A stately home built in the 17th century has reopened to the public following renovation work by Hounslow Council in partnership with the National Lottery.

Boston Manor House was built for Lady Mary Reade in 1623 and has hosted many royals in its lifetime.

Four hundred years on, £6 million renovation work has taken place following a period of deterioration which even saw a tree grow through the house breaking its way through several floors.

The house now boasts an event space, a library, a gallery, cafe, and acres of green space for public use.

The 34-acre ground has swathes of green space which will now be used to teach local primary school children environmental education.

Simultaneously, the council believe this park is vital in providing green spaces for local residents who may not have access to a garden.

The renovation work saw a removal of a tree growing through the centre of the house, breaking through many floors, and the removal of years worth of asbestos.

David, 74, is a volunteer at Boston Manor House (credit: Philip James Lynch/LDRS).

Each room was renovated to present a different period of the homes history, with great attention to detail on preserving the true nature of the decor such as re-creating hundreds year old wallpaper from the house.

Earlier this year, the house won a national architecture award following the renovation work.

Boston Manor House was called a "tremendous feat" by judges at the AJ Architecture Awards. The house is now run by almost 150 volunteers from staff in marketing to tour guides, and was re-opened by Queen Camilla in 2023.

David, 74, grew up in Brentford. He plays the character of William Swansborough of Sussex, who was an actual butler in the house hundreds of years ago that fell in love with the housekeeper.

David says this volunteer work has become an important part of his life, particularly after the pandemic.

Councillor Salman Shaheen, Hounslow Council (credit: Philip James Lynch/LDRS).

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service [LDRS]: "I always worked with young people, volunteering in different places, but that all changed during the pandemic. When I saw the chance to get back into something like that I jumped.

"The house has some remarkable features, its quite splendid. I remember the house and park growing up, and I visited before the renovation work, and I wasn't very impressed with it.

"But the work done has been remarkable. There is a story of continuous occupation over several hundred years by one family."

The original owner, Lady Mary Reade, had the house built in the 1620s after she was disinherited when her husband died, which was common for the time.

She saw this house as a path to reclaim her space in high society after she was 'unceremoniously removed' from her previous accommodation.

She then married into the Spencer family, who would go on to marry into the Royal Family hundreds of years later with Princess Diana marrying the now King Charles III.

Over the years, the house has hosted a number of distinguished guests from Kings to Presidents.

Boston Manor Hall in Brentford (credit: Philip James Lynch/LDRS).

John Quincy Adams, 6th president of the US visited in the 1800s and King William IV and Queen Adelaide visited following his shock accession to the throne in the 1830s.

At the time it was the first home of a commoner to host a King for dinner, making it a rather historic moment.

Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure & Public Spaces for Hounslow Council told the LDRS: "When you look at inequality people talk a lot about economic capital, but they talk less about social capital.

"Those in deprived areas with less access to culture can be given it for free, as with Boston Manor and raise their cultural understanding in society.

"There is an element to which so much of culture is gated and caged by those with economic means who like to keep refinement and high culture to themselves, which I don't think is right. High culture should be available to everyone , and as part of that the learning and knowledge that comes with it."

The house, which is fully accessible, is now open six days a week and is free to visit.

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