Hotels near Southside House

Secreted behind high walls in Wimbledon, Southside House is locked in the past. Originally a Tudor farmhouse, little has changed since the renovations completed in 1685 by Robert Pennington. His descendants (the Pennington Mellor Munthes) still live there today trapped in an endearing time-warp, using candles for light and open fires for warmth. Painstakingly restored after World War Two, the house is wonderfully eccentric in taste, if a little dilapidated and haywire. Steeped in family history, every room is crammed to the rafters with exquisite treasures and artwork. The dining room alone exhibits a number of Van Dyck paintings, while upstairs in a cabinet you will happen upon the pearl necklace worn by Marie Antoinette on the day of her execution. There are associations with Anne Boleyn and other members of the Royal Family, making this house unquestionably well connected. Upstairs boasts perhaps the smallest chapel in London, while the grounds are a labyrinth of hidden pathways and secret gardens that bloom into thousands of colours in spring. Tours are available throughout the summer months - and numerous events take place inside the intriguing walls.