Southside House is a historic museum and residence in Wimbledon, England, built in the late 17th century by the Pennington family. It has undergone architectural changes and has been restored several times. The house is associated with several historical figures and boasts an extensive art collection and gardens. It also hosts various activities, including lectures, workshops, and performing arts.
Southside House is one of Britain’s leading museums. Its occupants were mainly the prominent Pennington and Munthe families of England. The centuries-old structure is appreciated for its historical value and its ancient contents. This house also serves as a residence and gathering place for artistic pursuits.
Built in the late 17th century, Southside House has rested in Wimbledon, England for centuries. The residence was originally the home of Robert Pennington, an exile who chose Wimbledon as his home after his son’s death. Pennington’s daughter and wife are also immortalized in statues on the front door of the house.
The architecture of this building has changed slightly over time. Pennington hired Dutch architects to style the home in a farmhouse style. Several rooms were later added to the residence, such as the music room, specially designed for a visiting prince. After the house suffered damage in the mid-20th century, it was restored in the William and Mary architectural style. In 20 the residence was the victim of a fire and was once again restored.
Several historical figures are associated with Southside House. The principal ancestors – and occupants of the house – came from the Pennington, Mellor and Munthe families. The famous Swedish writer and physician Axel Munthe introduced his family to the legacy of the house through his marriage to Hilda Pennington, a great-granddaughter of Robert Pennington. Their son Malcolm, wounded from soldiering duties during the Second World War, became a recluse in the residence and was responsible for much of the restoration of Southside House in the 20th century. Famous visitors to the house included the Duke of Wharton, the poet Lord Byron and a Serbian queen.
In addition to centuries of collected furniture and other artifacts, Southside House also boasts an extensive art collection featuring Van Dyck and other famous artists and intricate gardens. Many of the famous house gardens are home to various edible vegetables and wildlife, and also consist of sculpted rooms and pathways. New features are continually being added to the grounds.
Visiting museums often simply consists of supervised or unsupervised tours of various historical artifacts. While tours are a major aspect of Southside House, the residence also hosts various other activities courtesy of a charitable trust fund. Arts, literature, and music-based gatherings often occur on the grounds, consisting of lectures, workshops, and performing arts. The house is also a popular children’s museum, with knowledgeable employees offering historical information and guided tours. Partial living quarters are also still a feature of Southside House.
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