Working for a regional theatre in Farnham

Brightwell House

Brightwell House was built in the 1790’s as a gentleman’s town house with spacious   lawns looking down to the River Wey. By 1865 it was owned by the Paget family who were visited by Florence Nightingale and Sir Arthur Sullivan. The house was originally called ‘Lowlands’ but the name was changed in 1905 by Mrs.Paget who had connections with Brightwell Baldwin in Oxfordshire. After the death of the last private owner Florence Paget, the house was put up for sale in 1919. Farnham Urban District Council was looking for extra premises for public benefit and bought the property for £3,750. Pleasure gardens, swimming pools, tennis courts and a bowling green were added bu FUDC and over the years Brightwell House itself became variously public offices, a library, a clinic and eventually the Redgrave Theatre.