Description
Woodlands was a Georgian villa built for businessman John Julius Angerstein in 1774, which once had extensive grounds with a lake, ice-house and fine conservatory. Angerstein was a great patron of the arts and his Old Masters collection formed the nucleus of the National Gallery. Woodlands remained in his family until 1876 but the estate was largely dispersed in the early C20th. The house was a convent after WWI until 1967 and in 1972 was acquired by Greenwich Council, with a small part of the original grounds. It became an art gallery and local studies centre but later closed and is now Greenwich Steiner School, which moved here in 2008. Adjacent is Mycenae House, originally built in 1931-33 for the convent, which has been run as a Community Centre by an independent charity since 1994, set in pleasant gardens.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Greenwich Local Studies Library/Woodlands Art Gallery; Greenwich Steiner School; Mycenae House Community Centre |
|---|---|
| Site location | 90 Mycenae Road, Blackheath |
| Postcode | SE3 7SE |
| What3Words | ///tamed.wells.worth |
| Type of Site | Institutional Grounds |
| Borough | Greenwich |
| Open to Public | Partially |
| Opening Times | School is private; contact Mycenae House Community Centre for access (020 8858 1749 |
| Events | Events and activities at Mycenae House Community Centre |
| Public Transport | Rail: Westcombe Park. Bus: 53, 54, 108, 202, 286, 380, 386, 422. |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2011 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Woodlands was a Georgian villa built in 1774 by G Gibson Jnr for John Julius Angerstein, who was possibly an illegitimate son of the Empress of Russia and a merchant, Poulett Thomson. He was born in 1735 and named after the German doctor who delivered and adopted him; he came to England in 1750 to serve as an apprentice in his father's house. A successful businessman who was a Lloyds underwriter at the age of 21, Angerstein became a patron and friend of artists including JMW Turner, landscape painter Sir Joseph Farington and Sir Thomas Lawrence. His collection of Old Masters was to form the nucleus of the National Gallery after his death in 1823. Guests at Woodlands included Dr Johnson, David Garrick, Joshua Reynolds, George III, Princess Caroline and Fanny Burney. In 1820 Queen Caroline reputedly wanted to rent the house during the time of her trial. Woodlands House remained in the family until 1876 and was then sold by John Julius' grandson and the estate was dispersed by the early C20th. The extensive grounds had contained a lake and an ice house, with a fine conservatory that had a flagged walk, seats and which was heated by stoves in winter. It was renowned for 'forcing fruits of all descriptions and the choicest collection of the best grown conservatory plants that we ever beheld, many of which flowered there for the first time in this country'.
At the end of WWI Woodlands was unoccupied and was then sold to The Little Sisters of the Assumption, a Catholic Noviate Order, and used as a convent. Land near the house was sold by the Trustees and enabled the building of the adjacent Noviate House, a purpose-built convent that opened in 1933. The Order finally relocated to Paddington in 1967 and local resident and historian Cyril Fry then convinced Greenwich Council to purchase both Woodlands and the Noviate House, in order to preserve them from development. As a result Noviate House was purchased in 1968 and converted into Kidbrooke House Community Centre to replace the original Kidbrooke House that was demolished when the Sun in the Sands roundabout on Shooters Hill was constructed.
Woodlands was purchased by Greenwich Council in 1972 and opened as Woodlands Art Gallery. Also used as Greenwich Local Studies Library, it was set in part of the former garden, albeit much reduced in size. This walled garden comprised a lawn with island shrub beds, several specimen trees and a notable row of mature London planes on a bank. The Art Gallery and Local Studies Centre were later closed, the latter moving to the former Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. Woodlands was eventually purchased by the Greenwich Steiner School Initiative, which had been established in St George's Church nearby since 1999. The school moved to Woodlands as its main site in 2008. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) was an Austrian philosopher whose ideas have influenced many spheres of life including science and mathematics, politics, drama, agriculture (bio-dynamic farming) and the arts. His theories on education, based on child development, have been used in Steiner Waldorf schools for almost 100 years. Woodlands was carefully remodelled to serve the school's needs and the Offsted Report of 2010 praised the resulting 'learning environment which combines beauty and function while retaining the integrity of this historical building [. . . ] The school's outdoor play space has attractive areas for recreation and well-used raised beds for gardening'.
Kidbrooke House was renamed Mycenae House in 1994 when it was taken over by an independent charity, the Vanbrugh Community Association, which continues to run it as a community centre, itself set in pleasant grounds.
