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Dennis Severs' House

Museum Historical landmark Art museum Heritage museum Charity Theater company

Restored Spitalfields home displaying 18th-century lifestyle, with private tours & events. People often mention house, experience, time, visit, tour, London, Dennis, Severs, room, museum,


Address

18 Folgate St, London E1 6BX, United Kingdom

Website

www.dennissevershouse.co.uk

Contact

+44 20 7247 4013

Rating on Google Maps

4.50 (687 reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: Closed
  • Thursday: Closed
  • Friday: (Good Friday), 12 to 3:15 PM, 5 to 8:15 PM, Hours might differ
  • Saturday: 12 to 3:15 PM
  • Sunday: 12 to 3:15 PM
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday: Closed

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: house (59) experience (47) time (42) visit (25) tour (25) London (22) Dennis (20) Severs (17) room (17) museum (14)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Suzanna O. 8 months ago on Google • 218 reviews
    One of a kind experience which I would not trade for a regular museum visit. Entering the house, I became witness to the “still life drama”, absolutely beautiful displays of historical objects and fruit, left there as if the past owner just left the house. The smell and hearing were integral to the experience, which usually is just sight-based. The house felt absolutely genuine and pre-industrial, it felt like entering the pictures of Vermeer and Old Masters. Definitely worth the prize. I participated in the Silent Walk and found the experience particularly soothing, especially of the warm air, candlelight, and the smell of candles. Cannot recommend it for people with movement disabilities or poor vision, as the interiors get pretty dark at times and the floor is uneven.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ben H. 1 year ago on Google
    Really unique experience. Went on the Friday evening Silent Night self tour and the ambiance of all the creaking and the smells was a neat augmentation to the main show: a very old house that provokes a good bit of thought about pace of change and contrasts to modern amenities that’s much different that typical historic home exhibits. Takes about 30 minutes to get through the house with a reasonable amount of poking about. No bathroom. Go when it’s dark outside if you can—probably could see less than I did with early evening sun, but think it must add more to experience.
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Rebecca M. 2 years ago on Google
    Fascinating and thrilling assault on the senses on a theatrical tour of the house, now exactly as Denis Severs did it. History and fun combined. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Richard D. 1 year ago on Google
    We did the Dennis Severs tour which was superb and a fairly new tour offering (based on recently discovered cassette tapes of Dennis Severs original tours). Highly recommend this. Wanted to do this for ages and it certainly disappoint. Very interesting and entertaining. Best ‘theater’ I’ve seen in a long time. There are lots of stairs and steps so maybe not recommended for those with mobility issues.
    5 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Mira N. 4 years ago on Google
    The house itself was amazing, however the experience was somewhat ruined by a very rude staff member who started off my telling off my 75 year old mother for standing in the way. He then had a go at me for not carrying my bag in front me which I acknowledged and did as I was told. Instead of stopping there he raised his voice and kept on lecturing me. I completely understood the reason but the fact that he was very aggressive, wouldn’t stop shouting and made a scene in front of everyone made feel very embarrassed for the rest of the visit. The rest of the staff were lovely though. My advice is if he doesn’t know how to talk to people maybe he shouldn’t be working there dealing with members of the public.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Tommy 1 year ago on Google • 55 reviews
    Been looking forward to going for years to be honest. Never got round to it. I was lucky that I went on a Sunday so, it was quiet. Facinating once in, but clearly needed way way way more than the time alloted. Its extremely dense and someone has gone to a lot of trouble with the detail, so it's seems a shame to be felt rushed. You're not allowed to take photos. Can't see why tbh without a flash. So here are a few from my visit :)
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Neil G. 5 months ago on Google • 9 reviews
    Fascinating. Unique. Maximalist. There is nowhere quite like Dennis Servers’ house! It’s part museum, part art gallery and part interactive experience. It’s the history of one man’s life and passion. A mixture of period pieces, flea market bargains and original pieces of art. The house itself is amazing and a rare chance to experience what life must have been like for the Huguenots who lived in the area. But the arrangement of so many different and unusual things creates an otherworldly environment like no other. Enhanced with aromas and soundscapes you momentarily forget about the outside world. The staff are very helpful, knowledgeable and friendly and make the whole experience unforgettable.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Shannon M. 2 years ago on Google
    One of the best experiences in London I've ever had. I can't begin to describe the amount of detail and love they've put into this place. I was mesmerised by the sights, the sounds and the smells and felt like I was in a sensory overload heaven. The price for this place is completely justified because it's a one of a kind experience and a very rare find in this day and age. I really did feel like I had gone back in time and actually felt emotional at times too. Absolutely amazing.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 D W. 2 years ago on Google
    We visited Dennis Severs’ house for the guided tour last Thursday and our tour guide was Joel. Two of us have been to the house previously on a silent tour so knew roughly what to expect, or so we thought. This was a completely different experience to anything we could have imagined and we all agree it was one of the highlights of our stay in London. The small number of visitors allowed enabled an intimate performance to be be delivered which was as good a piece of theatre as anything on at the West End. If anything, the description on the website undersells the experience given. Joel was a magnificent guide and delivered the tour in the most entertaining way and deserves a special call out. In summary this was a fantastic evening.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Mike H. 1 year ago on Google
