Most of ham is in the london borough of richmond upon thames and, chiefly, within the ward of ham, petersham and richmond riverside. Ham is a suburban district in southwest london in the richmond district which has meadows adjoining the river thames where the thames path national trail also runs. Ham house and garden landscape noteslandscape notes. Built by sir thomas vavasour in 1610, ham house epitomised the great competition for the favour of kings which was rampant during the seventeenth century and was often the battleground for courtiers. It is claimed by the national trust to be unique in europe as the most complete survival of 17th century fashion and power. Ham house is a stuart mansion in ham, london borough of richmond upon thames, built in 1610 for sir thomas vavasour, knight marshal to james i. The ham and petersham lawn tennis club has courts on the south avenue to ham house in conjunction with grey court school.
From the 19th century londoners from east end communities and european immigrants settled there in great numbers. Ham house richmond 2020 all you need to know before. After the death of the prince of wales in 1618, ham was granted to james second son, charles, several years before he became king. Subcategories this category has the following 4 subcategories, out of 4 total. Ham house is one of the great stuart houses situated only 10 miles from central london on the rural banks of the river thames. In addition to the house, there is an orangey, icehouse, and dairy. In so doing, ham house becomes a keyhole through which the reader can view the aladdins cave that is the story of artistic collecting and patronage in britain over the past 400 years. Extensive formal gardens, statuesque borders, a wilderness area and productive kitchen garden have been lovingly recreated. Ham house and gardens are very accessible being close to richmond park and the graceful thames river which passes nearby.
What it does so brilliantly is make clear the variety and interest of the collections at ham, as well as their history. Ham house is located in ham, petersham and richmond riverside. London house hosted some of the most famous acts of the day including herbie hancock, oscar peterson, sarah vaughan and ramsey lewis. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of east ham. The former meadow land along the thames near to ham house became the location of a king georges field in the 1930s.
Ham house britain magazine the official magazine of. This new greater london borough was formed by merging the former area of the essex county borough of east ham and the county borough of west ham as a borough of the newly formed greater london, on 1 april 1965 these in turn were successors to the ancient civil and ecclesiastical parishes of. Ham house by christopher rowell yale university press. Completed in 1610, ham house was originally was bestowed by james i to his son henry frederick, prince of wales. North woolwich old station museum north woolwich old station museum, newham, london. See more ideas about newham, old london and east london. This book, which looks at the whole history of the house, is hopefully the first in a series of heavyweight studies into what might be described as the treasure houses of the national trust. Young hitler by paul ham meet your next favorite book. Ham house, its history and art treasures, book, 1904. Buckingham palace is the london home and the administrative center of the british royal family. The national trusts ham house is a rare and atmospheric 17thcentury house on the river thames in richmond, near london. Take a picture tour of ham house or book a hotel or cottage near ham house. Fin fahey the placename ham is recorded in domesday book 1086 as hame. This rare and atmospheric 17thcentury house sits on the banks of the river thames in richmond.
This impressive stuart house was built in 1610 and still retains its grandure and stunning gardens. Grade i listed buildings in the london borough of richmond upon thames. Unique 17thcentury house with sumptuous interiors, original collections and partially restored formal gardens. They are for the most part disguised behind sober facades but their riches within are astonishing. Set on the river thames near richmond, this is a courtiers house par excellence, first built in the reign of. Having been built in 1610 by sir vavasour, an advisor to king jame s i, it was then leased to william murray in 1626. That is a rather brief, whirlwindesque appraisal of ham houses history, but if you have even the slightest interest in stuart england, then. Maps robert smythson, plan of ham house, 1609 reproduced in mees 1993 attr john slezer and jan wyke, plan of house and grounds, 1671 reproduced in mees 1993 plan of ham house and gardens, c 1730 private collection plan of ham house and gardens, published in vitruvius britannicus 1739 j rocque, plan of the cities of london and. How one family helped change the way we eat ham arts. East hams buses and trams were all taken over by the london passenger transport board in 1933. Together with petersham, ham lies east of the bend in the river almost surrounding it on three sides, 1 mile 1. An ancient house at the corner of the green, writes lambert, in his history and survey of london and its environs, in 1805, formerly belonged to sir edmund saunders, lord chiefjustice of the court of kings bench in 1682, who raised himself to the bench from being an errandboy in an attorneys office, where he taught himself the mysteries. Ham house, richmond upon thames 1080832 historic england. He had been a close childhood friend and whipping boy for charles i.
The enormous building and extensive gardens are an important. The placename ham is recorded in domesday book 1086 as hame. Afternoon tea is a tradition that dates back to the 1850s when the duchess of bedford was feeling peckish. An opulent 17th century mansion, ham house in london was once a bustling political playground for the courtiers of the stuart dynasty from the reign of james i to charles ii. Ham house is an outoftheway treasure, positioned at a safe distance from the commotion of modern london in the green and villagey countryside about three miles from richmond, surrey. On 23 september 1899, full control of the tollemache estates at ham and buckminster was transferred from trustees to 9th earl, william john manners tollemache, then aged about 40, in accordance with his grandfathers will. Ham house dates back to the 17th century and retains much of its original features.
