John Seely Lord Mottistone

Henry John Seely [usually known as John] who was born in 1900 was the grandson of Sir Charles Seely, the last Seely to live at Furzedown House before the estate was sold for house-building and Furzedown House became part of the Furzedown Training College.

John Seely, like all the Seely family, took an interest in St. Paul’s Church, Furzedown which was built on what had been part of their estate. The Seely family gave the parish Seely Hall in 1911 and donated a large part of the money needed to build the church. John Seely attended the opening of St. Paul’s Church in June 1926 when he was a young architect.The Seely family also donated the font which was made by Aston Webb, the famous architect who restored Buckingham Palace.

John Seely formed a partnership with Paul Paget and together they founded an architectural practice Seely and Paget. They first came to prominence for their restoration of Eltham Palace. After World War II they restored many buildings and churches damaged in the war. These included Lambeth Palace, home of the Archbishop of Canterbury [leader of the Anglican Church], Fulham Palace, Charterhouse, St. Mary’s Islington and the Church of St. John. [The Church of the St. John Ambulance in Clerkenwell, London.]

He died in 1963.