ABOUT
Joldwynds is a 1930's Grade II listed modernist art deco house designed by Oliver Hill for the 1st Baron Greene. It is located on the Surrey Hills Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty overlooking the Weald.
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The house has a rich cultural history. Home to multidisciplinary artist and pioneering jazz photographer Francine Winham from the 1960's and in the later years with her nieces, the house has been a cultural hub for artistic, literary and charitable events, concerts, filming, retreats and artist residencies.
Joldwynds consists of a coach house, walled garden, swimming pool, pond, horse training fields, stables and tennis court. It preserves some of the original Philip Webb's brick & tile hung constructions, which were amongst the few first architectonic references of what became the "Arts & Crafts" style.
The main house replaced the 1874 house with the same name, which had itself replaced a previous house which had been the Holmbury Gentleman's Club. In 1930 Wilfred Greene commissioned Oliver Hill to design the new house, which was completed in 1932.
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Located in the Surrey Hills, Joldwynds is a short walk from Leith Hill, the second highest point in South East England surrounded by four areas of woodland.
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Despite its proximity to London, Guildford and Gatwick, Joldwynds is a quiet escape with stunning views extending all the way to the sea.
During WWII Joldwynds was handed over to a charity to become a maternity unit for single mothers.
Since the 60's with Francine Winham, and later with her nieces, Joldwynds has hosted film & TV series productions, music video shoots, weddings, artist residencies, opera and jazz concerts, horse riding events as well as being a guest house for charitable programmes, workshop retreats and is a meeting point for creatives.
Some of the productions using Joldwynds as a location include "The Hunger", two chapters of Agatha Christies' Poirot series, the 2020 remake of "Blithe Spirit" and the Roald Dahl biopic "To Olivia" set to be released early 2021 and What's Love Got To Do With It (2021).
Joldwynds continues to support artists and culture and will be hosting events online and opening its doors so stay in touch.
Francine Winham was a film maker and photographer, screenwriter, jazz and opera singer, political activist, and an art collector, and captured the likes of Malcolm X, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Horace Silver, Hugh Masekela, Cootie Williams, Dizzy Gillespie and Cat Anderson amongst many others, using her unique and innovative style which was later used by other photographers. Read more
In honour of Francine, Joldwynds will soon open an online exhibition and shop with prints and other objects of her work as well as of other resident artists, to help support ongoing projects.