Description
The Sternberg Centre is on the former site of Finchley Manor House, which once belonged to the Bishops of London and comprised a sizeable estate. A moated manor house is known to have existed by 1253, but there may have been an earlier house on the site. It was occupied by a succession of influential people and underwent numerous name changes over the years. All that remains of the once extensive moat is a dry L-shaped ditch at the far end of the grounds. The current building dates from 1723, built for Sir Thomas Allen on a new site outside the moat, who also had gardens laid out. The estate began to be broken up for development from 1849 and the house was leased as a school in both the C19th and C20th. In 1984 the Manor House Centre for Judaism was opened, later renamed the Sternberg Centre for Judaism.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Finchley Manor House; Basings Manor; Bibbsworth Manor; Manor House School |
|---|---|
| Site location | 80 East End Road |
| Postcode | N3 2SY |
| What3Words | ///inform.fans.rested |
| Type of Site | Institutional Grounds |
| Borough | Barnet |
| Open to Public | Partially |
| Opening Times | Has opened for London Open House. Otherwise open for those participating in activities at the Centre |
| Special Conditions | photography restrictions |
| Facilities | Library, bookshop, Strudel Café (weekdays) |
| Events | Programme of events, classes. |
| Public Transport | Tube: Finchley Central. Bus: 143 |
| Research Updated | 1 September 2008 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The Sternberg Centre is on the former site of Finchley Manor House, which belonged to the Bishops of London from the early middle ages until the mid C19th when ownership transferred to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. An early reference is made to the 'Manor of Finchesle' in a charter dated 16 June 1199 granted by King John to William de Sainte Marie Eglise, then Bishop of London. This charter exempted the inhabitants of 'Finchesle' from paying taxes to the king, as tenants of the Bishop. The Bishops did not built a residence for themselves at Finchley as it was a 'detached portion' of their Manor at Fulham, so it was essentially a sub-manor. However, the estate effectively became a freehold and had a succession of wealthy and influential tenants, and as a result the property underwent numerous name changes reflecting its occupants.
One of the first recorded owners was Mayor of London Sir Michael Tovey who appears to have acquired the manor in c.1244. Within a few years he had sold it to Adam de Basing, Chief Financier to Henry III, the King's Tailor, and Lord Mayor of London in 1251-3. His descendants remained here for a century and it became known as Basings Manor. A moated house here is known to have existed by 1253, but there may have been an earlier house on the site. Before his death in 1262 Adam de Basing considerably enlarged his estate through the purchase of new lands, much of which he used for sheep farming. It became known as Marshe's Manor in the C14th after Sir William Marshe, and from c.1420 Bibbsworth Manor, following the purchase of the property by Sir Edmund Bibbsworth, who enlarged the house and lived here until his death in 1443. It continued to be so-called even after Bibbsworth's son sold it in 1448/9. Other eminent occupiers in ensuing years included Lord William Hastings, Sir Thomas Frowick, Sir William Compton, Sir William Brereton and Alexander Kinge, all of whom had connections to the monarchs of their day.
The date when the first moat here was dug is not known but it is likely to be C13th. A plan of the manor made in 1870 indicates that the moat to the east of the house was some 40 yards long and 25 feet wide and until 1928 it contained water. The plan shows another section in the shape of a half-horseshoe extending to what is now Windermere Avenue. All that is visible now is a dry L-shaped ditch at the far end of the grounds, once the southern arm and half the eastern arm of the moat. The remains of an earthen causeway leading across to the manor house is visible halfway along the southern arm. It is not known how far to the north east the moat extended but it must have enclosed a large area since in 1502 'the Great Place of Bibbsworth' is described as comprising a large house, orchard and building on the island, with a great barn and stable outside the moat.
Following the death of Alexander Kinge's widow in 1622 Edward Allen purchased the estate and it remained in this family until the early C20th. By 1664 the house had been described as having '19 hearths' thus representing a sizeable property. The current building dates from 1723, built for Sir Thomas Allen on a new site outside the moat, who also had gardens laid out, probably infilling part of the moat for the purpose. Garden features included statues, a grotto and an Italianate garden temple built c.1732 and known as The Folly. This was later removed in 1965 when St Theresa's Primary School was built over this part of the site. In the 1830s the property was listed as follows: 'The Manor of Finchley with the appurtenances and 6 messuages, 12 barns, 12 stables, 10 dovehouses, 10 gardens, 10 orchards, 300 acres of land, 250 acres of meadow, 200 acres of pasture, 80 acres of waste land and common of pasture for cattle and common of Turbary [right to cut turf for fuel]'.
