Avenue House facts for kids
Avenue House (also known as Stephens House) is a big Victorian house in Finchley, London. It's a special building, officially called a Grade II listed site, which means it's important and protected.
The house was built in 1859. Later, in 1874, a famous ink maker and generous person named Henry Charles Stephens bought it. People often called him "Inky"! He made the house and its gardens much bigger and better, with help from a well-known garden designer, Robert Marnock.
When Henry Charles Stephens passed away in 1918, he left the house and its ten acres of land to the local council. He wanted it to always be open for everyone to enjoy. Today, a charity called 'The Avenue House Estate' looks after the property. Since 2014, the place has been known as Stephens House and Gardens.
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History of Stephens House
Avenue House was built in 1859 by Reverend Edward Cooper. The house gets its name from "The Avenue," a path that used to run behind it.
In 1874, Henry Charles Stephens, the famous ink manufacturer, bought the house. He added more land, and the gardens were designed by Robert Marnock. Stephens also planted many rare trees, which are still a big part of the gardens today.
Stephens left the house and grounds to the local council in 1918. He wanted them to be open for everyone to use. However, from 1919 to 1925, the house was used as a military hospital by the RAF. The gardens finally opened to the public on May 3, 1928.
Later, during the Second World War, the house was used by the council after their main offices were damaged. The basement even became an air-raid shelter! In 1989, a fire damaged part of the house, but it was fixed and looks great again.
Today, Avenue House is a popular place for meetings and events. The beautiful gardens and arboretum (a collection of trees) are still open to everyone for free. An independent charity, the Avenue House Estate Trust, now manages the house and gardens.
Next to Avenue House is Hertford Lodge, another Grade II listed building. It was a girls' school for many years before becoming council offices. After a fire in 2004, it was rebuilt into private apartments.
Exploring the Gardens
The gardens at Stephens House cover ten acres. They have many rare and interesting trees and plants. You can find a children's playground, a pond, a special walled garden called The Bothy, and a café.
In 2011, the trust that manages the house started looking for money to restore the gardens. They received a grant of over £200,000 in 2013 to plan the restoration. Then, in 2014, they were given a big grant of £2.1 million!
Work on the gardens began in 2015 and was mostly finished by late 2017. This project improved the café and playground, added a new education centre, and restored the gardens to their original beauty.
In the arboretum, some old or sick trees were removed, and new ones are being planted. The pond was cleaned, and new drainage systems help manage water better. The old stable and garage buildings were updated to create a visitor centre, public toilets, and a café. The Stephens Collection museum is also now in the visitor centre.
The Bothy
The Bothy is a unique building that looks like a small rectangular castle. It was built around the late 1870s and is one of the oldest concrete structures in England that isn't Roman!
A project to restore The Bothy and turn it into an arts centre began in 1997. Local people and the Heritage Lottery Fund helped pay for it. However, a disagreement stopped the building from opening for about ten years.
Now, a charity called Terapia has leased The Bothy. They have turned it into a training centre, which opened in October 2017. The walled garden of The Bothy is looked after by volunteers and is open to visitors on Fridays and the first Sunday of each month. Sometimes, there are arts events there too.
The Stephens Collection
Inside the visitor centre at Avenue House, you'll find The Stephens Collection. This is a small museum and archive. It tells the story of the Stephens Ink company and the Stephens family, along with local history. You can visit it for free!
Spike Milligan Statue
Spike Milligan, a famous comedian, lived nearby for many years until he passed away in 2002. A special fund was set up to create a statue of him.
The bronze statue shows Spike sitting on a bench. It was unveiled on September 4, 2014, at a ceremony attended by many well-known people, including Roy Hudd, Michael Parkinson, and Maureen Lipman. You can find it by the old stables block in the grounds of Avenue House.
See also
- Nature reserves in Barnet
