated arches and the semi-circular front lawn was for turning carriages. The outside rooms were formally the stables and a dairy and if you venture to the back of the courtyard you can see the original barn.
To help with the war effort the White House was used as a hostel for ‘Land Girls’. A former kitchen worker from this period remembers it as being a rather risqué time in the buildings history. She still recalls climbing out of her bedroom window to rendezvous with her husband to be.
The house was extensively refurbished in the 1950’s when many of the original features were lost, including the fireplaces, but most of the sash windows and shutters are original and still functional.
In 1967 the White House was purchased by jazz musician Dick Smith (bass player with the Chris Barber band) and his wife Kay. They converted it into a hotel and during their 40 year tenure they established an award winning ‘restaurant with rooms’.
The building became Grade II listed in 1969.