    This tour was unlike any I've taken at an old house museum. Our talented guide was very animated and took us on an eclectic and fanciful candlelit journey through the entire home. As we settled in each space, she filled us in on gossip of the house woven with historic customs and fun facts. I really enjoyed venturing through the different levels of the home and learning about how the family would have lived and socioeconomic changes which directly effected living, styles, and the home. Dennis Sever certainly was a character and set up an excellent house. I would highly recommend booking the small guided tour when you are here!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Robert J. 4 years ago on Google
    There is nothing else like it! A journey back in time inside this wonderfully atmospheric old house. You will hear voices, experience sounds and smells, but never quite get to glimpse the occupants. But you will feel that they are there, sometimes having just left a room before you enter, as evidenced by the half eaten meal left on the table and the glass of wine nearby. An experience not to be missed!
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nicole L. 1 month ago on Google • 74 reviews New
    I had the most incredible and memorable experience at Dennis Severs’ House! I can’t stop thinking about it. The theme of ‘still-life drama’ is stunning - the whole house is as if it’s the mid-1700s, and you’ve stepped back in time. Experiencing the house by candle light in silence felt like a religious experience. Not being allowed to take photos made it easy to completely focus on the little details and truly, the drama. I highly recommend visiting - the sights and smells are all worth taking it.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nuala O. 2 months ago on Google • 55 reviews New
    Stunning, unique, atmospheric - there aren't enough superlatives. A true oasis of time travel in London. Beautiful antique furnishings & décor; candlelight & homeliness, including fire-warmth and smells. A must for lovers of history, interiors, architecture. No touching of objects or photos inside. We took the silent self guided tour, which I loved.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Suzanne W. 1 month ago on Google • 92 reviews New
    What a lovely experience. This is something special. Put your phone on silent and away and experience living years ago. Make a reservation online, to be sure to have a spot. We were lucky and only had to wait 30 min. The details in the house are incredible!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Georgios T. 1 year ago on Google
    Great attention to detail and captivating ambience. But the price is too steep and the no photos rule, although understandable, takes a star away. And the gift shop is tiny and prohibitively expensive. Still recommended though, very unique experience :)
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jon T. 10 months ago on Google
    You will travel more in time within these walls than in any historic place. The place creakily eerily breathes with its creation & purpose. A must visit if ever have the chance!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Angie �. 1 year ago on Google
    Going into this house is like traveling back in time. The atmosphere, scent, sound and things in the room really transport you to different time and space. It’s quite an unique experience. Especially appreciate the doorman, Joel who give us a summary of the history of the house in his amazing voice!
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Heike G. 1 year ago on Google
    A truly hidden gem that takes you far far away from the hustle and bustle of busy London life. I am certain the house is in fact a time machine 😉, as the moment you set foot into it you find yourself 250 years in the past. We visited when it was a "quiet" evening. Just the sound of the squeaky wood flooring and the crackling of the open fire place. What a bliss. Lighting is by candles only so it feels and smells like you are walking amongst the likes of Ann Lister or Charles Dickens in their time. The house was arranged beautifully and in a way that made you feel the occupants literally just left the room you visited. It was truly mind-blowing. Unlike a museum (which this is not) Dennis Severs house gives you a true and lifelike glimpse into the days of the past. Your senses will pick up things you didn't think you could pick up. Well well WELL worth a visit - get ready for your journey to times gone by.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Katy M. 4 years ago on Google
    Very interesting living museum. Tucked away in a side street in Spitalfields. It's an house old that is set up as a walk through museum. It's not talking as you wander through the rooms as if you are observing London family life through the ages. See the furniture, the kitchens, the bedrooms. Hear the noises, smell the smells. Limited places and times. Booking is a must.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Angela P. 3 weeks ago on Google • 60 reviews New
    First off: not taking photos is a request on entry, so everyone can enjoy their visit. The rooms are tiny, the candlelit areas purposeful: and bringing out your bright phone to take photos will absolutely destroy the immersion this place wants to share. People who have posted interior photos completely missed the point, and need to be more caring of this space and other visitors. If you're a fan of Punch Drunk Theatre, this is going to be your jam! I found it just a mad little experience - provoking your imagination, senses, emotions. At first it's like you're a detective, but then you just absorb it. You're an uninvited guest, for a split second in history, in each room. What can you pick up from being in another person's room? What would they have been doing just before you walked in? Things might stand out to you, some beautiful, some dramatic - curious or enigmatic. Or a sense of grimness and cold? Saw so many little details that reminded me of my inner thrills. A sconce where a bird is feeding a dragon, a pomegranate seed on a fork, a broken wax seal next to an almost opened letter, little feathers placed in a porcelain bird. Old spectacles on an open book, envelopes with inked addresses. The smell of a fire, a filled wine glass next to a pipe being filled with tobacco. Broken birdcages ... So so many events, lives, moments. No spoilers, as every visit and every visitor will see and feel differently. I loved how certain things repeat but go through eras. And how the final room feels how the gaze changed ... Don't forget to look behind the panelled screen in one of the bedrooms, you will absolutely never predict what's there 😂
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Andy M. 3 months ago on Google • 102 reviews New
    This was just the most amazing and captivating place. It was recommended to is by the freinds we went with. The tour is in silence and this adds to the experience. There is so much detail to take in, you need at least an hour, but 2 hours would still be time well spent. We are going to go at other times to get other seasonal experiences.

