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Kenwood House

From Alfawiki
Kenwood House
Company typeHistoric house museum
IndustryHeritage and tourism
Foundedc. 1616
FounderJohn Bill (original builder)
Headquarters
Hampstead, London
,
England, United Kingdom
Area served
Public access to historic house and art collection
OwnerEnglish Heritage
Websitewww.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/kenwood/

Kenwood House—also referred to as the Iveagh Bequest—is a stately home situated in Hampstead, London, positioned on the northern fringe of Hampstead Heath. Constructed in the late 1600s, it underwent significant redesign during the 18th century under the direction of Scottish architect Robert Adam for William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield. The residence served as the home of the Earls of Mansfield up until the 20th century.

In 1925, Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh acquired the property and a portion of its grounds from the 6th Earl of Mansfield. Two years later, in 1927, he generously gifted the estate to the nation. Subsequently managed by the London County Council, Kenwood House was opened to public access by the late 1920s and continues to attract numerous visitors.

Location

Kenwood House is positioned along the northern border of Hampstead Heath, just south of Hampstead Lane (B519). It lies within the jurisdiction of the London Borough of Camden, close to its boundary with the London Borough of Haringey.

Early history

Originally named Caen Wood House, this building is believed to have been constructed around 1616 by John Bill, who served as the King's Printer. In 1694, ownership transferred to William Bridges, Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, who demolished and rebuilt it; however, remnants of the initial brickwork remain beneath the later 18th-century exterior. Around 1700, an orangery was appended. After passing through various hands, William Murray—later titled 1st Earl of Mansfield and Lord Chief Justice—purchased it in 1754.

Mansfield family

In 1764, Lord Mansfield engaged Robert Adam to undertake a comprehensive redesign of Kenwood House, granting him complete creative authority. Adam introduced the celebrated library as a counterbalance to the orangery and to house Mansfield’s extensive collection of books. He also designed an Ionic portico that serves as the main entrance.

During the June 1780 Gordon Riots, Lord Mansfield’s townhouse in Bloomsbury was destroyed by rioters who also targeted Kenwood. To protect the estate, his nephew Lord Stormont arranged for cavalry defense. To stall the advancing crowd until military forces arrived, free wine and ale were distributed from Kenwood.

Following Lord Mansfield’s death in 1793, his nephew David Murray (Lord Stormont) inherited the property. With official consent, he expanded the estate with designs initially by Robert Nasmith and later George Saunders. These expansions included two wings on the northern side featuring Kenwood’s first permanent dining room, administrative offices, kitchens, a brewery (now converted into a restaurant), and a dairy supplying milk and cheese. Between 1793 and 1796, the main road connecting Hampstead and Highgate was diverted northward to prevent it from running adjacent to the estate.

In 1794, King George III paid a visit to Kenwood; Queen Charlotte remarked on his appreciation for the architectural enhancements made there.

Upon Lord Stormont’s death in 1796, ownership passed to his son, David William Murray, 3rd Earl of Mansfield. From 1803 until 1839, architect William Atkinson undertook structural reinforcements to ensure the building’s preservation. Although retaining possession throughout that century, the Mansfields primarily resided at their Scottish estate at Scone Palace.

In July 1835, King William IV and Queen Adelaide visited Kenwood House during an event attended by approximately 800 members of nobility and gentry. The Marchioness of Salisbury recorded their enjoyment of this occasion.

The estate was inherited by Alan David Murray, the 6th Earl of Mansfield, in 1906; however, he chose to lease it out. After negotiations concluded in 1910, it became leased to exiled Russian nobility Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich and Countess Sophie of Merenberg. In 1914 they hosted an exclusive dinner and ball that attracted European royalty including King George V and Queen Mary. The Grand Duke remained resident until 1917; afterward American millionaire Nancy Leeds occupied Kenwood until 1920. By 1922, facing uncertainty about its future use, Lord Mansfield sold off much of the house’s contents.

