Sutton House
2-4 Homerton High St, London, E9
Sutton House is about 7 minutes walk from A’s house, so it made sense to start our Summer of National Trust investigations here. Just minutes from the ‘bustling’ and ‘vibrant’ Mare Street, this Brick House is an island of tranquillity and antiquity which perfectly captures three starkly different ages of Hackney. It can all be wrapped up in about 45 minutes, and so it’s more of a treat before a boozy lunch than a day trip, but this is reflected in the bargainous price of about £2.50 for non-members. Awesome. What more would a National Trust virgin want?
Sutton House is totally suitable for people who don't like heading further west than Clerkenwell as it was occupied by squatters in the 80s. Graffiti exists on a wall in the attic and if you focus very closley on it, it's almost like being somewhere in Shoreditch. Perfect.
Shop: small, compact and also serves as the box office. Good mug selection, not too many ‘country craft’ bits to my delight and A’s dismay.
Café: Good idea. Nice touch with the book exchange. Leads onto a courtyard which gives the illusion of being in Sussex, whilst the constant sirens and drunken man lounging around betray this nicely.
Guides: Fantastic enthusiastic woman in the great hall. Made me try on a stunning dress (did we mention it was family day? It was.) had great titbits about being a female artist in the 19th century. Made a sex joke. Assumed we’d be interested in the Graffiti (we were).
Middle-classness: 2/5
Eccentricity: 3/5 (much of this is due to the Graffiti)
Overheard Conversations: 2/5 (family day got in the way of this. I refuse to acknowledge children’s voices, so I was somewhat scuppered)