  • 3/5 Bee B. 4 years ago on Google
    Sadly disappointing. Having been excited by the conceit that you have the feeling that the family are just around the corner, it felt more like a visit to Miss Haversham's house: dusty, unloved and untouched for decades. The whole place needs a good professional clean by museum trained staff if the fiction is to survive.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Paula S. 2 years ago on Google
    Amazing experience going back in time ... Loved looking at the surroundings and treasures that my Huguenot ancestors would have experienced.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Guy A. 2 years ago on Google
    This is a fantastic place. Quite unlike anything else I've seen. I can't recommend it enough. Really good that it's all in silence. Great attention to detail.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Paul M. 2 years ago on Google
    Can't give less than one star but I would if it was an option. A more pointless yet money spinning idea I can't imagine. I always liked the look of Dennis Severs' House, though didn't really pay attention to what it was offering. I imagined it was a sort of museum but how wrong could you be? A collection of quite nice tat arranged over several floors of steep stairs including a recreation of a Hogarth painting aftermath... It's definitely not a museum and I quickly realised there's no story, just scenes for which you have to provide your own narrative. OH AND THERE'S NO TALKING ALLOWED, so you can't even share what you might think the story would be. The staff are no doubt lovely but they definitely are annoying and presumably "resting" actors. £15 a pop? Save your money and have two glasses of quite nice wine round the corner at the market...
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Adrienne D. 2 years ago on Google
    Step back in time. Amazing. In an area that now looks like New York,slip back a few centuries.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Susannah C. 2 years ago on Google
    The evening theatrical tour was incredible, thought-provoking and fun! Guided through the house and lives of Dennis Severs’ creation, the items in the house seem so much more alive and in context. I believe the tours are limited to six people so they are intimate and personal—much of the time the guide/story teller is looking directly at you! I can’t imagine a better way to participate in a building’s history.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 3/5 Jennifer S. 4 years ago on Google
    Is is interesting? Sure. The concept of a silent, intimate wander in a house as if the occupants had just left is intriguing. The smells and soft sounds in each room piped in through hidden loudspeakers add to the atmosphere as do the incredible collection of knickknacks and interior design. But £15?! Total ripoff. So, so glad I went for Open House London for free as I would have been so annoyed to pay that much for a 20-minute visit.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Anthony B. 4 years ago on Google
    Was great. Better than expected. I thought it was going to be like one of these boring Victorian houses you can visit. It's genuinely like stepping back in time.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 James B. 3 years ago on Google
    Awesome Beyond Words... Worth The Ticket
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Louise B. 1 year ago on Google
    Magical and unique. The house is a very subtle and evocative single work of art. We did the silent tour on a Saturday afternoon which means that there is nothing to get in the way of the atmosphere or distract you from the visual experience. Next time we might do the theatrical tour, which sounds like a lot of fun
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 The Amazing Adventures of Alan A. 1 year ago on Google
    Very weird and not worth the money (£15 entry). Basically 4 floors of an old house, all in silent and no photography allowed, with a staff at the top of each stairwell pointing you into one of two room options. It's difficult to spot from outside that it's actually a place of interest....which it isn't. The 'gift shop" is a cupboard with Severes books, branded candles and postcards. If you want an old house tourist experience I'd recommend the Sherlock Holmes museum on Baker Street.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Tim P. 1 year ago on Google
    Fascinating house full of atmosphere and insight. Walk it slowly. Take your time. Stand, listen and see. Sense the smells.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nolan D. 9 months ago on Google
    This house will change your life. Step back in time as you enter. The candlelight and fireplaces set the scene for intimate theater productions and tours. It was truly wonderful. The "Simon Story" show is joyous and the acting will knock you socks off!! Right out of the book Marvals by Brian Selznick.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Paul A. 4 years ago on Google
    We arrived an hour before it closed but were turned away as they were busy. Shame you can't book in advance because we travelled a long way to visit. We will try again another time, and perhaps I can review it more favourably then.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Tyler Alan W. 1 year ago on Google
    Come in with an open imagination and willingness to allow yourself to become part of the house. This is one of the most unique places of artwork in London. I had the pleasure of going during a candlelit tour during the Christmas season. A reminder that throughout time places change for use. We won't last forever, one day our way of living will be looked upon in spectacle. A brilliant place for lovers of the human condition, history, literature, theatre, architecture, and art. "You either see it or you don't"
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Jennifer L. 3 months ago on Google • 53 reviews New
    Holy cow. If you love history and enjoy a fully immersive experience of a home from 18th-19th century, you MUST come here. There are so many things to experience in London, but this hidden gem is definitely one of them.

