Sutton House, London facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sutton House |
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Sutton House, the oldest house in Hackney
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| Former names | Bryck Place |
| General information | |
| Type | Manor house |
| Architectural style | Tudor |
| Location | Homerton High Street London, E9 United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°32′54″N 0°3′1″W / 51.54833°N 0.05028°W |
| Completed | 1535 |
| Renovated | 1993 |
| Client | Sir Ralph Sadler |
| Owner | National Trust |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Red brick |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 23 April 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1226810 |
Sutton House is a very important Tudor manor house located on Homerton High Street in Hackney, London, England. It is known as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a particularly important historic place. This amazing old house is now looked after by the National Trust, a charity that protects special places for everyone to enjoy.
Contents
What is Sutton House?
Sutton House is the oldest home still standing in Hackney. It was built way back in 1535. It's a rare example of a building made from red brick during the Tudor period.
Who Built Sutton House?
The house was first known as Bryck Place. It was built by Sir Ralph Sadler, who was a very important advisor to King Henry VIII. In 1550, Sir Ralph Sadler sold the house to John Machell, a cloth merchant, because he had built an even bigger house somewhere else.
Who Lived in Sutton House?
Over the years, many different people lived in Sutton House. It was home to merchants, sea captains, and even Huguenot silk-weavers. Later, during the Victorian and Edwardian times, it became a school.
The outside of the house was changed a bit during the Georgian period. However, the inside still looks mostly like it did in Tudor times. You can still see rooms with oak panels, including a special 'linen fold' room, original Tudor windows, and carved fireplaces. There's an exhibition inside that tells the stories of the house and its past residents.
Sutton House as a School
In the early 1800s, Hackney was famous for its many schools. Sutton House became a boys' school led by Dr. Burnet. A famous writer named Edward Bulwer-Lytton attended this school in 1818. After that, it became a girls' school called Milford House.
How the National Trust Saved Sutton House
The National Trust bought Sutton House in the 1930s. During World War II, the house was used by Fire Wardens who watched for fires from the roof. Later, in the 1960s, a union rented the house. When they left in the early 1980s, the house started to fall apart.
Sutton House is the oldest surviving home in Hackney. There's another old Tudor house in East London called Bromley Hall, which is slightly older, but it's not open to the public.
Saving Sutton House
In the mid-1980s, the building was used as a music venue and social centre by a group of people. It was known as the Blue House. You can still see some decorated walls from this time inside the museum today.
After these people left, the house continued to get worse. So, in 1987, a group called the Sutton House Society (originally the Save Sutton House Campaign) started a big effort to rescue the building. They wanted to fix it up and open it to the public.
When Was the Restoration Completed?
The main repairs were finished in 1991, and the house was fully opened to the public in 1994. The restoration work was completed in 1993.
Today, Sutton House is a museum. It also has a café, an art gallery, and a book and gift shop. Many schools visit the house for educational programs, and there are other community activities too. Sutton House was even nominated for a special award called the Gulbenkian Prize in 2004. You can even get married there!
Getting to Sutton House
Sutton House is easy to reach by public transport. The closest train stations are Hackney Central and Homerton, which are part of the London Overground network. Many buses also stop nearby. If you walk from Hackney Central, you'll pass St Augustine's Tower, which is a remaining part of Hackney's old Tudor church.
Images for kids
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Sutton House, the oldest house in Hackney
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The Great Chamber, a historic room inside Sutton House.
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A look inside the Tudor kitchen at Sutton House.
