Hackney is many things: a vibrant community, an epicenter of style, an exciting hotspot for foodies. But did you know it’s also the site of one of London’s last Tudor homes? Tucked away in a quiet bend of Homerton High Street, it is likely that punters from the nearby Chesham Arms or pupils at the adjacent primary school have never paid much attention to Sutton House.
In fact, the National Trust site is very much hidden behind an iron gate. The manor was built in 1535 by Sir Ralph Sadler, a courtier of Henry VIII and former fixer for Thomas Cromwell.
It later passed through the hands of a cloth worker and silk trader with the East India Company before becoming a school in the 19th century. Stepping inside you are immediately struck by the sheer history encased in the tall oak paneled walls and intricately carved ceilings.
You can wander through the great hall and kitchen, taking in original fireplaces and ornate woodwork as you go. Furniture and period pieces from the home’s Tudor, Victorian and Georgian eras fill every room, making it feel like you’ve truly stepped back in time. Look out for the linen fold panels, a lost craft that can now only be seen elsewhere at Hampton Court Palace and Westminster Abbey.
When you reach the top of the house, you’ll discover a 1980s-style bedroom, complete with vinyl records and graffiti. In the spring of 1985 – 55 years after the National Trust bought the site – four squatters moved into the historic house with the intention of making it their home.
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Renaming it The Blue House, Quad created a social center and created a well-known gig venue and café. After they drew attention to the building’s history, Sutton House was saved from becoming luxury apartments.
The front of Sutton House has changed over the years, but from the rear the Tudor gable roof is still visible, as is the original chimney stack and the only surviving original window. It’s especially magical at Christmas time when it’s adorned with fairy lights – a fantastic contrast between old and new.
As you head back to Hackney’s busy streets, take a minute to admire the neighboring Breaker’s Yard. Once a junkyard, the space is now an award-winning pocket park that celebrates its past. You’ll find a quirky two-storey caravan, edible garden and bespoke gates filled with 1,000 toy cars, most of which were made by iconic Hackney company Matchbox.
Sutton House is open on Fridays and Sundays from 11am-4pm. For more information, visit the website here.