  • 5/5 John W. 5 months ago on Google • 26 reviews
    Calm, welcoming, fascinating visually engaging. Not stuffy nor 'precious' eg it's OK to sit in the chairs and quietly absorb the ambiance.

  • 5/5 Sarah C. 3 months ago on Google • 22 reviews New
    Intensely atmospheric even down to the authentic sooty smokey whiffs from the only form of heating in the whole house - solid fuel burning in all the key rooms. The decor is entirely genuine in look & feel. One can indeed imagine how life must have been lived 200-300 years ago. But the cream of the experience was the excellent rendering of the story of the house & it’s inhabitants over the centuries. Joel was an accomplished scene setter & story teller! Compelling & commanding although there is so much to take in visually that one’s attention can drift! My only huff is that we weren’t offered a glass of mulled wine at the end as reviews show some attendees have been. Nevertheless a special & very memorable experience. We urge you to go!

  • 5/5 Chris O. 2 years ago on Google
    It is an amazing experience. Only lit by candlelight and with a requirement for silence, this is a very curious thing to do. The food and drink in the glasses and on the plates is real as is the tobacco in the pipes and the ash in the fireplace. It feels, looks and smells like the 18th and 19th century environment you are in. Don't expect a museum of artifacts, although there are a huge quantity. Instead be ready for a historical experience. It is not cheap, but making this possible must be very expensive to achieve.

  • 3/5 anna_aR 1 year ago on Google
    Listen I did like the place. As a history lover it is immersive and quaint. But the tour is over in max 20 mins. You're not allowed to take pictures and it just is not worth the price. This should be 10 15 quid max.

  • 5/5 David W. 1 year ago on Google
    With our kids (8 and 10) visiting London from the US, this was an ideal experience. They quickly tire with the historical lectures and points of “interest”. Dennis Severs provided an historical experience unlike any other. It was utterly beautiful, engaging, intriguing, and the perfect duration. It made such an impression on all of us, it was absolutely one of the highlights of our trip.

  • 5/5 Mark E. 2 years ago on Google
    Wow. Found out about this place after it was reviewed, post reopening, in the Guardian. Incredible.

