• Kenwood House’s Exterior Unveiled
• Kenwood Dairy Revealed

A weekend of free music, dancing, afternoon tea, vintage stalls and traditional games will celebrate two major milestones in the restoration of Kenwood House on Hampstead Heath – the unveiling of its restored exterior and the restoration of the little known Kenwood Dairy.

Charlotte Kemp, English Heritage’s General Manager at Kenwood House, said: “Good old-fashioned fun for young and old is at the heart of our Kenwood Summer Garden Fete. There’ll be ragtime jazz and dancing, a bake-off and dog show, stalls and games – all happening against the backdrop of the now magnificently restored exterior of Kenwood House. Come along and celebrate and find out how you can be part of Kenwood’s future.”

Since June last year, Kenwood House has been hidden behind scaffolding as part of a major Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) supported conservation programme. English Heritage has now finished repairing the roof of architect Robert Adam’s 18th century masterpiece and its peeling and cracked facades. The scaffolding has recently come down to reveal again one of London’s jewels, now repaired and refreshed for generations to come.

And for one weekend only, cattle will return to the small 18th century Kenwood Dairy to mark the completed restoration of the historic butter-making room and the octagonal tea room where Kenwood’s Lady Mansfield used to entertain her guests, including the Duke of Wellington. As part of the Kenwood Summer Garden Fete, a dairy maid will be making butter in the dairy over the weekend.

The dairy will now become home to Hampstead Heath’s different local volunteer groups including Kenwood House’s own team of volunteers. English Heritage is actively looking for volunteers ahead of the house re-opening in November – people can find out more and sign-up to be part of Kenwood’s future at the Kenwood Summer Garden Fete.

Kenwood House will re-open to the public in November 2013 after a major repair and conservation programme funded with an HLF grant of £3.9m – the Robert Adam interiors will be restored, Kenwood’s world class art collection will be back on display, and several historic rooms re-presented to make the house feel more like a home.

The Kenwood Summer Garden Fete is on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 August, 11am-5pm, at Kenwood, Hampstead Lane, London, NW3 7JR. The nearest tubes are Golders Green and Archway, then bus 210.

Entry is free.

Visit the English Heritage website or call 020 8348 1286

Notes to editors

Kenwood House is an 18th century mansion set in beautiful landscaped parkland in the midst of Hampstead Heath in north London. The neoclassical mansion was remodelled by the renowned architect Robert Adam between 1764 and 1779 for the first Earl of Mansfield, who was Lord Chief Justice. Today, Kenwood House stands in 45 hectares of landscaped parkland, which was created by Humphry Repton for the second Earl of Mansfield in the late 18th century. In 1925 Kenwood House and 30 hectares of the estate were purchased by Edward Cecil Guinness, the first Earl of Iveagh, to provide a home for his unique collection of paintings and furniture. On his death, Kenwood and part of the art collection, including masterpieces by great artists such as, Rembrandt, Vermeer and Gainsborough, were left to the nation under the terms of the Iveagh Bequest. Under the terms of the Bequest, entry to the House and Estate is free.

Today, Kenwood House is in the care of English Heritage and is part of the National Heritage Collection of historic sites and monuments. The House is currently closed as it undergoes vital repairs that will secure it for generations to come. This major repair and conservation programme will revive the House’s beautiful exterior and make the roof wind and weather tight – protecting the magnificent interior and important art collection from serious leaks and damp. The Caring for Kenwood programme will also re-present both the internationally important Robert Adam interiors and South Front rooms plus restore the Kenwood Dairy and open it as an education space and volunteer hub. New interpretation will tell the different stories of Kenwood House and there will be an exciting range of learning, training and volunteer opportunities.  

Further information

English Heritage Communications on 020 7973 3250 or communication.team@english-heritage.org.uk