Name: Kenwood
Address: Hampstead Lane, Hampstead, Greater London, NW3 7JR
Telephone: 0370 333 1181

Many of our historic sites are now open and we're delighted to be welcoming you back. We hope to reopen almost all of them in August, with a few exceptions. The grounds of Kenwood Estate are now open for free and the Stewards Room is serving hot and cold drinks and snacks to take away. The garden shop is open for you to browse and purchase a range of chutneys, wine, accessories plants and garden items. There will be a one-way system in place and we encourage contactless payments where possible. From early August we hope to open the main café. Unfortunately, we are currently uncertain when we can open the house to visitors.

Family admiring artwork at Kenwood House

The magnificent Great Library at Kenwood House, designed by Robert Adam

FREE

See full prices and opening times

Address

Hampstead Lane, Hampstead, Greater London, NW3 7JR

Plan Your Visit

Welcome to Kenwood

The grounds of Kenwood Estate are now open for free. Although things might be a little different when you visit, you’ll still be able to enjoy exploring the places where history really happened. And you’ll still be given a warm and safe welcome by our friendly – if socially distant – staff and volunteers.

Please click here for more information about the safety measures you can expect when visiting as well as our FAQs.

Grounds - The grounds are open as usual for you to enjoy while social distancing.
House - The house will remain closed.
Cafe - The Steward's Room Cafe will be open from 8am Mon- Sun for takeaway light refreshments including sandwiches, soup, hot and cold drinks, cakes and ice-creams. The Brew House cafe will be open 9am-5pm Mon - Sun for takeaway light refreshments also. The terrace has re-opened with seating available for visitors. Our café is taking part in the Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Find out more here.
Shop - The garden shop is open for you to browse and purchase a range of chutneys, wine, accessories plants and garden items. There will be a one-way system in place and we encourage contactless payments where possible.
Toilets - Toilets are open as usual.
Face coverings - Face coverings must be worn in Kenwood's indoor shop, café, tea room and all other indoor spaces. We won’t be able to give you a face covering, so please come prepared so you don’t miss out.
Access - please note our mobility vehice is currently unavailable.

Things to do and see

What's On

GCE Heritage Live: David Rodigan & The Outlook Orchestra

Fri 18 Jun 2021 Gates open at 4pm, performance ends at 10.30pm
GCE Heritage Live: Nile Rodgers and Chic Live at Kenwood House 2021

Sat 19 Jun 2021 Gates will open at 4pm and the performance will end at 10.30pm

Kenwood House Timeline

1616-90Brick House

The first house on the site is probably a brick structure built by John Bill, King James I's printer.

Find out more about the history of Kenwood

1690-1705Enlargement and Transformation

Brook Bridges buys the house. His son transforms it into a two-storey red-brick building with large sash windows.

18th CenturySuccessive Owners

Kenwood passes through many owners before being bought by John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute.

1746Garden Additions

Bute adds the orangery to the west of the south front and introduces new plant species to the grounds.

1754Country Retreat

William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield, buys Kenwood for £4,000. He uses it as a weekend retreat.

1764Adam's House

Adam adds a new entrance and attic-storey bedrooms. He also modernises existing interiors including the library, one of his finest interiors.

Read a description of Kenwood

1766Larger Family Home

Murray commissions Robert Adam and his brother James to remodel the house to make room for more family members.

1793Creation of the Landscape

Murray's nephew David, 2nd Earl of Mansfield, expands the house with two brick wings, and enhances the grounds with the help of Humphry Repton.

1815Home Improvements

Another David Murray appoints architect William Atkinson to add second-floor service-wing rooms. Atkinson also installs additional bookcases in the library.

1909-20Important Tenants

Kenwood is leased to wealthy tenants, including Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich and American millionairess Nancy Leeds.

1922Contents Sold

Alan David Murray, 6th Earl of Mansfield, sells the contents of the house, including some of the original furnishings.

1925-9Iveagh Bequest

Edward Cecil Guinness, 1st Earl of Iveagh, buys the house to display highlights from his collection of paintings. After this death, the Iveagh Bequest Act requires Kenwood to be opened freely to the public.

See highlights from the collections at Kenwood

1939-49Second World War

Kenwood houses servicemen during the Second World War. After the war it is handed over to London County Council.

1986-PresentConservation Project

English Heritage takes over and carries out repairs and conservations part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Kenwood is reopened to the public in 2013.

Learn more about Kenwood