In Person: Boston Manor, a private tour

A manor estate existed on this site since probably the 1170s, and once owned by a priory, was part of King Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Later Queen Elizabeth I gave it to her favourites, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester. He seemed an ungrateful owner as he promptly sold it to the rich merchant Sir Thomas Gresham, founder of Gresham College. 

The estate passed to his step-son, who married Mary Goldsmith, and it was she who built the Boston Manor house in 1622/3.

After her death, it was sold to the Clitherow family, in whose ownership it remained for more than 250 years, until after the first world war when the family put the land, house and its contents up for sale.

The contents were auctioned, but there was no buyer for the house or land. It was eventually bought by the local council. The land became a public park, which the M4 sliced through in the 1960s, and a variety of uses were found for the crumbling house.

By 2015 the house was a mess, with a tree growing inside!

Now completely restored, we will be given a privately guided tour through the beautiful historic interiors, which include breath-taking original ornate plasterwork featuring exotic creatures, an overmantel depicting a biblical scene in what was the state drawing room, a 17th century staircase with six lions, and wallpaper dating from 1757, and much more!

Upon booking an automated email will be sent including information on where to meet.

Please note that as the house is closed, their cafe will also be closed, however there is another café in Boston Manor Park, called The Potting Shed, that will be open 9:00-17:00, and is about a 3-5 minute walk from the house!

The House is a 10 minute walk from Boston Manor underground station (Piccadilly Line) and from Brentford Railway Station.

The 195 and E8 buses stop outside the House and the E2 bus is only a short walk way.

A limited number of charged for parking spaces are available in the Boston Manor Park car park. These have a four hour limit.