Rare Access to Iconic Local Venues During Open House Festival

Free entry to historic sites across Brentford and Chiswick

Brentford Canal Toll House and Gauging Lock

September 6, 2024

Many of Brentford and Chiswick’s iconic venues will this month be free to visit as part of the Open House Festival.

In partnership with Hounslow Council, residents and visitors will be able to access historic venues such as Boston Manor House, Chiswick House and Gardens and Hogarth House at no charge including for a series of guided tours.

Other opportunities in the borough include a visit to the Toll House that stands by the lock above Brentford Bridge.

While many of these venues are usually open to the public, visitors often have to pay for guided tours or entry.

The annual festival, now its 32 nd year, celebrates London’s buildings, architecture and neighbourhoods. The festival will continue until 22 September with a wide range of events and tours taking place across all 33 London boroughs, including Hounslow.

Highlights of the local events include:

Saturday 14 September

Themed guided tours of Boston Manor House at 10am (renovation tour including attic), 1pm (wallpaper tour with show and tell) and 3pm (colour-themed tour)

These free tours will showcase the restoration of the Jacobean house built for Lady Mary Reade in 1623.

Exploring Abundant Alms Houses, Isleworth - A gentle walking tour from 2:30-4pm exploring the historic alms houses located in the Thames-side town of Isleworth.

Sunday 15 September

Hogarth’s House – There will be free guided tours at 12.30, 2 and 3.30pm, of this early 18th century red brick home of artist William Hogarth, extended significantly c1749-1764. A 2020 extension adds a curved glass wall in the shape of Hogarth’s Line of Beauty. Delightful walled garden containing famous ancient mulberry tree. This tour including the attic and Weston Studio, which are not usually open to the public.

Also, the following drop in activities: from 12-5pm there is a fully-accessible video of the upper floors and archive items on display, and a Q&A with staff.

Chiswick House and Gardens is offering free audio guide tours from 11am – 3pm. It is one of the most glorious examples of 18th-century British architecture and landscaping with over 300 years of discovery, inspiration and delight. The House closes at 4pm.

There is a walking tour from 11am – midday around St. Lawrence’s, Brentford. St. Lawrence started life as a hospital and chapel in the 12th century. There is a 15th century tower but the rest of the building was rebuilt in the 19th century, and it has been virtually derelict since the 1960s. Now refurbished, but unoccupied, this tour will explore the neighbourhood area.

A guided tour of Gunnersbury Park and Temple is taking place at 11am and guided tour of Gunnersbury Park House at 2pm. Former residence of a branch of the Rothschild family, now a local history museum, in a beautifully restored 19th century mansion. Set on an elevated terrace overlooking 186 acres of parkland with historical outbuildings dating from the 18th century, ponds and a lake.

Drop at any time between 10.30am – 4pm to visit the Victorian Society’s home at 1 Priory Gardens in Chiswick. Part of the original Bedford Park garden city development, restored by The Victorian Society and used as their headquarters since the 1970s. Picturesque style, 3-storey red and yellow brick, Dutch gable oriel windows, dated 1880.

Tuesday 17 September/ Wednesday 18 September

A guided walk around Stamford Brook takes place on Tuesday at 10:30am and Wednesday at 2:30pm. Stamford Brook is one of London’s hidden rivers. The walk takes you through a culturally rich and diverse area, the architecture is also diverse. Ranging from a plantation-owner’s house, the home and studio of an Impressionist painter, Victorian mansion blocks, the home of a woman writer and home to a King’s mistress.

Friday 20 September

There will be guided tours of Chiswick Town Hall at 2pm and 3.30pm. In the mid 19th century, the St Nicholas Parish Council elected to construct a purpose-built vestry hall: a site on Turnham Green, which had previously been open land, was purchased for the benefit of the parish in 1874. The new building was designed by William Joshua Trehearne in the Italianate style and opened in 1876.

The building became the town hall of the merged Municipal Borough of Brentford and Chiswick in 1927 but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged London Borough of Hounslow was formed in 1965. It was subsequently used as a local register office until Feltham Lodge became the main register office for London Borough of Hounslow but it still remains an approved venue for marriage and civil partnership ceremonies.

Saturday 21 September

There will be a hands on trace monotype printing session at Hogarth’s House with artist Charlotte Cooper from 12-5pm, create your own printed collage. Early 18th century red brick home of artist William Hogarth, extended significantly c1749-1764. A 2020 extension adds a curved glass wall in the shape of Hogarth’s Line of Beauty. Delightful walled garden containing famous ancient mulberry tree

You can visit the Brentford Canal Toll House and Gauging Lock between 10.30-4pm. The Toll House still stands by the lock above Brentford Bridge, and is a listed building. Come and talk to the volunteers who help boats through the lock and see the display within the Toll house where you can see pictures of the working canal, the tools used for measuring the boats and ledgers showing what was carried when Brentford was a centre of canal trade.

Guided walks are taking place at St Mary’s Convent in The Butts in Brentford at 10am, 12 midday and 3pm. Convent in 18th century Grade II listed house, c1764-1792, with original features including fine decorative plasterwork. Various additions including west wing (1913-15), and harmonious care home facilities and chapel by PRP Architects (1998-2001).

A one hour long costumed Interpretation tour of Boston Manor House will be held a 3pm in the company of Lady Mary Reade – the woman who commissioned the building back in 1623.

Sunday 22 September

Brentford Canal Toll House and Gauging will be open again between 10.30am-3pm,

Brentford Then and Now/Brentford through the Ages is a guided walk from 2.30-4.15pm starting in the Medieval market place, proceeding through 17th century development and 18th century housing then exploring 19th/20th century industrial legacy and striking new 21st century Thames-side regeneration schemes.

A full list of venues running events, can be found on the Council's events calendar. 

Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces at Hounslow Council, said, “I am delighted that we will again be taking part in the Open House festival. Celebrating the very best of history, culture and heritage in our borough.

“Our rich cultural heritage is what makes Hounslow such a fantastic place to live in and we have many hidden gems that residents and visitors can explore.”