Adam Trimingham looks back at the life of E F Benson and his links with Rye

E F Benson wrote more than 100 books during his long literary life but he is remembered mainly for just a handful of them.

They are the Mapp and Lucia novels set in the fictitious town of Tilling which bore a remarkably close resemblance to Rye.

Benson’s family was stranger than any novel. Known as Fred, he was one of six children and his father was to become Archbishop of Canterbury.

A brother, Arthur, wrote the words for Land of Hope and Glory and also produced a diary of more than three million words. Hugh became a Jesuit priest.

None of the six ever had any children and several including Fred were probably gay.

After the archbishop died, the family moved from Lambeth Palace and eventually settled at Tremans near Horsted Keynes in Sussex.

Fred, who outlived all of his brothers and sisters, was a prolific and successful author. His works included novels, comedies, memoirs, social commentary, biographies, sports books and ghost stories.

His Tilling novels featuring Emmeline Lucas (Lucia) and her social rival, Elizabeth Mapp were published in the 1930’s.

They have also been filmed many times, the most recent being shown on TV over Christmas.

Benson moved to Rye in 1918 when he was 51. But he had known the hilltop town since 1900 when he had visited Henry James at Lamb House.

He moved into this imposing house two years after James had died and stayed there until his death in 1940.

Benson spent most weekends in Rye while keeping another home in London. Rye did not mind the gentle teasing of the Mapp and Luicia books or the snobbery of the two ladies.

Benson was generous to Rye. His gifts included a viewing platform at the east end of the High Street overlooking the Saltings, the playing fields, and the River Rother. A bronze plaque acknowledges the gift.

He paid for the renovation of the organ at St. Mary’s Church, a gift duplicated by Lucia in one of the books.

Benson also gave a large stained glass west window to St. Mary’s in honour of his parents and a north window to remember Arthur. He served three terms as Mayor of Rye in the 1930s, surprising himself by enjoying it and running the town fairly.

In 1938 he was made a freeman of Rye and an Honorary Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Benson died ten days after delivering his last manuscript to his publisher. It was Final Editions, a long awaited memoir.

He is buried in the town cemetery. A plaque on a choir stall in St. Mary’s Church pays tribute to his courage, kindness and generosity to the town.

His grave is regularly visited by admirers and is maintained by the Tilling Society which gathers there annually to honour his life. There is also an E F Benson Society.

Lamb House, owned by the National Trust, is open to the public during the summer.

The Argus:

Looking back

The Dome in Brighton is featured on this postcard of 1905, above, roughly a century after it was built as magnificent stables for the royal horses.

It looks much more oriental than it does today with the minarets extremely prominent.

But the Royal Pavilion gardens appear almost deserted and lack the skilful planting that makes them attractive today.

By the time this picture was taken, the interior of the Dione had been converted from stables into a rather gloomy concert hall.

It was remodelled in the 1930s and renovated again early this century. It is a Grade One listed building.