Burgh House

Burgh House is a detached house dating from approximately 1703-4, originally built for Henry and Hannah Sewell. It was enlarged around 1720 for Dr William Gibbons, with a single-storey music room added to the side around 1925 for Captain Constantine Benson. The house is constructed of brown brick with red brick dressings and some later patching, with hipped tiled roofs.

The main, south-east front has a symmetrical five-window facade. It features a reinstated wood modillion cornice and red brick bands between the floors. The central doorway has a 20th-century cornice hood supported by pilasters and wrought-iron brackets, a patterned fanlight, and a panelled door, approached by steps with early 19th-century cast-iron railings. The windows are recessed sashes with later 18th-century stucco surrounds, the ground and first floors having cambered arch heads. An extension to the left mirrors this design.

The rear, north-west elevation has a five-window frontage with projecting wings, each having one blind window and three-window returns. Gauged red brick segmental-arched windows are set within red brick dressings; the first and second floors have arched central windows to the staircase.

The interior comprises fully panelled rooms, carved and moulded box cornices, dadoes, and original fireplaces. A symmetrical plan lies behind the enlarged entrance hall, with a central stair flanked by rooms to either side, and rear closets. The first floor similarly mirrors this symmetry with a central corridor over the entrance. A good 18th-century staircase is present. The ground floor rear library retains some mouldings installed between 1884 and 1897 by the Grylls family, who were stained glass artists. Another rear room features fluted pilaster strips. The music room, within a three-bay addition to the left, has panelling believed to originate from Weatherall House, previously adjoining Burgh House, and before that from the Long Room of a nearby spa.

Historically, in the 1720s, the house was occupied by physician William Gibbons, whose initials are on the wrought-iron gates. From 1858 to 1881, it served as the headquarters and Officers’ Mess of the Royal East Middlesex Militia. After World War II, it became a Council community centre, and in 1979, was leased to the Burgh House Trust, who now use it as a meeting place, exhibition centre, and local history museum.