  • 5/5 Amanda H. 1 year ago on Google
    I had wanted to visit for some time and was not disappointed. My family tree shows that my ancestors were Huguenots who actually lived in Spitalfields so this added to my appreciation. I also live in a part mediaeval/part Georgian house, which I have decorated in keeping with its age, so this part art, part history building was truly the best historic house I have ever visited. 'Still-life drama' in silence sums up the basis of the experience, but the house must be seen to understand what Dennis Severs created. The experience stays with you. Try it!

  • 5/5 Guin 2 years ago on Google
    Really great place. Recommend going in daylight as it's hard to see everything at night, also at night people are noisier in local pub gardens which can disturb the visit. There used to be more sound effects of swishing, giving you sense someone had moved out of the rooms, it seemed they toned this down last time I went which I feel gave the experience a little less intrigue! I wonder if someone complained and they toned it down.... a shame in my opinion. Go at a quieter time, the less people you're in there with the better!

  • 2/5 Emma E. 11 months ago on Google
    Very disappointing. Tried to immerse myself in it but I was very aware that this was just put together by people not from the era's. You're better off going to the house of an actual historical figure to see how they actually lived, as this is very similar but not based on real people, but they made the bed a bit messy. When I was told before entering in it would be immersive I was looking forward to it but I could not get immersed. I will say that the candles and fire gave a lovely homely smell

  • 5/5 mr F. 1 year ago on Google
    One of the most interesting historic houses / attractions in London. The silent night event is great as the house is lit by candle lights mostly . I've been before and it a shame health and safety have made them but electric light in for fire escapes and fire sensors but such is the insurance policies these days . Ever room is atmospheric and they take great pride in making it look like it's still in use in the time period of every room. Just go turn your phone off , shut up and observe and smell . Cast your mind back to how people used to live in a more simpler time . If you want to play a joke on the door keeper . Ask them for the WiFi code 🤣🤣🤣

  • 4/5 Wendy K. 2 years ago on Google
    Fascinating house and contents. Set out very well. Went round with seven others; even this small group was a tight fit in the small rooms, but there is no hurry to move round.

  • 5/5 Catherine M. 3 months ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    Absolutely loved it the perfect Christmas experience ! Every room was fascinating with an amazing collection of things from that period in time. The lighting by candlelight and the fires in every room added to the atmosphere and authentic smell of an old property. What a hidden gem and labour of love-pure theatre . No one rushed us and visitors are staggered so it was just us in every room rather than a group. If you get the chance to visit l highly recommend it .

  • 5/5 LaNae' F. 1 year ago on Google
    It's the most fantastic, mind bending experience you can get in London! It's so underrated that most people haven't even heard of it!! It's a MUST!! If you're a history buff or love looking at stuff and love imagining stories, this is the place for you!! It's a self-guided, silent tour with all senses - except touch, involved! You won't regret it, I swear! Tickets are only £15

  • 5/5 Katherine P. 4 months ago on Google
    Went for the 1st time last night which was the first night as silent night. Great introduction, the hallway was wider that what I thought and the house is beautiful. Real Victorian, very interesting walking round the 10 rooms. Would recommend.

  • 5/5 BJ L. 3 months ago on Google New
    An absolutely wonderful and thoughtfully designed experience. A sensory treat, masterfully curated. This was absolutely a highlight of our visit to London. Being a fan of immersive theater/experiences, Dennis Severs' House feels like a precursor to the ideas made grander by companies like Punch-drunk (Burnt City and Sleep No More).

  • 5/5 sophie a. 4 years ago on Google
    Magic

  • 4/5 heronman49 4 years ago on Google
    Very atmospheric and interesting how people lived and ran their lives hundreds of years ago.

  • 5/5 Andrea G. 4 years ago on Google
    A worthwhile and wonderful experience. The tour takes 15 - 20 minutes. An impression of 9 rooms over 4 floors. Each floor a different epoch between 1720 and 1800.

  • 5/5 Friedlieb J. 4 years ago on Google
    One of the most impressing places in the world. You just have to take your time to queue up.

  • 4/5 Stefan S. 4 years ago on Google
    Really interesting time capsule

  • 5/5 androulla r. 4 years ago on Google
    Great place under my nose in London. Worth a visit, it's a time capsule.

  • 5/5 Вячеслав �. 4 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Very atmospheric, all five senses are involved, a lot of ideas for designing your home (Original) Очень атмосферно, задействованы все пять чувств, много идей для дизайна своего дома

  • 5/5 Delta B. 4 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Past alive. (Original) Passé vivant.

