Fenton House is a historic 17th-century merchant's house located in Hampstead, London. It was built around 1686 by William Eades, during a period when professionals sought residences close to London but away from its congestion and pollution. Over the centuries, the house changed ownership multiple times, with Philip Fenton purchasing it in 1793. The house was later acquired by Katherine, Lady Binning, in 1936, who ultimately bequeathed it to the National Trust in 1952.
The house is known for its extensive collection of historical artifacts. Among its treasures are early keyboard and other instruments from the Benton Fletcher collection, some of which are played for visitors.
Listen to a music selection played on 5 May 2025.
https://youtube.com/shorts/Fd3wbIii4FY?si=f0JQ_EPAYxwhj2LJ
The collection also includes fine paintings, Meissen and English porcelain, 17th-century needlework pictures, and Georgian furniture. Notable portraits housed in Fenton House include those of King William IV, his mistress Dorothea Jordan, and their illegitimate sons, Lord Frederick FitzClarence and Lord Adolphus FitzClarence.
The house also features a walled garden with a sunken garden, a kitchen garden, and a 300-year-old orchard containing around 30 varieties of apple trees.
YouTube video with music.
Fenton House remains a well-preserved example of 17th-century architecture and offers visitors a glimpse into the artistic and cultural heritage of the period.
About the Fentons
Philip Fenton, a merchant from Yorkshire, purchased Fenton House in 1793. He operated out of Riga, in modern-day Latvia, which was then part of Russia, exporting Russian goods to Britain. During his ownership, he made several aesthetic modifications to the house, including adding a portico and pediment over the entranceway and remodeling the interior. He lived in Fenton House for the last 13 years of his life until his death in 1806.
James Fenton inherited the house from his father and continued to make architectural changes. He moved the entrance from the south to the east and added a dramatic colonnade, giving the house a more Regency-style appearance.
Learn about the house and how to visit it at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Post Author
Geoffrey W. Sutton has a PhD in psychology and writes about psychology and culture.
Website: https://www.suttong.com/
Amazon Author: https://author.amazon.com/home
ResearchGate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Geoffrey-Sutton-2
Academia Page: https://evangel.academia.edu/GeoffSutton
-----
Comments
Post a Comment