Tittenhurst Park - Startling Studios

Startling Studios

Deciding to stay long-term in the United States, Lennon sold Tittenhurst Park to a longtime friend, who could make use of the grounds and the recording studio – his former bandmate Ringo Starr, who purchased the property on 18 September 1973.

Renaming the studio "Startling Studios", Starr made the facility available for use by other recording artists. Portions of T. Rex's film Born to Boogie were shot there, and the house also saw a social visit from cult folk musician Nick Drake.

Judas Priest planned to record their British Steel album at Startling Studios, but found the house itself more suitable, and moved recording equipment there. Judas Priest's live album Unleashed in the East was also mixed and completed there.

In 1988, the property was sold for £5 million to HRH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi. Since then further extensive renovations to the manor have been carried out, and the interior no longer resembles the house lived in by Lennon and Starr. Lionel Fanshawe, principal landscape architect of Terra Firma Landscape Architects (Hampshire) has been involved with the Tittenhurst Park estate since 1990 (commencing with Charles Funke Associates to 1996), restoring and transforming over 16 hectares of parkland, arboretum, waterbodies and formal gardens, largely in keeping with the English country house tradition. In 2007 the property's value was estimated to be £30 million.