It's been a Barking and Dagenham kind of week. After visiting Valence House- which is in this Greater London Borough- only a few days ago, we headed off to Eastbury Manor House, an Elizabethan mansion that sits on land which was once part of the demesne of Barking Abbey.
As part of London's Open House weekend, entry was free. With over 800 walks, tours, talks and buildings taking part, you have to be selective and we decided to keep it local. It was only a short bus hop away from my home and they usually charge £5 to get in which, in my opinion, is perfectly reasonable.
Building began in 1566, with completion in 1573, for Clement Sisley, a wealthy merchant (I've also seen his surname spelt Sysley.) It was probably the first brick building in the area at the time, with glass windows and high chimneys indicating the wealth of its owner. Note that this is a house that gentry would have lived in- not aristocracy. The area was not densely populated in the way it is today, and there wouldn't have been other homes in the vicinity, leading to an unspoiled view.
There is a story relating to this house in that it has been said that the conspirators who coordinated the Gunpowder Plot held their meetings here. Others say that it was the residence of Lord Monteagle when he received the letter which led to the said plot's discovery. Neither rumours have any foundation.
The house fell into dilapidation in the 18th century and fireplaces and wooden floors were removed in the 1830s. In 1918 the house was bought by the National Trust, restored and leased to Barking borough council in 1934, later opening as the Museum of Barking. In recent years it has benefited form National Lottery funding.
It was a Sunday that's nice for frogs and fishes- in other words, it was raining persistently and my poor umbrella gave up the ghost at some point!
Here is the front of the house...
To the left of the house and I wonder how many years this tree has stood here?
Entrance door...
We joined a tour group with an extremely knowledgeable guide called Jennifer. The house is quite bare yet also unspoiled, as it hasn't been added to over the years. This fireplace is huge and has a modern tapestry over it, and weddings often take place in here (it's why the building is closed on Saturdays; so ceremonies can take place on that favoured day.)
The SuperDean is standing on the far right...
I stood inside and this view is looking up. The ledges were for the chimney cleaners to stand on- not a job I'd like!
This is a section of the room itself. The manor house, nowadays, is used for ceremonies and functions...
In the next room there is an original door, the thickness of two planks of wood. This area was also once used as a stable! The house has gone through several changes of hands and this room has been utilised in different manners, including being used as a nursery.
We popped into the walled garden. By now the rain was starting to ease...
These little niches are bee boles. The hives were put there at night, as brick heats up during the day and retains its heat at night. Honey was very important to households such as these, as the cost of sugar was astronomical.
This is actually the fire escape and doesn't go all the way up (the house once contained two staircases, but only one is still complete today) but you can see the marks where the original handrails once were. These stairs were actually outside the building and were considered about one hundred years out of date during the time the manor was built- rather like building a house today and giving it an outside toilet!
The courtyard is quite compact...
There was once a well in the centre of the courtyard...
View of the chimneys...
The other set of stairs. These are original. Looking up...
...and down...
A couple of old chairs which I photographed...
...And a couple of historic fireplaces...
This is the only one in the house with its plaster decoration still in place.
The khazi- very primitive!
These murals in the former Great Chamber are early 17th century, probably painted during the time of James I, to commemorate the new regime. They were carried out by a 'jobbing artist'- someone who went around knocking on doors looking for work.
Interestingly, this mural depicts features which would have been found on churches in Spain, which would have been Catholic. Around 1603 the house was rented to a merchant named John Moore, who was married to a Spanish woman, Maria Perez de Recalde. It's likely that he had Catholic sympathies, although he still attended Anglican service- a requirement at the time, and non-attendance resulted in an individual being fined.
How they got this cabinet into the next room is no-ones business. All I know is, they can't get it out!
We had to have a Vain Old Tart shot now, didn't we?!
Some views out. The gardens would have been more interestingly designed in those days as there was nothing else to look at- this area had views as far as the eye could see...
This window had a bit of an Anne Of A Thousand Days feel about it...
Up to the top floor and we're in the Long Hall. The beams are held together by dovetailing, not by nails...
Back downstairs, and I should have stood back to get a better view of the cafe fireplace. The cakes looked yummy but the cafe was getting too busy, so we abstained...
Outside seating area...
The herb garden. None of the plants planted here today were available during Elizabethan times...
We walked outside onto the road to get these shots...
Chimneys...
The garden and bee boles. I'm sure our guide said there were sixteen of the latter sunk into the walls...
The view back to the door...
Would I go again? Yes, but when the weather's nicer and when it's quieter (not on a 'free' day!) Then I'll have a cuppa and a slice of cake and sit outside taking in the relaxing atmosphere.
TTFN
The Miss Elaineous
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