  • 5/5 Tim B. 4 years ago on Google
    Not like any other museum I've been to. Very atmospheric and full of surprises.

  • 5/5 Bev K. 4 years ago on Google
    Candle lit, silent visitors, atmospheric

  • 5/5 John R. 4 years ago on Google
    Love it. First visit years ago had pleasure of tour by Dennis. Been back couple times since including the rather lovely candle lit silent tour.

  • 5/5 Savio L. 3 years ago on Google
    A TRUE IMMERSIVE JOURNEY INTO THE PAST! Dennis Severs' House is a "still-life drama" created by the previous owner Dennis Severs as a "historical imagination" of what life would have been like inside for a family of Huguenot silk weavers. It is a Grade II listed Georgian terraced house. From 1979 to 1999 it was lived in by Dennis Severs, who gradually recreated the rooms as a time capsule in the style of former centuries. The motto of the house is: Aut Visum Aut Non! - "You either see it or you don't." The house dates from approximately 1724. It is one of a terrace of houses built of brown brick with red brick dressings, over 4 storeys and with a basement. Dennis Severs (1948, Escondido, California – 1999, London) was drawn to London by what he called "English light", and made his home in the dilapidated property in Folgate Street in 1979. This area of the East End of London, next to Spitalfields Market, had become very run-down, and artists had started to move in. Severs started on a programme to refurbish the ten rooms of the house, each in a different historic style, mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries. The rooms are arranged as if they are in use and the occupants have only just left. There are therefore displays of items such as half-eaten bread, and different smells and background sounds for each room. Severs called this "still life drama" and wrote: “I worked inside out to create what turned out to be a collection of atmospheres: moods that harbour the light and the spirit of various ages.” Woven through the house is the story of the fictional Jervis family (a name anglicised from Gervais), originally Huguenot (French Protestant immigrants) silk weavers who lived at the house from 1725 to 1919. Each room evokes incidental moments in the lives of these imaginary inhabitants. “The journey through the house becomes a journey through time; with its small rooms and hidden corridors, its whispered asides and sudden revelations, it resembles a pilgrimage through life itself.” Severs bequeathed the house to the Spitalfields Historic Buildings Trust, an architectural preservation charity, shortly before his death. It is now open to the public, who are asked during their visit to respect the intent of the creator and participate in an imaginary journey to another time. This House Museum is really unique and Unexpected and also helps you understand more about the history and culture of this stunning neighborhood!

  • 5/5 Debs 3 years ago on Google
    Step back in time

  • 5/5 Charles M. 3 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Worth the visit. Perfectly original and unexpected. (Original) Vaut la visite. Parfaitement original et inattendu.

  • 5/5 Rod T. 3 years ago on Google
    Really intereseting and atmospheric. We went for a silent night tour (by candlelight). It was the best!

  • 2/5 James B. 4 years ago on Google
    It could be a very interesting experience if you were the only visitors, but the private tours are really expensive. The whole point is to immerse yourself in the rooms and use all your senses etc, but this is very difficult when there are ten other people in the same room. It would also be nice if they enforced the rule that people should be silent. Overall it's a cool idea, but I don't think it's easy to get the full experience without paying over the odds for a private tour

  • 5/5 Alex H. 4 years ago on Google
    Incredibly atmospheric and evocative of a time gone by, far more so than I would've imagined before going in. You're encouraged to adopt a thoughtful frame of mind and it's more rewarding for doing so. This isn't like any other 'attraction' I've been to. Well worth it in my opinion.

  • 5/5 Tyler P. 3 years ago on Google
    Would highly recommend this place! Extremely interesting, and the staff were super friendly when I visited pre-lockdown. They've got the atmosphere just right, and if you're looking to do something a bit different in London, I'd highly recommend visiting here.

  • 5/5 Andy S. 3 years ago on Google
    Absolutely magical place, a real London must and unlike anywhere I've been before. Usually find walking around stuffy stately homes lacking in immersion but with the candle light, smell of fireplaces, dust and sounds of the family creaking through the house here it totally immerses you. It's no exaggeration to say this is as close to stepping back to such an evocative time you can get, especially on the evening tours. Personally think £15 entry is a bargain as it allows them to keep visitor numbers down which makes it so intimate. Been many times and can't wait for it to reopen to return. Few lovely pubs nearby as well to head to after.

