Up: Martin Poulter > Scientology Criticism > UK Media Archive
Stately home tour that has a hidden agenda
Evening Argus (Brighton), 6 September 1999
On Friday we reported how the UK base of the Church of Scientology was
being advertised in a tourist leaflet published by West Sussex County
Council. The church was quick to deny the free tours on offer were
being used to recruit members into the controversial religion. Posing
as a daytripper, David Edwards went to find out for himself
It is advertised as a tour of one of Britain's most beautiful
mansions.
Visitors are invited to drop in on the 200-year-old stately home, set
in nearly 60 acres of grounds, and embark on one of the hourly tours.
The huge sandstone building with its winter garden, mural painting and
oak panelling should be the perfect day out for visitors.
But the advertisement does not tell you the tour of Saint Hill Manor
could be seen as a PR exercise for the Church of Scientology.
By the time my visit was over I had been told what Scientology stands
for, how it works and even shown the room where people can join.
Posing as a sightseer, I arrived at the manor near East Grinstead and
was greeted by Nichola, who showed me and two other daytrippers around
the building.
First stop was the library. The mansion was once the residence of an
Indian maharaja but the bookcases were not filled with any of the
books he collected.
Instead, they were packed with hundreds of titles by L Ron Hubbard,
the science-fiction writer who founded the church in the Fifties. Some
of his early pulp novels were arranged in a display while below were
volumes explaining what Scientology is all about.
Having given us a very brief rundown of the room's history, Nichola
introduced herself as a Scientologist and told us how the religion
works.
"The emphasis is on self-help and Scientology is a method which allows
people to realise their goals," she explained.
Then it was on to a room, the walls of which were covered by a huge
mural painted by John Spencer Churchill, nephew of Winston.
And just in case we were starting to forget the Scientologist message,
there was another bookcase of Hubbard's work in the corner.
After visiting the roof and being shown the enormous cedar tree which
stands near the mansion ("That was Mr Hubbard's favourite," said
Nichola), we were taken to his bedroom.
With its four-poster bed and colourful rug, the room is the highpoint
of the tour for visiting Scientologists, who come from across the
world to see where their late leader lived.
Nichola told us how church members often stop off at Gatwick Airport
to visit the mansion on their way to the USA.
The visitors' book testified to this, with entries from New Zealand,
Spain and Denmark.
Said Nichola: "In the Sixties, this used to be the headquarters of the
world but it has grown up since then. But it's still a very important
place for Scientologists to visit."
Then it was on to Hubbard's study, where he wrote his books, and time
for another titbit on the world of Dianetics - "In a higher
organisation like Saint Hill you have dedicated staff who live in and
they are Seaorg members."
The unusual English refers to the church's hierarchy, with Seaorgs top
of the pile.
Nichola explained how Hubbard had spent eight years in Britain before
leaving in 1967 to study, free from distractions, on a ship. She
didn't mention that the following year he was banned from re-entering
Britain amid public concern over his aims and methods. Neither did she
give details of his further run-ins with the authorities, including an
accusation of embezzlement in 1984, two years before his death.
Before the tour ended, Nichola told us we could buy refreshments in
the nearby castle, which is where the Scientologists are inducted and
study.
She also said we were welcome to ask for a tour of the building to
find out more about the religion.
The refectory was full of church members in their Navy-style uniforms
while a poster invited people to become life members of the
International Association of Scientologists. A book on one of the
tables explains how to counsel, or "audit" members. The practice is
aimed at encouraging people, or "Thetans" as they are called, to
become "clear".
Illustrations show how the bizarre system works, with sketches of
Scientologists explaining how to answer questions and being told off
for giving the wrong answers.
After asking for a tour at the reception desk, a young man called
Alexander who was dressed in the regulation white shirt with
epaulettes and black tie, met us.
He first took me to one of the building's corridors, which each lead
to dozens of counselling rooms.
There people use e-meters to measure past traumas. Church members hold
metal tubes through which electrical charges are passed. The strength
of feelings are registered on the meter, a strange egg-shaped device,
by a needle.
The devices were on sale by the reception desk, along with a leaflet
explaining the benefits of the new Mark Super VII Quantum. Each comes
in a range of colours, has matching leads and a carrying case and is
yours for £3,888.
Next was a visit to the studying rooms, where dozens of Scientologists
sat at desks reading Hubbard's work.
Alexander explained that a big part of the church's teachings involved
practical work and pointed to a woman sitting at the back of the room
who was making little men out of brightly-coloured clay to assist her
studies.
In another room, church members sat discussing the religion or
practised on their e-meters. Another contained members wearing
headphones to listen to taped Hubbard lectures.
My guide then took me down a flight of stairs to the library, filled
with Hubbard's books and self-help manuals. Each offers advice on how
to improve relationships or get more out of work.He told me he joined
seven years ago, in Italy, where he was working as a bricklayer.
"I was looking for something because I was unhappy and had dabbled
with yoga. Then I saw one of L Ron Hubbard's books and I became very
interested."
Before the tour ended I was shown the room where new recruits are
signed up.
Alexander looked at me expectantly and there was an awkward pause.
Then we went to the refectory and we parted company.
Up: Martin Poulter > Scientology Criticism > UK Media Archive