Manor House Grounds

Manor House Grounds became a public garden after the acquisition in 1913 by Southall-Norwood Urban District Council of the timber-framed C16th Manor House and its grounds on Southall Green. It was located in the centre of the old village of Southall, which was originally one of three hamlets within the precinct of Norwood, which came under the ancient parish of Hayes until created a separate parish in 1859. The area later became an important industrial centre as a result of, firstly, the canal network and later rail transport, with brick-making particularly prevalent here. The Grand Junction Canal had been constructed in 1794/6, and the Paddington Canal then opened in 1801; the Great Western Railway's line to the west was constructed and Southall Station opened in 1839; and in 1901 electric trams served the area. The population increased rapidly and Southall became a borough in 1926.

Originally a house known as The Wrenns that was built in c.1500, it was purchased with its grounds in 1572 by Francis Awsiter, a wealthy City merchant, who rebuilt the house as an Elizabethan mansion in 1587. His son Richard inherited the Manor in 1624 on his father's death. In 1602 Awsiter had purchased the original Manor House of Southall on Dormers Wells, becoming Lord of the Manor, although he abandoned this for his house on Southall Green, which was later renamed Manor House. It is reputed that Henry VIII visited the house and garden on Southall Green and planted the Mulberry tree that is still there today. The house was altered over the years, with a new west wing added in the late C17th and further restoration work in 1847/48. By the C18th the grounds contained topiary yew trees, which were remarked upon by Daniel Lysons as 'cut into the form of temples and other buildings' writing in 'The Environs of London' in 1795. There appear to have been formal garden areas, geometric paths, a central pond and orchards laid out and croquet lawns and tennis courts were added in the C19th.

The Awsiter family owned the property until 1821, and the family arms were above the fireplace in the central hall. In 1821 it was purchased by William Welch, and from 1879-1895 it was the home of William Frederick Thomas and his family. Thomas, a manufacturer of sewing machines and an important local benefactor, was president of Southall Cottage Gardens Association and became Norwood's first County Councillor in 1889. He evidently welcomed the local population into his gardens from time to time, held concerts in the Tithe Barn, and in the difficult winter of 1885/6 he provided penny dinners for up to 100 poor children of unemployed brickfield workers.

The last private owners were the Scarisbrick family who lived here from 1898 to 1912, then selling the house for £6,100. The grounds had contained a C17th Bailiff's Cottage and Tithe Barn, both now demolished, the former used during the Scarisbricks' time as a Catholic presbytery and the tithe barn for Mass. A clock tower that had been added to the house in the C19th was demolished for road widening and its bell was given to the park keeper to announce closing time.

Southall War Memorial was erected adjacent to Manor House in 1922, its design reminiscent of the Cenotaph in Whitehall. In 1929, a cottage was erected for the Park Superintendent, and ground at the rear was used for the Council's main nursery with hothouses on 2,000 sq. ft, as well as 800 sq. ft of cold frames. In all the nursery supplied over 100,000 plants to the district per year. In 1935 the gardens were described as 'restful and very attractive . . . Laid out in the Dutch style with sunken walks and drystone walling'; flower beds were planted with 20,000 plants annually, the lily pond in the centre had golden carp and a 'spacious aviary' had English and Foreign Birds. It also had a 3-rink bowling green. An ornate Martinware fountain once stood in the centre of the pond but although it was moved for safekeeping it was then ruined by fire. During WWII an emergency water tank was constructed in the gardens in 1943.

The overall layout of the garden has little changed since 1935, and it comprises a series of yew-hedged garden areas including an Arts and Crafts sunken garden with pool; a circular pond; circular stone-built flower garden; rockery; yew, laurel and rhododendron shrubberies; floral displays; mock-Tudor WC in shrubbery; Yew topiary. It is bounded by a wall to the adjacent back gardens, and has privet hedge and utilitarian C20th railings to the Green. In 1970 the Manor House was leased as offices to Southall Chamber of Commerce, and also occupied by various organisations as offices. In 2001 historical research was carried out by Ealing Parks Department as part of a National Heritage Lottery bid to restore the landscaping of the gardens.