“This place feels very important but I don’t know why yet,” Billy Bragg said. He wandered into Cecil Sharp House in 1986. Today, we stand before this iconic building, a testament to English folk heritage.
Cecil Sharp House is more than just a building. It’s a Grade II Listed landmark. It stands at the junction of Regent’s Park Road and Gloucester Avenue. This is where folk traditions come alive.
Cecil Sharp House was built in 1929. It honors Cecil Sharp’s dedication to restoring country songs and dances. At the time of his death, Sharp directed the English Folk Dance Society.
Step inside Cecil Sharp House. Feel the architectural blend of utility and artistry. Notice the formal halls for dance. See the mystical curves of wooden carvings. Here, town meets country. Academia meets tradition. All classes collide.
The English Folk Dance Society planned the House as its headquarters. It is named after Cecil Sharp. He was the society’s founder and former Organising Director. Cecil Sharp House officially opened on June 7, 1930.
The building was designed with specific purposes. It was to house a library for Sharp’s book collection. A large hall was planned for social dancing and concerts. Two smaller classrooms downstairs were intended for teaching.
In 1932, the English Folk Dance Society merged. It joined the Folk Song Society. Together, they formed the English Folk Dance and Song Society EFDSS. EFDSS still owns Cecil Sharp House today.
World War II brought destruction. In September 1940, four bombs hit Cecil Sharp House. The front entrance was destroyed. The stairwell and a musicians’ gallery in the main hall were ruined. Fortunately, the library remained largely intact. Its rare books had been moved to Cheshire for safekeeping. The remaining collection was moved to Oxford.
After the bombing, the House was patched up. Most classes and dances took place in the basement. It had escaped largely unscathed. Funds were raised to rebuild the House after the war. John Eastwick-Field became the architect. He restored and extended the House.
Princess Margaret reopened Cecil Sharp House on June 5, 1951. The refurbished House had a new foyer and an additional floor. A reopening dance celebrated the event.
The musicians’ gallery was not reinstalled. Ivon Hitchens was commissioned to create a mural. It was to depict key English folk dances and traditions. Hitchens worked for three years. He completed the mural in 1954. Measuring 69 x 20 feet, it was the largest in the country at the time.
Cecil Sharp House continues to thrive. The English Folk Dance and Song Society works to preserve folk arts. The Vaughan Williams Memorial Library stands as England’s national folk music archive. It is a multi-media library of distinction.
Many know Cecil Sharp as the man who rescued English folk song. Born in 1859, he collected 4,977 tunes. Around 3,000 songs came from England. About 1,500 came from the Appalachian Mountains in the USA.
Cecil Sharp House is a vibrant center. It hosts classes, concerts, and events. It’s a place where the legacy of English folk music lives on. It’s a place where everyone can experience the joy of folk traditions.