At the end of WWI Woodlands was unoccupied and was then sold to The Little Sisters of the Assumption, a Catholic Noviate Order, and used as a convent. Land near the house was sold by the Trustees and enabled the building of the adjacent Noviate House, a purpose-built convent that opened in 1933. The Order finally relocated to Paddington in 1967 and local resident and historian Cyril Fry then convinced Greenwich Council to purchase both Woodlands and the Noviate House, in order to preserve them from development. As a result Noviate House was purchased in 1968 and converted into Kidbrooke House Community Centre to replace the original Kidbrooke House that was demolished when the Sun in the Sands roundabout on Shooters Hill was constructed.
Woodlands was purchased by Greenwich Council in 1972 and opened as Woodlands Art Gallery. Also used as Greenwich Local Studies Library, it was set in part of the former garden, albeit much reduced in size. This walled garden comprised a lawn with island shrub beds, several specimen trees and a notable row of mature London planes on a bank. The Art Gallery and Local Studies Centre were later closed, the latter moving to the former Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. Woodlands was eventually purchased by the Greenwich Steiner School Initiative, which had been established in St George's Church nearby since 1999. The school moved to Woodlands as its main site in 2008. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) was an Austrian philosopher whose ideas have influenced many spheres of life including science and mathematics, politics, drama, agriculture (bio-dynamic farming) and the arts. His theories on education, based on child development, have been used in Steiner Waldorf schools for almost 100 years. Woodlands was carefully remodelled to serve the school's needs and the Offsted Report of 2010 praised the resulting 'learning environment which combines beauty and function while retaining the integrity of this historical building [. . . ] The school's outdoor play space has attractive areas for recreation and well-used raised beds for gardening'.
Kidbrooke House was renamed Mycenae House in 1994 when it was taken over by an independent charity, the Vanbrugh Community Association, which continues to run it as a community centre, itself set in pleasant grounds.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ401776 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | Greenwich Steiner School |
| Site Management | Greenwich Steiner School |
| Dates | 1774 and C19th; 200 |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: Woodlands |
| 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 | Greenwich |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Blackheath |
| Tree Preservation Order | Not known |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes - Area of Special Character of Local Importance |
| Other LA Designation | Community Open Space |
Gallery
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
Vanbrugh Park is a 1960s housing estate designed for Greenwich Metropolitan Borough, which comprises one tall block and a grid of 2-storey terraces in a landscaped setting of mature trees, a network of paths and communal spaces, with brick garden walls and pergolas. It is named after Sir John Vanbrugh who succeeded Sir Christopher Wren as Surveyor of Greenwich Hospital in 1716 and who lived in the area between 1719-1726,
East Greenwich Pleasaunce is the former walled burial ground of the old Royal Hospital at Greenwich. The land, a former orchard, was purchased when the Hospital's two burial grounds were becoming full and the new cemetery opened in 1857. In 1875 the bodies of 3000 pensioners were brought here from the old infirmary burial ground when a railway tunnel was cut through the site. In 1926 the burial ground was sold to Greenwich MBC. Railings around the tombstones were removed and part of the ground was landscaped as a park although the gravestones remain in the central area.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Greenwich Park's history dates back to pre-Roman times. After the Norman Conquest it became a large manor, which was inherited in 1427 by the Duke of Gloucester who enclosed the park in 1433. After his death it was taken by Henry VI's wife, and became the Manor of Plesaunce or Placentia and had associations with royalty until the early C18th. Henry VII built a royal palace here and the park was formally laid out for Charles II in the French style with a series of terraces and many trees planted, some of which remain. A great supporter of scientific research, Charles commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to build the Royal Observatory here. Greenwich Meridian Line crosses the landscape, dividing the world into the east and west hemispheres. James II was the last monarch at Greenwich, his daughter Mary later donating the palace site for a hospital for sailors and the park was made available to pensioners at the Hospital. The public were first allowed into the park during the C18th.
Greenwich Park's history dates back to pre-Roman times. After the Norman Conquest it became a large manor, which was inherited in 1427 by the Duke of Gloucester who enclosed the park in 1433. After his death it was taken by Henry VI's wife, and became the Manor of Plesaunce or Placentia and had associations with royalty until the early C18th. Henry VII built a royal palace here and the park was formally laid out for Charles II in the French style with a series of terraces and many trees planted, some of which remain. A great supporter of scientific research, Charles commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to build the Royal Observatory here. Greenwich Meridian Line crosses the landscape, dividing the world into the east and west hemispheres. James II was the last monarch at Greenwich, his daughter Mary later donating the palace site for a hospital for sailors and the park was made available to pensioners at the Hospital. The public were first allowed into the park during the C18th.
