Tittenhurst Park

“A working class hero is something to be” and it might well be. But John was not working class, and more so I don’t believe he ever wanted to be. This is a man who was being driven around his ascot mansion in a Rolls Royce. 

(photo from google image search) 

John’s home from the summer of 1969 till the early 70’s was Tittenhurst Park. A Grade II listed early Georgian country house that was set in its own 72 acres estate. 

(photo from google image search)

It was at this house that John would film and record his most famous album and movie ‘imagine’. The house was bought in May 69 by John and his new wife Yoko for £145,000, (although some say it was £150,000) a price that was large then but now, for such a large piece of property seems amazing value for money. 

(photo from google image search)

From the minute the beatle moved in he wanted things changed. The ground floor was converted into one giant open plan space, nearly completely white. And he built his own studio on the estate also so he would no longer have to always go into London to record at Abbey Road studios either. They also, without permission, had a lake illegally dug out and filled with water at the park, making a small island in the middle to put a summer house on.

(photo from google image search) 

Small boats were purchased to row around and the lake filled with fish, however they all died as the lining that was used in the construction of the lake was actually killing the fish. In 1970 John’s famous white piano was delivered and placed in a room to the front of the house, known as the white room. 

(photo from google image search)

The room large nearly floor to ceiling windows were covered by white wooden shutters. This is the room where the music video for ‘imagine’ was filmed. The gardens of the the estate, were open to the public before The Lebanon’s had moved in, showing off its many rare trees and parkland. 

(photo from google image search) 

A grand house befitting someone with a title more then someone who had been a rebellious teen from Liverpool, it was here that The Beatles had their very last photo shoot as band before John left in late 69. 

(photo from google image search)

When John and Yoko left the grand white mansion to move to America he sold it to Ringo Starr, who went on to have more music videos shot there! And no doubt he made good use of ‘the ascot sound studios’ that John had built there.