Stansted Park (including Stansted House) is an Edwardian country house in the parish of Stoughton, West Sussex, England. It is near the city of Chichester, and also the village of Rowlands Castle to the west over the border in Hampshire. The house is set in the park, with woodland and open land grazed by deer. Stansted House has Carolean revival decor and is listed Grade II*. The surrounding area, Stansted Park, is also listed Grade II*. History The area that is now the Park is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, as being included in the Hundred of Bourne. Some sources suggest that at some time before 1094, a hunting lodge was built for Roger de Montgomery, first Earl of Arundel. The historic listing summary adds that "Stansted probably originated as a park within the Royal Forest of Bere Porchester, whose over-lords were the earls of Arundel. It was recorded as in use for hunting and for timber production in the medieval period, while a survey of buildings of the Manor of Stansted in 1327 included a hall and a chapel". In 1177, Henry II visited Stansted. Two other monarchs visited in the next hundred years, Richard I of England hunted boar here in 1194 and John, King of England visited in both 1214 and 1215. The next monarch to arrive here was Edward VI, in 1552. John, Lord Lumley built a house on the site which was visited by Queen Elizabeth on 23 August 1591. Robert Cecil described this house as "fayre, well builte without and not meanly furnished within, but want of water is a greate inconvenience." A new house was built on the present site, starting in 1686, for Richard Lumley, probably to a design by William Talman. The historic listing states that Richard laid out "formal gardens, radiating avenues and parkland on its east side. He probably also cut the central avenue through Stansted Forest to the west". The property was inherited in 1776 by 2nd Earl of Halifax 1766; he also built the nearby folly tower, now known as Racton Monument. After his death in 1771, the estate was inherited by his daughter Anna Donaldson. Seven years later, George III and Queen Charlotte (Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz) visited; the property was later sold. Subsequent owners made modifications to the building and the grounds, most significantly in 1782. The main block was destroyed by fire in