The Allen family moved from Finchley in the C19th and from 1819 - 1861 leased out the house for use as a school. From 1849 onwards parts of the estate were sold off for building and in 1909 the majority was sold, apart from the house and a small portion of the grounds. Between 1918 - 1981 the house was owned by a Roman Catholic order, the Sisters of Marie Auxiliatrice, who opened Manor House School here in 1921. St Theresa's Primary School was opened on part of the convent land in 1967 and in 1969 the secondary school merged with Bishop Douglass School on a new site. The property passed to Manor House Trustees in 1981 and on 29 June 1984 the Manor House Centre for Judaism was opened by Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher. It was later renamed the Sternberg Centre for Judaism and is the largest Jewish religious, educational and cultural centre in Europe.
One of the first recorded owners was Mayor of London Sir Michael Tovey who appears to have acquired the manor in c.1244. Within a few years he had sold it to Adam de Basing, Chief Financier to Henry III, the King's Tailor, and Lord Mayor of London in 1251-3. His descendants remained here for a century and it became known as Basings Manor. A moated house here is known to have existed by 1253, but there may have been an earlier house on the site. Before his death in 1262 Adam de Basing considerably enlarged his estate through the purchase of new lands, much of which he used for sheep farming. It became known as Marshe's Manor in the C14th after Sir William Marshe, and from c.1420 Bibbsworth Manor, following the purchase of the property by Sir Edmund Bibbsworth, who enlarged the house and lived here until his death in 1443. It continued to be so-called even after Bibbsworth's son sold it in 1448/9. Other eminent occupiers in ensuing years included Lord William Hastings, Sir Thomas Frowick, Sir William Compton, Sir William Brereton and Alexander Kinge, all of whom had connections to the monarchs of their day.
The date when the first moat here was dug is not known but it is likely to be C13th. A plan of the manor made in 1870 indicates that the moat to the east of the house was some 40 yards long and 25 feet wide and until 1928 it contained water. The plan shows another section in the shape of a half-horseshoe extending to what is now Windermere Avenue. All that is visible now is a dry L-shaped ditch at the far end of the grounds, once the southern arm and half the eastern arm of the moat. The remains of an earthen causeway leading across to the manor house is visible halfway along the southern arm. It is not known how far to the north east the moat extended but it must have enclosed a large area since in 1502 'the Great Place of Bibbsworth' is described as comprising a large house, orchard and building on the island, with a great barn and stable outside the moat.
Following the death of Alexander Kinge's widow in 1622 Edward Allen purchased the estate and it remained in this family until the early C20th. By 1664 the house had been described as having '19 hearths' thus representing a sizeable property. The current building dates from 1723, built for Sir Thomas Allen on a new site outside the moat, who also had gardens laid out, probably infilling part of the moat for the purpose. Garden features included statues, a grotto and an Italianate garden temple built c.1732 and known as The Folly. This was later removed in 1965 when St Theresa's Primary School was built over this part of the site. In the 1830s the property was listed as follows: 'The Manor of Finchley with the appurtenances and 6 messuages, 12 barns, 12 stables, 10 dovehouses, 10 gardens, 10 orchards, 300 acres of land, 250 acres of meadow, 200 acres of pasture, 80 acres of waste land and common of pasture for cattle and common of Turbary [right to cut turf for fuel]'.
