architecturally, although the architect and even the name of the family for whom
it was built are lost. In most respects it is the typical product of a master builder of
around 1686 when James II was King but possibly up to 1689, when William III and
Mary became joint monarchs.
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The first recorded owner was Thomas
Sympson whose widow sold the house in 1707 to Joshua Gee (1667-1730).
The front gates frame, bear the initials J.A.G Gee for Gee and his wife and are of
unusually high quality made by a craftsman working under Jean Tijou. Joshua Gee
had close contacts with the American colonies and was one of the original mortgagees
of Pennsylvania. On his death the house was left to his
youngest son, Osgood Gee.
After long periods of being let, (in 1765 the tenant
was named as John Hyndman) the house was sold by the family on Osgood's death in 1780.
Sympson whose widow sold the house in 1707 to Joshua Gee (1667-1730).
The front gates frame, bear the initials J.A.G Gee for Gee and his wife and are of
unusually high quality made by a craftsman working under Jean Tijou. Joshua Gee
had close contacts with the American colonies and was one of the original mortgagees
of Pennsylvania. On his death the house was left to his
youngest son, Osgood Gee.
After long periods of being let, (in 1765 the tenant
was named as John Hyndman) the house was sold by the family on Osgood's death in 1780.
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like his predecessors. He specialised in trade with Riga on the Baltic Sea.
A non-Conformist by religion although the Abbe Morel, a refugee from Normandy
during the French Revolution is recorded as saying Mass in the house before the
building of his chapel at Hampstead in 1816 - one of the first in London after
the repeal of the Penal Laws.
who inherited house in 1807 and made the Regency alterations
which give its current appearance. It must have been he who, again to the designs
of an unknown architect, added the loggia or colonnade
between the two projecting wings on the east front, and made this the main
entrance to the house instead of the central doorway on the south front.
Changes inside the house were largely confined to removing partition walls
to enlarge the rooms on the ground and first floors.
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At the beginning of the
18th century it was known as 'Ostende House',
adjoining a certain place known as Ostende, but by 1786 it was called 'Clock House'
because of the dial still visible over the door.
In 1829 the Fenton family convened a meeting of Hampstead copyholders at the nearby Hollybush Inn
to protest against building on the Heath. James Fenton died in 1834.
In his will he left the house to his wife, but she had predeceased him in 1827.
Although he had two sons living they may have been abroad.
The house passed to his executor Edward Oates and then to a succession of families;
the Selwyns, Margaret Grant, Mrs David Murray, (who succeeded in her own right to the
Barony of Gray), a Mr Whitelaw then to Mr George Careless Trewby who was
consulting engineer to the Sultan of Turkey for many years and finally to Lady Binning
and thence the National Trust in 1952 on her death.
Despite these changes in ownership during the 19th century
the house is unchanged since James Fenton's day.
adjoining a certain place known as Ostende, but by 1786 it was called 'Clock House'
because of the dial still visible over the door.
In 1829 the Fenton family convened a meeting of Hampstead copyholders at the nearby Hollybush Inn
to protest against building on the Heath. James Fenton died in 1834.
In his will he left the house to his wife, but she had predeceased him in 1827.
Although he had two sons living they may have been abroad.
The house passed to his executor Edward Oates and then to a succession of families;
the Selwyns, Margaret Grant, Mrs David Murray, (who succeeded in her own right to the
Barony of Gray), a Mr Whitelaw then to Mr George Careless Trewby who was
consulting engineer to the Sultan of Turkey for many years and finally to Lady Binning
and thence the National Trust in 1952 on her death.
Despite these changes in ownership during the 19th century
the house is unchanged since James Fenton's day.
copyright © The National
Trust 2000 & D.Morris 2000.