Eight years have passed since my post (which may be read at https://wp.me/p4KnVs-3Fo) on one of London’s more secretive Jacobean mansions, Boston Manor. Situated in West London in an area where several other aristocratic mansions are to be found like Gunnersbury and Chiswick House, Boston Manor celebrates its four hundredth anniversary this year.

In 1623 the Clitheroe family built one of the earliest English houses in the Renaissance style. They also decorated the interior with a then new-fangled item, wallpaper!

Boston Manor continues to be surrounded by beautiful grounds despite the efforts of the nearby M4 to interrupt its peace.

Through the centuries the Manor has seen its ups and downs. At the time of our 2015 visit, although it seemed to be in an acceptable condition, the house was, in fact, on the historic buildings at risk register. Fortunately National Lottery funds became available and from 2018 until last Friday when it was officially opened to the public by the mayor the mansion was under the wraps of an extensive restoration project.

What did this project consist of?

First and paramount was making the whole structure safe again. Parts of the house had only been prevented from falling down by scaffolding! Second was the restoration of the interior to the state it would have presented when first built. This meant research into the original colour scheme for the elaborate strap work ceilings of the state room and master bedroom and the manner in which the walls and furnishing were decorated. Gone now is the multi-coloured ceiling scheme of the Victorian era. Gone also are the dingy hangings of the walls. In their place is pure white strap work and uplifting blue wall hangings (a colour again chosen by discovering threads of the original material).

Is the result of all this labour successful? Certainly, if one goes for Jacobean authenticity. Those marvellous ceilings were, surprisingly, kept white. However, under the later multi-coloured scheme the images and wording of these ceilings were rather easier to decipher because they stood out rather more clearly. Indeed, when we visited in 2015 a large mirror in the centre of the room reflected them, avoiding neck-ache.

The stairs with their pageantry of lions and fine woodwork certainly come out better with the restored scheme and the house’s entrance screen is quite splendid.

A third element of the restoration involved visitor facilities. There are now, with more rooms opened out to accommodate them, displays illustrating the evolution of Boston Manor, a lift giving full accessibility and a cafe offering classic English tea.

We asked a long-serving attendant at the house her opinion of the restoration. With considerable tact she answered that she missed what she termed the ‘cosiness’ of the former arrangement. Indeed we do miss it as well. Nostalgia and thought of those who accompanied us then but sadly are no longer with us, must play a part. We were, however, in agreement that the restoration was very well done and that, most importantly, the house had now been taken off the buildings at risk register and saved for future generations to enjoy.

Reflecting on the time my wife was still able to take her mother to visit this exquisitely unknown place in London I enjoyed a lovely walk in the manor’s grounds noting that these too were being restored to their natural beauty. The various animals populating them appeared to be in agreement too.