Cherry Hill - A Transatlantic Modernist Legacy
Historic Significance
Cherry Hill, located on the Wentworth Estate in Surrey, was commissioned in 1933 by Ambassador John Hay Whitney and completed in 1935 under architect Oliver Hill. Exhibited by the Museum of Modern Art in New York in the landmark *Modern Architecture in England* (1937) survey, the house stands as one of the few privately maintained English country houses to embody Modernist principles and Anglo‑American cultural exchange.
Diplomatic & Cultural Context
Ambassador Whitney, a noted patron of the arts and trustee then President of MoMA, used Cherry Hill as a venue for cultural and diplomatic dialogue between Britain and the United States. Its architecture and interiors reflect both his modernist commitments and the country‑estate tradition of his British hosts, making it a rare physical nexus of art, architecture and diplomacy.
Conservation & Stewardship
The current custodians, Bath & Bath, have overseen a restoration programme guided by conservation authorities and architectural scholars to retain Hill’s original spatial and material intentions while ensuring long‑term viability. We welcome discreet institutional engagements — whether research, exhibition or curatorial dialogue — particularly with partners whose mission aligns with modern architecture, cultural diplomacy and heritage interpretation.
Contact
For further information, downloadable stewardship documentation and high‑resolution images please contact: Tejit Bath | Bath & Bath | tejit@bath‑bath.co.uk
Bath & Bath | www.modernistmasterpiece.com | © 2025
Fig. 1 – The south elevation across the lawn, illustrating the house’s diplomatic poise and modernist form.
Fig. 2 – Interior detail: the onyx wall, emblematic of 1930s craftsmanship and restraint.
Fig. 3 – Archival reference: Ambassador John Hay Whitney and the MoMA 1937 exhibition ‘Modern Architecture in England.’