Eastbury Manor House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eastbury Manor House |
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Front view
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| Type | Manor House |
| Location | Eastbury Square, Barking, England |
| OS grid reference | TQ 45709 83804 |
| Area | London Borough of Barking and Dagenham |
| Built | 1570s |
| Architectural style(s) | Elizabethan |
| Governing body | London Borough of Barking and Dagenham |
| Owner | National Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Eastbury Manor | |
| Designated | 28 May 1954 |
| Reference no. | 1359303 |
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Eastbury Manor House is a very old and important historic building. You can find it in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham in Greater London, England. This amazing house was built during the Elizabethan period, which was when Queen Elizabeth I was on the throne. The land it stands on used to belong to Barking Abbey, a large church property. Today, the house is owned by the National Trust, a group that protects historic places. However, the local council, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, has looked after it since the 1930s. Eastbury Manor House is open for visitors for most of the year.
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Building Eastbury Manor
The land where Eastbury Manor House stands today was once part of Barking Abbey. This was a very powerful and wealthy church property. In the 1570s, a rich merchant named Clement Sisley bought the land. He bought it after the "dissolution" of Barking Abbey. This was when King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries and abbeys across England.
A Grand New Home
Clement Sisley then built Eastbury Manor House. It was probably the first brick building in the area. This was a big deal back then! The house had special features that showed how rich Clement Sisley was. It had glass windows, which were very rare and expensive. It also had very tall chimneys. The glass for the windows might have even come from Italy, as English glass was not as good at the time.
When Was It Built?
Scientists have studied the wooden roof of the house. They used a method called dendrochronology, which looks at tree rings. This study shows the timber for the roof was cut in 1566. Other old records show dates carved into the brickwork, like 1572. A lead water spout also has the date 1573. These dates tell us when the house was being finished.
Stories and Legends
There are some interesting old stories about Eastbury Manor House. One story says that the people who planned the famous Gunpowder Plot met there. This was a plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605. Another story says that Lord Monteagle lived there. He was the person who received a letter that helped uncover the plot. However, historians believe these stories are probably not true. They are just old legends.
Saving the House
Over many years, from the late 1700s, the house started to fall apart. By 1814, a large staircase called the Great Tower Staircase was taken down. In the 1830s, some of the original wooden floors and fireplaces were removed. By the late 1800s, only a small part of the house was still safe to live in.
Restoration and Opening
Luckily, in 1918, the National Trust bought Eastbury Manor House. They worked hard to restore it and bring it back to life. In 1931, it opened its doors as the Museum of Barking. Today, the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham council looks after the house.
Recent Improvements
In 1954, Eastbury Manor House was given a special "Grade I listed status." This means it is a very important historic building that needs to be protected. In recent years, the house has had a lot of restoration work done. This work was paid for by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The latest part of this restoration finished in 2010. It included a new exhibition that tells the story of the house and the people who lived there.
