Boston Manor

Boston Manor House is an early 17th-century Jacobean manor house in Brentford, west London. Today it is a historic house museum, and right beside it lies a public park with a lake. It is one of the few places in the capital where you can step inside an English country house from the reign of James I.

What is the history of Boston Manor House?

The house was built in 1622-23. Accounts say it was built for Mary Reade, a recently widowed lady who soon remarried. The estate was one of the early medieval-founded manors of Middlesex. Over the following centuries the house was altered and heavily restored, so alongside the 17th-century rooms you will find later changes too. For a long period the Clitherow family looked after the property and extended its kitchen services and quarters for domestic staff. In the 1920s the house and its grounds passed into public ownership.

During the Second World War the building was badly damaged when a V1 flying bomb came down across the road. Later it served as a school, among other uses. Since 1965 this small part of the old parish of Hanwell has belonged to the London Borough of Hounslow.

What can you see inside?

The house is best known for its ornate plaster ceilings. The plasterwork in the principal rooms dates from the time of construction and is widely regarded as some of the finest surviving early 17th-century work of its kind around London. One ceiling carries the initials of the woman who built the house, so it is worth looking up and studying the detail.

After a restoration lasting several years, the house reopened to visitors in July 2023. The interiors show how life in an English country house changed over time, from the grand reception rooms to the working areas where the servants laboured.

Is there a park next to the house?

Yes. Boston Manor Park adjoins the house: about 20 acres of publicly owned green space, including a lake. It is a calm spot for a stroll after the museum, a picnic, or a break from the city bustle. The park opened to the public in the 1920s.

How do you plan a visit?

Boston Manor is in Brentford, in the borough of Hounslow in west London. The house and park combine easily into one outing: history indoors first, then a walk by the water. Check opening hours and entry rules on the official website before you go, as they can change.

Frequently asked questions

When was Boston Manor House built? In 1622-23, in the Jacobean style.

Is there a park nearby? Yes, Boston Manor Park with its lake adjoins the house.

Was the house damaged in the war? Yes, it was badly damaged in the Second World War by a V1 flying bomb.

When did it reopen after restoration? In July 2023, after several years of work.

What is special about the interior? Its richly decorated plaster ceilings from the early 17th century.