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The oldest house in Hampstead is off the beaten path but only two tenths of a mile walk from our lodgings at La Gaffe. We’ve been aware of Burgh House for a while and finally today we decided to visit to learn what it’s all about. This gorgeous Queen Anne house was saved from commercial development by local residents in 1979. It’s now a community center, art gallery, local museum, concert hall, and more that is open to the public four days a week at no charge. This gracious home was built in 1704 for the Sewell family, prosperous merchants who were Protestant dissenters looking for a home outside of London where they could freely practice their religion. Through the years it has had many owners and has served as a militia headquarters and as a community center but mostly it’s been a residence. Elsie Kipling Bambridge, the daughter of the English author Rudyard Kipling, and her husband, the last residents of Burgh House lived here from 1933 to 1937. We started our visit today in The Buttery Café, a delightful eatery in the basement. After a satisfying meal we proceeded upstairs to begin learning about the house and its history. We enjoyed poking through the music room, the galleries, and the museum. The current exhibits are the paintings of the expressionist Marie-Louise von Motesiczky and the photographs of Dorothy Bohm. Both artists were residents of Hampstead. Then after a walk through the terrace garden we wandered on to nearby Flask Walk hoping to get some refreshment from The Flask, but alas the pedestrian road was closed. Apparently a film crew was shooting a Christmas scene in July. Rumor that it’s a for an upcoming Bridget Jones movie was substantiated by a local article. In any case it was surreal to see snow in the streets on such a balmy day!
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