  • 5/5 Simon D. 3 years ago on Google
    One of those gems in London that even residents might not know. Dennis Severs was an artist who painstakingly recreated the interiors of this house that had been built in 1724, to suggest to a visitor that an 18th century family still lived here. Uneaten bread and unmade beds....definitely a pleasant change from all those boring "Stately Homes"!

  • 4/5 Daisy D. 4 years ago on Google
    Was a great find, a real unusual treasure. Really takes u back in time, especially with your senses. Imagine a museum that u are apart off. 😊

  • 5/5 Nick R. 2 years ago on Google
    We went on the guided theatrical experience tour. Absolutely fantastic. Joel is an incredible actor, makes for a memorable & interesting evening

  • 4/5 Chrys N. 2 years ago on Google
    Always wanted to visit this house, so my husband and I did this in August 2021. Interesting is the most I can say. I did enjoy our silent visit, but because the house is mostly in candlelight and it was hard to see some objects. But overall glad I went.

  • 5/5 Ian H. 2 years ago on Google
    Wow! This is art! What an experience. If you want to see how your great great great grandparents lived, visit. This place is awesome.

  • 5/5 Cynthia M. 2 years ago on Google
    A must visit if you like nontraditional experiences. Definitely not a tourist spot. Not a museum, but not a passive experience, either. Immerse yourself in Dennis’ perfectly preserved vision of London.

  • 5/5 Frances F. 4 years ago on Google
    Interested

  • 5/5 Mark D. 4 years ago on Google
    Extraordinary experiance.

  • 4/5 Maria M. 4 years ago on Google
    Is it interesting? Yes. Is it unique for London? Not really. There are many other places in London where you can see how people lived in the past without queuing.

  • 5/5 Sylvia J. 4 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Just wonderful (Original) Einfach wundervoll

  • 1/5 Louise C. 4 years ago on Google
    Don't bother, we got there at 3pm on a Sunday to be told rather rudely that they are shut! although their website say's last entry is 3.15pm!

  • 5/5 Julian K. 2 years ago on Google
    An incredible immersive experience - can’t really think of anything like it. Storytelling and history wrapped together….go with a open mind and prepare to be blown away!

  • 5/5 Daniel S. 4 years ago on Google
    Atmospheric, fantastic, surprising. Loved it

  • 3/5 Joseph G. 4 years ago on Google
    Very well done. A complete sensory time travel experience. Though I’m not sure the fibreglass insulation falling through the upper floor ceiling is true to the period. The final room is an interesting attempt at satire. The pomposity, arrogance and rudeness of the door man does ruin it slightly. They have obviously created a high demand by limiting the opening period to a fraction of each day, less time than the web site suggests. The door man obviously takes pleasure in turning people away.

  • 5/5 FFA P. 4 years ago on Google
    It’s amazing actually it likes you travel time to the past.

  • 5/5 Steve H. 4 years ago on Google
    Fascinating place to visit. Step back in time

  • 5/5 Magnus M. 4 years ago on Google
    Hard to do it justice in a review. Stepping in, you slowly get sucked into a different world. A place for quiet, for letting your imagination take the wheel. Best come early, queues can get quite long!

  • 4/5 Jacqui L. 4 years ago on Google
    This is an interesting house to visit. The history of the Spitalfields area and of the houses built to accommodate Huguenot silk workers is fascinating. And Dennis Severs’ interpretation of the lives of the fictional Jervis family in the house on Folgate Street is engaging. However, the idea that the house somehow allows you to smell and see and hear your way back through the ages didn’t work for me. The slightly bonkers and eclectic mix of modern, vintage and antique objects made me smile but nothing more profound than that. Plus the staff all take themselves a bit too seriously. At £15 a ticket I would have liked to have got a bit more out of it. However, it must be expensive to keep the place up so I didn’t begrudge it too much.

  • 5/5 Hong Lien T. 4 years ago on Google
    Must go

  • 5/5 camilla c. 4 years ago on Google
    Absolutely fab!! Like sneaking into the past

  • 5/5 Lawrence R. 4 years ago on Google
    Quite a stunning piece of history preserved here in spitalfields!!! The tour guide was quite helpful and the house was absolutely gorgeous!!


Call +44 20 7247 4013 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Accessibility
    • ✗ Assistive hearing loop
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible entrance
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible restroom
    • ✗ Wheelchair accessible parking lot

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