Photo: Stevekeiretsu / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Ham House is a Grade I listed historic building in Greater London, cared for by the National Trust. Read about its history, architecture and gardens, plus how to visit and what's nearby.
About Ham House
Built in 1610 on the banks of the Thames at Ham, Ham House is a grand house that still carries its 1670s remodelling almost intact.
Few English interiors from the late Stuart period have survived with so little later alteration.
The National Trust has cared for the house and its garden since 1948.
Visitors can walk through rooms furnished much as they were left by the family who shaped them.
Read more on WikipediaHistory of Ham House
Sir Thomas Vavasour, a courtier at the court of James I, built Ham House in 1610. It later passed to William Murray, 1st Earl of Dysart, a close friend of Charles I, and then to his daughter Elizabeth Murray, Countess of Dysart. In the 1670s she and her second husband, John Maitland, Duke of Lauderdale, remodelled the house to reflect their standing at the court of Charles II.
Architecture of Ham House
The house was built in a Jacobean style in 1610 and substantially remodelled in the Restoration period during the 1670s, giving it the grand symmetrical front seen today. Ham House holds Grade I listed status.
Worth knowing
The house's richly preserved interiors have made it a popular filming location for period dramas.
Gardens & grounds at Ham House
The garden has been restored to its 17th-century plan and is regarded as one of the most important surviving gardens of its period in Europe.
Facilities
Plan your visit to Ham House
Nearest station: St Margarets (London) Rail Station (0.8 miles)
Open to the public with seasonal variations; check the National Trust website for current hours and admission details.
Places to visit near Ham House
Historic places nearby
Within 5 miles of Ham House (TW10) there are 13 historic properties, including 5 historic buildings, 5 historic houses and 3 palaces, across Historic Houses, National Trust and English Heritage sites.
Within 10 miles of Ham House (TW10) there are 35 historic properties, including 16 historic buildings, 10 historic houses and 4 palaces, across Historic Houses, National Trust and English Heritage sites.
Within 20 miles of Ham House (TW10) there are 76 historic properties, including 32 historic buildings, 23 historic houses and 5 palaces, across National Trust, Historic Houses and English Heritage sites.
Facts
One of the most complete survivals of Restoration-era grandeur anywhere in England.
- Type
- historic building
- Location
- Greater London, England
- Visit duration
- Allow half a day
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