Kenwood House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kenwood House |
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| Type | English country house |
| Location | Hampstead Heath, NW3 |
| Area | London Borough of Camden |
| Built | 17th century |
| Rebuilt | 1764–1779 |
| Architect | Robert Adam (18th century remodelling) |
| Architectural style(s) | Georgian and Neoclassical |
| Owner | English Heritage |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Kenwood House (Iveagh Bequest) | |
| Designated | 10 June 1954 |
| Reference no. | 1379242 |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Service wing and outbuildings to Kenwood House | |
| Reference no. | 1379244 |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Sham bridge to south of Kenwood House | |
| Reference no. | 1379245 |
| Designated | 1 October 1987 |
| Reference no. | 1000142 |
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Kenwood House (also known as the Iveagh Bequest) is a beautiful old country house in Hampstead, London. It sits right on the edge of Hampstead Heath, a large park. The house was first built in the 1600s. For many years, in the 1700s and 1800s, it was home to the Earls of Mansfield, a noble family.
In 1925, Edward Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, bought the house and some of its land. He was a very rich businessman. In 1927, he gave Kenwood House to the country. By the late 1920s, the whole estate was owned by the London County Council. It was then opened to the public. Today, Kenwood House is a popular place to visit in London.
Contents
Where is Kenwood House?
Kenwood House is located on the northern edge of Hampstead Heath. It is just south of Hampstead Lane. The house is in the London Borough of Camden. This area is in North London.
History of Kenwood House
Early Days of Kenwood
The first house on this spot was likely built around 1616. It was owned by John Bill, who was the King's Printer. Back then, it was called Caen Wood House. In 1694, William Bridges bought the house. He tore down the old building and built a new one. The original brick structure is still part of the house today. Around 1700, a special room called an orangery was added. Bridges sold the house in 1704. It changed hands a few times until 1754. That's when William Murray, who would later become the Earl of Mansfield, bought it.
The Mansfield Family at Kenwood
In 1764, Lord Mansfield hired a famous architect named Robert Adam. Adam was asked to redesign the house. He had a lot of freedom to make it look grand. Adam added the library, which is one of his most famous rooms. He designed it to hold Lord Mansfield's many books. He also added the grand entrance with its Ionic columns.
In 1780, there were riots in London called the Gordon Riots. Lord Mansfield's house in Bloomsbury was destroyed. The rioters then planned to attack Kenwood. To stop them, free ale was given out at a nearby inn. This helped delay the crowds. Soon, armed soldiers arrived to protect Kenwood House. The house was saved!
After the 1st Earl died in 1793, his nephew, David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield, took over. He added more parts to the house. George Saunders designed two new wings on the north side. One wing became the first dining room at Kenwood. Other buildings for offices, kitchens, and a brewery were also added. A dairy was built to provide milk and cheese. The main road near the house was even moved. This was done between 1793 and 1796. It meant the road no longer ran right next to the property.
In 1794, King George III visited the 2nd Earl at Kenwood House. The King was very interested in the new architectural changes.
The 2nd Earl passed away in 1796. His son, David William Murray, 3rd Earl of Mansfield, became the next owner. From 1803 to 1839, William Atkinson worked on the house. He made sure the building was strong and would last for many years. The Mansfield family owned Kenwood for the rest of the century. However, they preferred to live at their Scottish home, Scone Palace.
In July 1835, King William IV and Queen Adelaide visited Kenwood. About 800 important guests attended this royal event. They gathered in the beautiful Kenwood garden.
In 1906, Alan David Murray, the 6th Earl of Mansfield, inherited Kenwood. He soon decided to sell it. In 1910, the house was leased to Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia. He lived there with his wife, Countess Sophie. In 1914, they hosted a grand dinner and ball. Even King George V and Queen Mary attended. The Grand Duke stayed until 1917. After him, an American millionaire, Nancy Leeds, lived there until 1920. In 1922, Lord Mansfield sold all the furniture and art from the house. The future of Kenwood House was uncertain.
