Sutton House tells a tale of change, evolving from a Tudor courtier’s house in a quiet village, to its present role as a National Trust property and community resource in a rich and varied urban area.
Built in 1535 by Sir Ralph Sadleir, a knight and diplomat at the court of Henry VIII, it retains much of the atmosphere of a Tudor Home. There are many stories to be revealed in this historically richly layered house. Hackney was then a quiet, rural village and many wealthy and powerful people had houses there including Thomas Cromwell, Sir Ralph’s employer at the time. Later the house was home to silk merchants, boarding schools, Huguenot families, a church institute, trade unions and squatters.
We will begin our visit at 11.15 with coffee or tea and a slice of gluten-free tray-bake, followed by an hour long guided tour of the house and then a light lunch in the cafe. Lunch-time drinks are not included in the cost of the trip. The house has no lift so the first floor is only accessible by stairs. The stairs to the cellar are also steep and narrow.
After meeting at Waterloo we will take the Jubilee Line to Stratford and then walk for 2 to 3 minutes to the Overground Platform where we will take the train to Hackney Central. From there the walk to Sutton House is a pleasant 10 minutes through a churchyard and a street of Georgian houses. In all the journey from Waterloo will take about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
Date: Friday 18th October
Meeting Point: Waterloo Station outside Platform 1
Time: 10.10
Price including refreshments, talk and lunch: £8.05 for National Trust members, £11.55 for non-members.
To obtain an application form electronically please email gzuercher@btinternet.com