If you’re near London’s western reaches on Saturday 22nd September 2018 you might be interested to know that Swakeleys Estate is open as part of Open House London.

Pepys “recently” marvelled over the place in his visit on 7 September 1665, when the place was occupied by Alderman Robert Vyner:

A very pleasant place, bought by him of Sir James Harrington’s lady. He took us up and down with great respect, and showed us all his house and grounds; and it is a place not very moderne in the garden nor house, but the most uniforme in all that ever I saw; and some things to excess. Pretty to see over the screene of the hall (put up by Sir J. Harrington, a Long Parliamentman) the King’s head, and my Lord of Essex on one side, and Fairfax on the other; and upon the other side of the screene, the parson of the parish, and the lord of the manor and his sisters. The window-cases, door-cases, and chimnys of all the house are marble.

I assume that the boy Vyner had apparently “dried in an over” after the boy’s death is no longer on display! The estate has its own website or find visiting details on the Open House website.

Thanks to Anstey Graham for pointing this out.



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