Comments on: At Eastbury Manor

By: Rebekah Bristow

Rebekah Bristow — Sun, 22 Jul 2018 07:19:26 +0000

Tempted by your essay and with the thought of spending a day away from a heated City we headed over to Eastbury Manor full of anticipation. An easy tube journey from Aldgate followed by a short walk through suburban Barking, we arrived somewhat unexpectedly back in time at the end of Tudor Road looking towards an intriguing Elizabethan Manor House. We spent a couple of hours exploring the National Trust property and enjoying lunch in the garden, I can recommend the chef’s homemade tomato soup and the cream tea.

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 09:29:10 +0000

I used to go to Eastbury House quite often back in the 1980’s and early 90’s when it was used for a wide range of clubs and activities. Barking photographic society still meet there every Thursday. It’s quite an unusual experience to suddenly come across a Tudor Manor House in the middle of a council estate for the first time, it really is like finding yourself in another era. There used to be many great houses in this part of the world and a little further out in Hornchurch, Romford and Upminster, commonly known today as Havering. Barking Abbey was once a very important monastery until the dissolution. Havering had a Royal Palace dating from before 1066, nothing remains of it today. In Romford there was the Gidea Hall estate dating from the 14th century. The last manor house was demolished in 1930. Elizabeth I stayed there, as did Charles I. All that remains of the once great estate today is Raphael Park, gifted to the town by Herbert Raphael, who bought the estate and built on it. In Hornchurch was Greytowers, a crenellated manor house demolished in 1931 to make way for housing. The only former manor house still standing is Langtons House, which is now the Havering registry office. Interestingly, it was once owned by John Massu, a Hugenot silk weaver from Spitalfields. He bought it in 1797. There were once dozens of Tudor estates in and around Havering -atte- Bower and the bits of Essex that have become part of London, none of them survived except Eastbury House.

By: Eastendbutcher

Eastendbutcher — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 20:27:48 +0000

I deliver to a house opposite every week. It’s such a strange experience driving along the busy Ripple Road and then turning into what you think will be a typical local Council Estate and then this beautiful House appears in front of you like an oasis in the desert. I’ve visited it many time over the years and in 2004 I was married there.

By: Di Corry

Di Corry — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 18:28:49 +0000

Thank you Gentle Author for sharing this delightful place with us, a glimpse into the past. It reminds me of Sutton House in Hackney…another gem.
I enjoyed a Sunday stroll along the lavender path and into the cool shade of the house.
If those walls could speak……

By: pauline taylor

pauline taylor — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 15:39:09 +0000

I am so glad that this lovely house has been saved but how sad that it is no longer lived in. There is a magic about such properties with their wealth of history; my shop is one such as it was built in c1400 and ‘modernised in 1790, it has a wonderful atmosphere, warm and welcoming and I hope that its previous owners and tenants are pleased to have us there. Each morning I make a point of going to the bottom of the stairs and saying good morning to them all and customers who make the effort to climb up to the top floor are all amazed that the original oak timbers in the roof can still be seen. There is nothing like a property with so much history and people love to soak up the atmosphere, I feel so privileged to be part of it.

By: Leana Pooley

Leana Pooley — Sun, 01 Jul 2018 10:47:42 +0000

Reading about this lovely old house provided a welcome idyll between hot, dusty weeding in the garden. Thanks.