Recent history

In 1922, the Kenwood Preservation Council secured a portion of the estate to safeguard it from development. Subsequently, ownership transferred to the London County Council in 1924, and King George V officially opened the grounds to the public in 1925. The house and remaining land were purchased in 1925 from the Mansfield family by Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, a philanthropist and Anglo-Irish businessman from the Guinness family, who later bequeathed the property to the nation upon his passing in 1927; it became accessible to visitors in 1928. Some furnishings sold earlier in 1922 have since been reacquired, while the paintings on display originate from Iveagh's personal collection.

During World War II, Kenwood House was closed but reopened under London County Council management in 1950. Restoration efforts focused on late 18th-century additions by Saunders took place between 1955 and 1959. In 1965, ownership was transferred to the Greater London Council (GLC), and following the GLC's dissolution in 1986, responsibility passed to English Heritage.

Between 2012 and late 2013, extensive refurbishment occurred, partially financed by the Heritage Lottery Fund. This included repairs to the roof, reinstallation of paintings from the Iveagh Bequest, and restoration work aimed at returning Adam's original architectural vision.

In 2019, visitor numbers for Kenwood House reached 134,238.

Estate

Kenwood House is accessed via two drives originating from Hampstead Lane, each marked by a white-brick lodge with gates. The northern entrance, designed by Robert Adam, showcases a stucco facade highlighted by a central portico; meanwhile, the south front underwent restoration in 1975 to reflect its initial stucco appearance. The east service wing is constructed of London stock brick and faces a brick cold-plunge bath house.

The grounds feature landscaped gardens near the house, believed to be designed by Humphry Repton, which contrast with the surrounding woodland and Hampstead Heath. Additionally, a garden created by Arabella Lennox-Boyd is part of the estate.

Recognised as Grade II* on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, approximately one-third of the estate is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This area is distinguished by ancient woodlands that support a wide variety of bird species, insects, and host London's largest roost of Pipistrelle bats.

The gardens adjacent to the house also feature sculptures by renowned artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, and Eugène Dodeigne.

From 1951 until 2006, summer Saturday evening concerts were held by the lakeside—initially focusing on classical music before shifting primarily to pop genres—drawing large audiences who enjoyed music alongside fireworks displays. Due to local opposition and new restrictions, English Heritage discontinued these concerts in 2007 but reinstated them in 2008 at an alternative location within the estate, limiting events to eight per season.

Art

Kenwood House boasts an important collection of historic artwork comprising 63 Old Master paintings. Among its most notable pieces are:

Additional distinguished artists represented include Joshua Reynolds, Angelica Kauffman, John Crome, Claude de Jongh, George Morland, Anthony van Dyck, William Larkin, J. M. W. Turner, Arthur Boyd Houghton, François Boucher, Thomas Lawrence, Henry Raeburn, George Romney, Jan Baptist Weenix, and Joseph Wright of Derby.

The majority of these works were acquired during the 1880s and 1890s by Iveagh, focusing on Old Master portraits and landscapes as well as Dutch, Flemish, and British art from the seventeenth century. Additional acquisitions connected to Kenwood House were added after his death.

Besides paintings, the collection includes shoe buckles, jewellery pieces, and various portrait miniatures.

In 2002, selected Stuart portraits were relocated from the Suffolk Collection at Ranger's House, Greenwich to Kenwood House.

During refurbishment in 2012, an exhibition titled Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Gainsborough: The Treasures of Kenwood House, London toured museums across the United States. This display featured works that had seldom been exhibited outside Britain. The tour commenced on 6 June 2013 at the Arkansas Arts Center located in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Cultural references

A 1930s poster by Margaret Calkin James for the London Underground prominently features the house.

This location served as a filming site for the British movies Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Notting Hill (1999).

Although the 2013 film Belle, which portrays William Murray as a character, is set at the house and its grounds, the actual filming took place elsewhere.

In literature, a segment of Zadie Smith's 2016 novel Swing Time is situated on the estate’s grounds.

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External links

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