The Restoration of Boston Manor House

Recently opened by HRH Queen Camilla and soon to welcome the public back through its doors, Boston Manor House has been transformed into a community heritage venue for the local Hounslow populace and visitors alike.

Purcell’s restoration continues the story of a remarkable house, built in 1622 by its extraordinary first owner, Mary Reade. The historically significant rooms and interiors tell the many stories of those who once lived in the house through the turbulence and peace of Britain’s history.

Historical Background

Like many houses of its time, it is a tale of ambition and achievement followed by gradual decline. Unlike many others, Boston Manor House has survived against all odds.

Still set in beautiful parkland, the house was built on an existing manorial estate with over 230 acres of land. After Mary Reade’s death, her house was passed down through her family until being sold to the wealthy Clitherow family in 1670 and, following various internal and external alterations, the property reached its peak during the late 18th and 19th centuries when it became a quintessential ‘Gentleman’s Estate’. As cities in England began to urbanise with industrialisation, so the wealthy retreated to their rural properties, away from the smog and noise of city life. From this point on, Boston Manor House gradually slid into decline, and following the First World War – with no heir to maintain it – the house and parkland were sold to Brentford Urban District Council in 1924.

Despite restoration projects in 1960 and 1963, the house was placed on the Heritage at Risk Register, where it remained for two decades until the restoration.

Restoration

The London Borough of Hounslow saw an opportunity to transform the house with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and engaged Purcell as heritage and conservation architects to turn the house into a heritage asset for the local community with renewed relevance and purpose for the 21st century. appropriate moment in time of the houses’ history.

As well as restoring the fabric of the significant suite of historic rooms and the exterior of the building, the brief also outlined a vision to provide flexible spaces for interpretation and events, improving accessibility, and sensitively restoring the service wing to provide self-contained units for local creative businesses.Visitor facilities have been relocated and upgraded and a new cafe, shop and toilet have been added, while improved access includes the provision of a new lift to allow access to all levels of the original house.

During the restoration, each room in the main house was found to have huge evidential value, sometimes thrilling surprise discoveries hidden under layers of modern plasterboard. Archival research and the Sales Catalogue from the sale of the house in 1922, also offered clues as to how the house was furnished over 300 years.

As such, the State Bedroom has been re-presented in a 1620s scheme; the Drawing Room and Staircase have both been re-presented in their mid-18th century schemes; and the Dining Room has been re-presented in its 1840s scheme.

Boston Manor House, Hounslow

Using these exciting discoveries, the conservation philosophy evolved to incorporate the re-presentation of the different historic rooms in the house to each represent a different, and

These meticulously re-presented interiors reflect important moments in the history of the house and its owners, presenting the building’s past in a way that is relevant and lively, allowing visitors to experience the results of the in-depth academic and forensic research that informed the historic interiors, and expert specialists, skilled decorators, and craftspeople whose work has added new layers to its evolving stor y