By George Oller

Between two late-Georgian buildings, Noel Lodge is believed to have been constructed in the former horse and cart entrance of Ealing Grove School, which opened in 1834. 

Lady Byron, wife of the infamous romantic poet, Lord Byron, founded the Ealing Grove School to help underprivileged and orphaned children.

Painting of Lady Byron

A mansion called "Ealing Grove" had been demolished except for its stables, which were left standing within four acres of walled ground. After numerous failed attempts for support from Ealing, Lady Byron finally obtained a leasehold on the property and had the stalls taken out to be replaced by a schoolroom, workshop and accommodation for a schoolmaster.  

Lady Byron opened the school to help underprivileged and orphaned children, combining academic subjects with three hours of gardening each day, and corporal punishment was not allowed. This was not a popular move due to opposition expressed at the time to the idea of any kind of education for the working classes.  

Due to Lady Byron's efforts, these children were able to avoid the New Poor Law of 1834 under which they would have had to enter the Union Workhouse, rather than education. 

Commemorative blue plaque (photo credit: leslieandcompanyuk.com)

In 1896 the school was renamed Ealing Grammar school, which eventually closed in 1917. In 1929 Ealing Technical Institute and School of Art and Crafts was opened on the site, later renamed as Ealing Technical Institute and School of Art from 1937. This was one of the predecessor institutions of the University of West London (UWL) as we know it today.  

Lady Byron's name lives on within UWL today with a wing of the Ealing campus named in her honour.

At some point in the late 20th century, the former horse and cart entrance was turned into a property and named Noel Lodge. Approximately 570 sq ft of space laid out over three floors, and every single square foot cleverly maximised for optimal use. The property has high ceilings, underfloor heating on the ground floor and a pretty garden. It's in a fabulous, quiet location on one of Ealing's most sought-after streets.  

Noel Lodge was sold by Leslie & Co, an Ealing based estate agency. Read more about them here.

Leslie & Co gave Nub News some comments from the sellers...

"Noel Lodge was our second home in Ealing, so we've already loved Ealing beforehand. It's in an excellent location, close to charming coffee spots and warm pubs. We've thoroughly enjoyed the garden throughout the summer with our friends and neighbours having picnics, barbecues and a utilising the paddling pool."  

"The combination of the prime location, charming building and a lovely garden got us! The history behind it definitely makes it more interesting and memorable!" 

 "The next family will enjoy the best of Ealing nearby. We are certain that with clever design and use of the space, despite a small footprint, the new owners will have a very comfortable time, like we had!"  

 "As soon as we got there, one of our lovely former neighbours gave us a paper with the history of the property. We thought it was such a nice gesture. It made us value its history even more!"