Places of Interest
Kenwood House
Kenwood House is situated on Hampstead Heath and is a splendid neo-classical mansion with beautiful landscaped gardens. Works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Turner, Reynolds and Gainsborough all hang against a backdrop of sumptuous rooms. Locals and visitors enjoy the open air concerts that are held by the lake in the summer time.
“Like most great English houses, it has had its interesting moments in history. In 1780, during the Gordon riots when up to 50,000 Londoners took to the streets to protest against emancipation for Catholics, a small mob is said to have set off for Kenwood House with the intention of putting it to the torch.” (The Streets of West Hampstead, Camden History Society, 1992). The mob were luckily distracted by the alcoholic beverages offered by Hampstead's Spaniards Inn. The landlord Giles Thomas, realized what their intentions were, plied them with liquor and sent for the military, who prevented further devastation. In 1922 the contents of the house were sold and auction and plans were proposed to build housing in the surrounding grounds. Guinness millionaire, the first Earl of Iveagh, bought the House in 1925 for the massive sum of £107,900 and bequeathed the estate to the benefit of the public when he died in 1927.
Fenton House
Fenton House is one of London’s most enchanting National Trust 17th century country estate, built in about 1693 in the heart of Hampstead Village. Fenton House has a delightful walled garden with a 300 year old apple orchard. The house homes a stunning collection of European, Oriental and English porcelain, early keyboard instruments and rare examples of needlework pictures.
Hampstead Heath
The heath covers about 800 acres of uncultivated grass and woodland in London. It is protected and kept clean by Heath Rangers. The ponds are one the glories of Hampstead Heath. They were created for a number of reasons, but the bigger ones were originally dug out as reservoirs for London’s water supply in the 17th and 18th centuries. There are over 30 ponds on the heath but five main ones, three used for swimming