Childwickbury Manor

Childwickbury Manor stands in the quiet hamlet of Childwickbury, between St Albans and Harpenden in Hertfordshire. The house began as a modest manor in the 17th century when the Lomax family bought it in 1666. In 1854 Joshua Lomax sold it to Henry Hayman Toulmin, a wealthy ship owner who served as High Sheriff of Hertfordshire and mayor of St Albans. Toulmin later left the property to Sir John Blundell Maple, who turned the estate into a successful thoroughbred stud. The author Mary Carbery was born in the house during Toulmin’s ownership. The Joel family took over in 1906 and ran the stud until 1978. The manor became best known as the home and workplace of American filmmaker Stanley Kubrick. He bought it in 1978 and used the estate as both a residence and a nerve centre for his film productions. Kubrick lived there until his death in 1999 and is buried in the grounds with his eldest daughter Anya. His widow, Christiane Kubrick, niece of German director Veit Harlan, still lives in the house. The estate once covered 172 acres before being divided in 1978. Visitors find a working farm and a private residence, so access is limited. The manor itself remains largely unchanged since Kubrick’s time, with its original interiors and grounds intact. The surrounding countryside offers peaceful walks through gently rolling fields. The graves of Stanley and Anya Kubrick lie in a secluded part of the estate. The house continues to be a place of quiet reflection on the life and work of one of cinema’s most influential directors.