Francis frith the uks leading publisher of local photographs since 1860. About the author christopher rowell is the national trusts furniture curator and was formerly curator responsible for ham house. Jan 30, 2015 together they transformed ham into one of the most magnificent stuart houses in england. Ham house is a historic house with formal gardens set back 200 metres from the river thames in ham, south of richmond in london. In 1890 ada sudeley published her 570 page book ham house, belonging to the earl of dysart. East ham s buses and trams were all taken over by the london passenger transport board in 1933. I first lived in back lane although i cant remember over which shop. Overnight ghost watchers, the trust reports, think at least 15 different ghosts. Thank you for your continued support in these difficult times. In 2011 the national trust commissioned artist and illustrator louise oreilly to create an artists book about the 17th century garden at ham house, in collaboration with historian sally jeffery, as part of the interaction programme for the garden of reason project. And ham house, sitting on a gloomy, somewhat swampy corner of the thames, upriver from richmond hill, is among the most haunted in the country. Spectres through time, author peter ackroyd suggests that there are more reports of ghosts and hauntings, and more ghost stories altogether, in england than anywhere else in the world. Ham house britain magazine the official magazine of visit. Along with pottery finds dated to the 5th century ad, this suggests the area was amongst the first colonised by saxon settlers.
Where to have afternoon tea in london the langham hotel. In a lively and comprehensive architectural history of ham house, scholars shed new light on the house, its inhabitants, and three centuries of its contents. The beautifully illustrated result utilizes historic plans and. Together they transformed ham into one of the most magnificent stuart houses in england. You can easily spend a leisurely day seeing the sights and exploring what this neighborhood has to offer. In 1626 ham house became the property of william murray, a lifelong supporter of charles i, and thus emerged as a hotbed of civil war politics and restoration court intrigue. Built in 1610 during the reign of james i and remodeled in 163739 by the future first earl of dysart, ham house and its gardens have endured through centuries of english history while remaining representative of the styles and culture of the original inhabitants. This file is licensed under the creative commons attributionshare alike 4. This meant that william was the one who was punished whenever charles misbehaved. Photos, maps, personal memories and local books of ham. Mar, 2020 ham house dates back to the 17th century and retains much of its original features. Apr 15, 20 how one family helped change the way we eat ham.
East ham photos, maps, books, memories francis frith. This new greater london borough was formed by merging the former area of the essex county borough of east ham and the county borough of west ham as a borough of the newly formed greater london, on 1 april 1965 these in turn were successors to the ancient civil and ecclesiastical parishes of east ham and west ham. A gift from the king originally built in 1610, ham house is the creation of an enterprising courtier, william murray, and his tenacious daughter elizabeth. The house is now open to visitors every day, except christmas and boxing day, from noon to 4 p. If youre looking for things to see and do in the area, you might like to visit twickenham stadium and hampton court palace. It has always been a place of escape, a grand oasis of rural peace to retreat to from the tumult of the city along the river thames nearby.
Ham house is easy to reach by public transportation from central london and can be visited throughout the year, though winter and early spring openings are limited. To the west of richmond park, overlooking the thames and nearly opposite the memorably named eel pie island, ham house was built in 1610 and remodeled 60 years later. It is the creation of the tenacious duchess of lauderdale and her husband, the duke, who together transformed ham into one of the grandest stuart houses in england. In the south of the borough, the workingclass neighbourhoods of canning town, custom house. If you can, approach the house from the river side and you will really appreciate the impact it has on the surrounding area. According to the national trust, who now own and look after ham house, cold spots, the sound of footsteps, inexplicable scents of roses and glimpses of mysterious characters are typical surprises in englands most complete and original 17thcentury manor house. The house itself is designated on the national heritage list for england as a grade i. This grand house as built along the thames in 1610 for sir thomas vavasour, who was the knight marshal to james i. Then we moved to new rd and i lived next door to the man who was the night guard at ham house. That company was soon absorbed by the london general omnibus co. Its elevation mostly ranges between 6m and 12m od but reaches 20m in the foothill sidestreets leading to richmond park. The book is easy to read and presents some aspects of personality formation from one of the bestknown names in history. The history of ham house ham house is one of the great stuart houses situated only 10 miles from central london on the rural banks of the river thames.
It has the most gorgeous setting right by the river thames in richmond and is perfect for. Boasting important collections of textiles, furniture and paintings, a celebrated cherry garden and a formal listed avenue of over 250 trees, the house and grounds have. Ham house richmond 2020 all you need to know before you. The first early saxon settlement found in the greater london area was a pit house, or grubenhaus, excavated at ham in the early 1950s. Ham house, richmond upon thames 282 historic england. Nestled on the banks of the river thames, ham house was the 17th century creation of the tenacious duchess of lauderdale and her husband the duke together. I particularly find the book very informative, exciting, and that, unfortunately, seems more current than ever looking for the emergence of an ultraright movement in the world political field.
The great houses of london represent one of the marvels of english architecture and yet they are almost entirely unknown. Feb 06, 2017 that is a rather brief, whirlwindesque appraisal of ham houses history, but if you have even the slightest interest in stuart england, then itll give you a brilliant insight in to the life and times of 17th century courtiers. The beautifully illustrated result utilizes historic plans and descriptions of the garden as well as documents from the. Built by sir thomas vavasour in 1610, ham house epitomised the great competition for the favour of kings which was rampant during the seventeenth century and was often the. Newham, london borough genealogy familysearch wiki.