Kenwood House Today
In 1922, a group called the Kenwood Preservation Council bought some of the land. This was to stop it from being sold to builders. In 1924, this land came under the London County Council. King George V opened it to the public in 1925.
Lord Iveagh bought the house and the rest of the land in 1925. He left it to the nation when he died in 1927. Kenwood House opened to the public the next year. Some of the furniture sold in 1922 has since been bought back. The paintings you see there today are from Lord Iveagh's own collection.
Kenwood House closed during World War II. After the war, the London County Council took over. The house reopened in 1950. From 1955 to 1959, the parts added by Saunders in the late 1700s were repaired. In 1986, English Heritage became responsible for the estate.
The house was closed for big repairs from 2012 to 2013. These repairs included fixing the roof. The famous paintings were also put back on display. The house was redecorated to look more like Robert Adam's original design. In 2019, over 134,000 people visited Kenwood House.
The Kenwood Estate
There are two roads that lead to Kenwood House from Hampstead Lane. Each road has a white-brick building called a lodge with a gate. The front of the house, facing north, was designed by Robert Adam. It has a special plaster finish called Stucco and a central entrance with columns. The south side of the house is also made of stucco. It was restored in 1975 to its original look. To the east of the house is the service wing. This part is made of London stock brick. Across from it is a brick building that was once a cold-plunge bath.
The estate has beautiful gardens near the house. These were probably designed by Humphry Repton, a famous landscape designer. The gardens are different from the wilder woodlands around them. The southern part of the estate blends into Hampstead Heath. There is also a garden designed by Arabella Lennox-Boyd.
The Kenwood estate is very important. It is listed as a Grade II* site on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.
One-third of the estate is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it's a very important place for nature. The old woodlands are home to many birds and insects. London's largest group of Pipistrelle bats lives here.
You can also find sculptures in the gardens near the house. These include works by famous artists like Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, and Eugène Dodeigne.
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Monolyth-Empyrean, 1953 by Barbara Hepworth
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Two Piece Reclining Figure, No. 5, 1963–1964 by Henry Moore
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Flamme by Eugène Dodeigne
From 1951 to 2006, music concerts were held by the lake every summer. At first, they were classical music concerts. Later, they became mostly pop concerts. Thousands of people would come to picnic and enjoy the music and fireworks. In 2007, English Heritage stopped these concerts. This was because some local residents complained. But in 2008, it was announced that the concerts would return! They now happen in a new spot on the Kenwood Estate. The number of concerts is limited to eight per season.
Art Collection at Kenwood House
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Kenwood House has a wonderful collection of historic paintings and art. There are 63 Old Master paintings. Some of the most famous paintings include:
- The Guitar Player by Johannes Vermeer
- Self Portrait with Two Circles, a late self-portrait by Rembrandt
- A portrait of Pieter van den Broecke, by Frans Hals
- Portrait of Countess Howe by Thomas Gainsborough
Other famous painters whose works are displayed include:
- Joshua Reynolds
- Angelica Kauffman
- J. M. W. Turner
- Anthony van Dyck
- François Boucher
- Thomas Lawrence
- Henry Raeburn
- George Romney
Most of these artworks were bought by Lord Iveagh in the late 1800s. They are mainly portraits, landscapes, and Dutch and Flemish paintings from the 1600s. There are also works by British artists. Some other pieces were added later because they had a connection to Kenwood House.
The house also has a collection of shoe buckles, jewelry, and tiny portrait miniatures.
In 2002, some Stuart portraits from the Suffolk Collection were moved to Kenwood. They came from Ranger's House in Greenwich.
In 2012, while Kenwood House was being renovated, some of its art went on tour. An exhibition called Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Gainsborough: The Treasures of Kenwood House, London traveled to museums in the United States. Many of these artworks had never left Britain before.
See also
In Spanish: Kenwood House para niños