The Allen family moved from Finchley in the C19th and from 1819 - 1861 leased out the house for use as a school. From 1849 onwards parts of the estate were sold off for building and in 1909 the majority was sold, apart from the house and a small portion of the grounds. Between 1918 - 1981 the house was owned by a Roman Catholic order, the Sisters of Marie Auxiliatrice, who opened Manor House School here in 1921. St Theresa's Primary School was opened on part of the convent land in 1967 and in 1969 the secondary school merged with Bishop Douglass School on a new site. The property passed to Manor House Trustees in 1981 and on 29 June 1984 the Manor House Centre for Judaism was opened by Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher. It was later renamed the Sternberg Centre for Judaism and is the largest Jewish religious, educational and cultural centre in Europe.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ255900 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 3.035 |
| Site Ownership | Manor House Trust |
| Site Management | Manor House Trust |
| Dates | C12th onwards, 1720s |
| Listed Structures | LBII: Manor House. SAM (rear garden with remains of moat) |
| 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 | Barnet |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Archaeological Priiority Area |
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
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Avenue House, built in 1859, was acquired by Dr Henry Stephens in 1874, son of the inventor of Stephens ink. He enlarged and improved the property and grounds, the latter laid out by Robert Marnock with lawns, ponds, mounds and rockwork, a network of informal paths and steps, a paddock and walled kitchen garden. Planting included a fine collection of trees. In 1918 Stephens bequeathed the house and 10 acres of grounds to 'the people of Finchley' on condition that it should be 'open for the use and enjoyment always of the public under reasonable regulations'. Put to various uses after Stephens's death in 1918, the property eventually opened to the public in 1928. The present gardens are reduced in size, but the planting and most of the path layout has remained unaltered since the 1870s/1880s.
Avenue House, built in 1859, was acquired by Dr Henry Stephens in 1874, son of the inventor of Stephens ink. He enlarged and improved the property and grounds, the latter laid out by Robert Marnock with lawns, ponds, mounds and rockwork, a network of informal paths and steps, a paddock and walled kitchen garden. Planting included a fine collection of trees. In 1918 Stephens bequeathed the house and 10 acres of grounds to 'the people of Finchley' on condition that it should be 'open for the use and enjoyment always of the public under reasonable regulations'. Put to various uses after Stephens's death in 1918, the property eventually opened to the public in 1928. The present gardens are reduced in size, but the planting and most of the path layout has remained unaltered since the 1870s/1880s.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Until the mid-C19th the undulating site was farmland. The Burial Board of the Parish of St Marylebone purchased the land for the cemetery and held a competition for its design in 1854. Winning architects Barnett and Birch Ltd built its two chapels, lodge and entrance building and St Marylebone Cemetery was consecrated in March 1855. The cemetery, catering largely for the affluent middle-classes, has numerous important monuments. The C19th layout is largely intact, with three main avenues describing an oval arrangement. Two cedars were planted near the entrance in 1856, with trees and shrubs throughout the cemetery and flanking the avenues. In 1893 the cemetery was extended to the west, laid out on a square grid plan. In 1937 St Marylebone Crematorium was built, to the south of which are lawn graves and an informal memorial garden. Owned since 1965 by Westminster City Council, this was one of 3 cemeteries that WCC controversially sold in 1987 for 15p in order to pass on the maintenance costs, but which resulted in their neglect. In 1988, following public outcry, the Ombudsman ruled that WCC had to buy back the cemeteries, which it did in 1992.
Until the mid-C19th the undulating site was farmland. The Burial Board of the Parish of St Marylebone purchased the land for the cemetery and held a competition for its design in 1854. Winning architects Barnett and Birch Ltd built its two chapels, lodge and entrance building and St Marylebone Cemetery was consecrated in March 1855. The cemetery, catering largely for the affluent middle-classes, has numerous important monuments. The C19th layout is largely intact, with three main avenues describing an oval arrangement. Two cedars were planted near the entrance in 1856, with trees and shrubs throughout the cemetery and flanking the avenues. In 1893 the cemetery was extended to the west, laid out on a square grid plan. In 1937 St Marylebone Crematorium was built, to the south of which are lawn graves and an informal memorial garden. Owned since 1965 by Westminster City Council, this was one of 3 cemeteries that WCC controversially sold in 1987 for 15p in order to pass on the maintenance costs, but which resulted in their neglect. In 1988, following public outcry, the Ombudsman ruled that WCC had to buy back the cemeteries, which it did in 1992.
A Norman church existed on the site from C12th but in 1872 Saxon foundations were discovered dating from an earlier church. The tower and main body are C15th with two later aisles. Bombed in WWII, the church was later restored. The churchyard is enclosed with C20th fence and iron railings, and has some good C17th and C18th tombs. An obelisk to Major John Cartwright (d.1824) was raised by public subscription and erected in 1835. The churchyard is densely shaded, and trees include ancient yew, cedar, holly, larch and hornbeam.
