Rowfant House Wallage Lane Rowfant, Crawley West Sussex RH10 4NG
General Manager & Company Secretary Mike Ward House & Catering Manager Mrs. Smuidrite Jinkinson 01342 714869 Bookings Manager John Pope 01342 859933 Residential Home Manager Viesturs Dude 01342 713747 Fax: 01342 859939	The United London Latvian Lutheran Church Download about the Chapel at Rowfant House

A beautiful old mansion house capturing the aura of the past, situated near Gatwick airport, set in the midst of rolling countryside and rambling woodlands. An oasis of peace, calm and tranquility.

• Lunches and dinners (English and Latvian cuisine)
• Business conventions & meetings
• Wedding and funeral receptions (a chapel is available for Christian services)
• A bar and club provided for members and guests
• Bed and breakfast

The Residential Home has vacancies from time to time for both Latvian
and non-Latvian residents. For further information please contact the
manager, Viesturs Dude, tel: 01342 713747.

Location: Directions to Rowfant House

o 20 miles from Brighton

o 30 miles from London

o Train station 3 miles

HISTORY

Although Rowfant House is often described as an Elizabethan Manor House, it is, in fact, a mixture of 15th, 16th, 18th and 19th century architecture, so skilfully and harmoniously blended that it is thought of as wholly Elizabethan. In the entrance hall there is a panel of three portraits: of Henry VIII, his daughter, Elizabeth I, and his father, Henry VII.

The House is now owned by Rowfant House Ltd, a registered charity, which works on behalf of the Latvian Lutheran Church in Great Britain. There is a certain irony in this, because Henry VIII was given  the title "Fidei Defensor" ( Defender of the Faith ) by Pope Leo X for his attack on Martin Luther's doctrines - the very doctrines that are the base of the Lutheran faith.

The Locker-Lampson family, owners of Rowfant House from 1848 until 1953, comprised a colourful group, particularly Oliver Stillingfleet Locker -Lampson, barrister, journalist, MP for 35 years and Commander of an Armoured Car Unit in the First World War. It was during his escapades in the First World War that Oliver came into close contact with the Czar of Russia and agreed to help smuggle the Czar to safety in the West. However, the Czar would not leave his wife and children behind and in doing so condemned them all to a terrible fate. There is even a well-documented story that Oliver was asked to carry out the murder of Rasputin. Oliver himself never confirmed this but is on record as having been visited twice by a Russian Officer who was later involved in the murder.

The Ministry of Defence requisitioned Rowfant House during the Second World War and Winston Churchill, who was a personal friend of Oliver's, spent many enjoyable hours there.

Set in its own tranquil gardens designed in the style of Capability Brown, extending to 22 acres, complete with lake, Rowfant House provides an ideal environment conducive to study and contemplation, and is now used for a range of business and social events.