“Ink magnate.” Does that pique your interest? We are standing before Avenue House. It is also known as Stephens House. This Grade II listed Victorian villa has a fascinating story.
Avenue House dates back to 1859. But its history stretches back much further. The land was once Temple Croft Fields. The Knights Templar were granted 40 acres here in 1243. Later, the Knights Hospitaller owned it until 1539.
Fast forward to 1874. Henry Stephens, the “ink magnate,” acquired the house and estate. He was the son of the inventor of the famous blue-black ink. Stephens enlarged the house and added a stable. He hired Robert Marnock to design the grounds. Marnock was a leading landscape gardener. The grounds include a walled garden and The Bothy.
Stephens bequeathed Avenue House to the Finchley Urban District Council. He wanted it open to the public forever. This was in his will when he died in 1918. He is commemorated in The Stephens Collection. It is a small museum in the visitor center at Stephens House & Gardens.
The gardens opened to the public in 1928. They feature lawns, trees, and shrubberies. You can also find an ornamental pond, a fountain and a children’s playground.
Let’s talk about The Bothy. It was built in the late 1870s. It resembles a small castle. It is one of England’s earliest non-Roman concrete structures. Volunteers maintain The Bothy garden. It opens to visitors monthly during the summer.
Avenue House is a Site of Local Importance for Nature Conservation. The birdlife is a main ecological draw. Look out for great spotted woodpeckers, greenfinches, great tits and robins. Frogs breed in the pond.
Keep an eye out for the Spike Milligan statue. The Finchley Society raised funds for it. Sculptor John Somerville cast it in bronze. The statue shows Spike sitting on a bench. It was unveiled in 2014. Many celebrities attended the ceremony.
Avenue House suffered a fire in 1989. It has since been refurbished. It retains its character. It now offers modern facilities. These are used for conferences, functions, and weddings.
The Avenue House Estate Trust manages the estate. They took over from the London Borough of Barnet in 2002. In 2014, the estate became Stephens House & Gardens. This highlights the history of this facility.
So, as you wander the grounds of Avenue House. Remember its rich history. From the Knights Templar to the ink magnate. It is a place for the public to enjoy.