Nestled within the tranquil Sunken Garden of Townhill Park House, Lady Swaythling’s bench is more than just a place to sit—it is a symbol of remembrance and quiet elegance.

The bench was installed in the early 20th century during the transformation of the estate by Louis Samuel Montagu, 2nd Baron Swaythling, and his wife, Gladys Helen Rachel Montagu (Lady Swaythling). The gardens were redesigned in 1912 by the celebrated garden designer Gertrude Jekyll, who worked in close collaboration with the Swaythlings to create a series of formal and informal garden spaces that reflected both fashion and personal meaning.

The Sunk Garden was one of the most personal areas of the garden. It provided a private sanctuary away from the grandeur of the surrounding terraces and borders. The bench, placed at the southern end of the garden, offered a place for Lady Swaythling to sit in quiet contemplation, surrounded by scent and colour.

Over time, the bench became a quiet focal point of the Sunken Garden, associated with Lady Swaythling’s presence and love for the garden. Though the estate later passed into institutional use and the grounds fell into neglect and the bench was restored remaining a silent witness to the garden's changing fortunes.