Sackville College

Sackville College almshouses

A Jacobean almshouse in the heart of East Grinstead, Sackville College Almshouses were created in 1609 when Robert Sackville, Earl of Dorset, left money in his will to provide accommodation for elderly people. A former warden of the college, Reverend John Mason Neale, composed the hymn Good King Wenceslas.

The Earl expressly left money to buy land and 'build a convenient house of brick and stone' as an almshouse. Over the years the almshouse also had a secondary function, one not specified in the will; it provided accommodation to members of the Sackville family as the travelled to and from their Sussex estates. The rooms occupied by the Sackvilles now serve as the Warden's quarters.

The college is built around a central courtyard, accessed by a large doorway arch on each side. Over the northern door is a coat of arms of the Sackville family. The connection of the Sackvilles with the College has been continuous; members of the family have traditionally served as Patrons of the College and their patronage continues today.

Visiting

The College can be visited throughout the summer or at any time for pre-booked groups. The tour takes in the great hall, with a minstrel's gallery at the west end and a striking hammerbeam roof. You can visit the Study, the Chapel with its ornately carved door, the Common Room, Earl of Dorset's lodgings, and more, including the Warden's Room. Enter from High Street, not via Church Lane.