A stately house in southeast London is reopening to the public, for occasional guided tours.
Hall Place, in Bexley is a stately home in Bexley, built in 1537 for Sir John Champneys, a wealthy merchant and former Lord Mayor of London. It looks like it’s two houses, as it was extended in 1649, so you have half a mansion in stone and half in brick.
Hall Place and courtyard (c) Bexley council
In the 18th century, Hall Place came into the ownership of the Dashwood family, and was then leased out to suitable people. The last tenant of Hall Place was Lady Limerick who lived in the house alone from 1917 – 1943. She added a number of mock-Tudor features including beams and fireplaces. Taken over during WW2, it was used for a girls’ school for a couple of decades, and later by the council. Now, the house and gardens are managed by a charity.
The gardens are open daily for free, but access to the House and exhibitions are by pre-booked guided tours.
The tours cost £8 per person, are themed, and run roughly twice a month.
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19th July – WW2
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26th July – General tour
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11th August – Girls School
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15th August – General tour
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20th September – WW2
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28th September – General tour
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17th October -Girls School
You can book a tour here
The hall is about a 20-minute walk from Bexley station, on the Southeastern railway line. Alternatively, buses run between Bexley and Barnehurst stations roughly every 10-minutes passing a bus stop close to Hall Place
