About Edward James

Wherever Edward was, and no matter what exciting adventure he was embarking on, he had one desire, one love, from which he never waivered, and that was to preserve his Estate intact.

In 1964, Edward James conveyed his family mansion, art collection and Estate to The Edward James Foundation, a charitable educational trust. The creation of such a trust averted the fragmentation that death duties would have dictated and allowed the materialisation of Edward's vision: creating a community where the Estate supports a college dedicated to the arts and crafts. In 1971, Edward James's vision became a reality when the gates of his family Estate were opened under the auspices of West Dean College.

The Trustees have taken great care to restore the House to the highest possible standards, an ethos which still permeates every activity of the Foundation.