Description
Southside House dates from at least the C18th and has a long history, but its garden was largely the creation of Hilda Pennington-Mellor and Dr Axel Munthe, who bought the property in c.1910, and their son Major Malcolm Munthe who restored it after WWI. It comprised a series of garden rooms, linked by water and pathways, with sculptures, temples, a small grotto and pet cemetery. Ownership was transferred to the Pennington-Mellor-Munthe Charity Trust in 1982 and Southside House was opened to the public; following the death of Malcolm Munthe in 1995, it continued to be run by a Trust, opening to the public for guided tours, group visits and garden openings. The property was sold in 2022 and is no longer open to the public; plans for restoration are ongoing (2024).
Practical Information
| Site location | 3-4 Woodhayes Road, Wimbledon Common |
|---|---|
| Postcode | SW19 4RJ |
| What3Words | ///spout.origin.mops |
| Type of Site | Private Garden |
| Borough | Merton |
| Open to Public | No |
| Public Transport | Rail: Wimbledon; Raynes Park. Tube: Wimbledon (District) then bus. Bus: 200, 93. |
| Research Updated | 13 November 2025 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Southside House has a long history in the ownership of the Wharton family, with associations with many historical figures whose personal possessions remain in the house. A family member married the only heiress of Anne Boleyn, another the heiress of the Duke of Wharton and another descendent, John Pennington, was in Paris during the French Revolution and 'played Scarlet Pimpernel, snatching aristocrats from the jaws of the guillotine'. In 1750 Prince of Wales had stayed here, the room prepared for him remaining largely unchanged. Horatio Nelson and the Hamiltons were neighbours and Emma reputedly performed her 'attitudes' at Southside House. The house façade of 1687 incorporates an earlier building, and was extended and altered in 1776 (Pevsner).
The garden was largely that of Hilda Pennington-Mellor, great grand-daughter of John Pennington, and Swedish doctor Axel Munthe, who lived at Southside House in the early C20th, having married in 1910. Dr Munthe was famous for his book 'The Story of St Michele'. Southside House was later restored by their youngest son Major Malcolm Munthe. In WWII he was member of the S.O.E, working behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied Scandinavia, and took part in the Allied landings at Anzio. Suffering from war wounds, he eventually retreated to Southside, which he painstakingly restored. The gardens comprised a series of 'rooms' linked by water and pathways, with sculptures and temples, a small grotto constructed by Belinda Eade, and the Servitors' Cemetery, where various of the family's pets are buried including a 'vast wolfhound', a black cat called Loki, and Romulo, a Roman owl. In front of the house was a reclining statue of Major Munthe's older brother Peter.
Southside House was opened to the public from 1982, following the transfer of ownership to the Pennington-Mellor-Munthe Charity Trust. Following the death of Major Munthe in 1995, Southside House continued to be operated by the Trust, opening to the public for meetings, events and tours. Fire damage to the front range of the roof required extensive restoration work between 2010 and 2011. The house was sold privately in 2022 and plans for restoration and new work are presently (2024) being formulated. It is not known whether any elements of the garden will be retained.
The garden was largely that of Hilda Pennington-Mellor, great grand-daughter of John Pennington, and Swedish doctor Axel Munthe, who lived at Southside House in the early C20th, having married in 1910. Dr Munthe was famous for his book 'The Story of St Michele'. Southside House was later restored by their youngest son Major Malcolm Munthe. In WWII he was member of the S.O.E, working behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied Scandinavia, and took part in the Allied landings at Anzio. Suffering from war wounds, he eventually retreated to Southside, which he painstakingly restored. The gardens comprised a series of 'rooms' linked by water and pathways, with sculptures and temples, a small grotto constructed by Belinda Eade, and the Servitors' Cemetery, where various of the family's pets are buried including a 'vast wolfhound', a black cat called Loki, and Romulo, a Roman owl. In front of the house was a reclining statue of Major Munthe's older brother Peter.
Southside House was opened to the public from 1982, following the transfer of ownership to the Pennington-Mellor-Munthe Charity Trust. Following the death of Major Munthe in 1995, Southside House continued to be operated by the Trust, opening to the public for meetings, events and tours. Fire damage to the front range of the roof required extensive restoration work between 2010 and 2011. The house was sold privately in 2022 and plans for restoration and new work are presently (2024) being formulated. It is not known whether any elements of the garden will be retained.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ233705 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | private ownership |
| Dates | garden: early C20th |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: Southside House; LBII: Coach house to north side of Southside House |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Merton |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Wimbledon West |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priority Zone |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
Crooked Billet is a small corner of Wimbledon Common with a green, two public houses and residential housing, which despite surrounding development has never quite lost its identity as a semi-rural enclave. It was former grazing land, with adjoining farm buildings and cottages dating back to at least the C17th and possibly earlier. The origins of the name Crooked Billet are disputed. There are a number of trees on the green, including a horse chestnut, willow and London plane.
Wimbledon School was founded as an Anglican Military Academy in 1860 by Revd John Brackenbury who purchased Tree and Boggy Fields on the crest of Edge Hill. Formal gardens were laid out in front of the main school building, exotic trees and shrubs were planted in the grounds and Boggy Field became a kitchen garden. The gardens were opened to the public once a week and much admired. The school closed in 1884 and put up for sale in 1892. Part of the site, comprising the old buildings and land below them were purchased by the Jesuits who opened Wimbledon College as a boys' school here in 1893.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Cannizaro Park is on land that was once part of Wimbledon Common. In the early C18th the estate was purchased by William Browne who built two houses, Mansion or Westside House, and Warren House. Between 1817-41 Warren House was leased to Francois Platamone who became the Duke of Cannizzaro in 1830, after whom the house was renamed (albeit misspelt) in 1874. In 1920 house and grounds were purchased by E. Kenneth Wilson and his wife, who laid out a new garden, much of which remains in the public park today. In 1947/8 the Wilsons' daughter sold the house and 13.5 hectares of land to the Corporation of Wimbledon, who opened the grounds to the public. The gardens soon regained their reputation as a place of beauty, and the park today has a sunken garden, azalea dell, water garden, Italian garden, Mediterranean garden and rose Garden, as well as woodland and lakes. Cannizaro House was leased as an Old People's Home and since 1987 has been a hotel.
Cannizaro Park is on land that was once part of Wimbledon Common. In the early C18th the estate was purchased by William Browne who built two houses, Mansion or Westside House, and Warren House. Between 1817-41 Warren House was leased to Francois Platamone who became the Duke of Cannizzaro in 1830, after whom the house was renamed (albeit misspelt) in 1874. In 1920 house and grounds were purchased by E. Kenneth Wilson and his wife, who laid out a new garden, much of which remains in the public park today. In 1947/8 the Wilsons' daughter sold the house and 13.5 hectares of land to the Corporation of Wimbledon, who opened the grounds to the public. The gardens soon regained their reputation as a place of beauty, and the park today has a sunken garden, azalea dell, water garden, Italian garden, Mediterranean garden and rose Garden, as well as woodland and lakes. Cannizaro House was leased as an Old People's Home and since 1987 has been a hotel.