Broomfield House
Encyclopedia
Palmers Green
Palmers Green is a place in the London Borough of Enfield. It is a suburban area situated 7.6 miles north of Charing Cross. Postally, it is in London N13...
, North London
North London
North London is the northern part of London, England. It is an imprecise description and the area it covers is defined differently for a range of purposes. Common to these definitions is that it includes districts located north of the River Thames and is used in comparison with South...
. Built during the 16th Century, it was damaged by fires in 1984 and 1994, and is currently awaiting restoration
Building restoration
Building restoration describes a particular treatment approach and philosophy within the field of architectural conservation. According the U.S...
as part of the English Heritage Restoration Programme.
History
Broomfield house was sold to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
, Joseph Jackson, in 1624 after several previous occupants. During the 150 years that the Jackson family were in possession of the house, the house was internally remodelled to a considerable extent. The grand staircase was built and mural
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
s were painted by Gerard Lanscroon, and the surrounding Broomfield Park was also created. During the late 18th century to early 19th century the once U-shaped building was altered into a rectangular shape, enclosing the once east-facing courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
. After a period where the house was let to tenants, the house and 54 acres (218,530.4 m²) of land was sold for development to Southgate Urban District Council, who opened the park to the public in 1903.
Between 1907 and 1910 the building housed Southgate County School
Southgate School
Southgate School is a state comprehensive secondary school in the London Borough of Enfield. It has approximately 1574 pupils.The school has Specialist Science Status. The school is situated just east of the Cat Hill roundabout of the A111 and A110, between Cockfosters and Oakwood tube stations...
, with Southgate
Southgate, London
Southgate is an area of north London, England, primarily within the London Borough of Enfield, although parts of its western fringes lie within the London Borough of Barnet. It is located around north of Charing Cross. The name is derived from being the south gate to Enfield Chase...
's first maternity centre opening there in 1917. The building was classified as Grade II* in 1950 because of its history and architectural uniqueness.
Fires
In 1984 a fireFire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
broke out in building which damaged the roof and the top floor. The cause was deemed to be electrical. A temporary roof was erected to ensure further damage was kept to a minimum, though a permanent roof was not rebuilt as the house was no longer in use. A second fire in 1994 made the building in its current state unusable and unsafe. Though the council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
wanted to demolish the building, heritage groups persuaded the Council to obtain a report looking into the possibility of restoration. This concluded that restoration should be undertaken, and the building was made safe.
Currently the building remains enclosed by scaffolding until details on the full restoration and its future use by the community can be agreed upon.
Restoration
Broomfield House was featured on the BBC televisionBBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
series Restoration
Restoration (TV series)
Restoration, Restoration, Restoration is a set of BBC television series where viewers decided on which listed building that was in immediate need of remedial works was to win a grant from Heritage Lottery Fund...
as a nominee for the south-east segment of the show, alongside London Wilton's Music Hall
Wilton's Music Hall
Wilton's Music Hall is a grade II* listed building, built as a music hall and now a more general-purpose performance space in Grace's Alley, off Cable Street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Darnley Mausoleum
Darnley Mausoleum
The Darnley Mausoleum, is a Grade I Listed Building, situated in Cobham Woods, Kent . It was designed by James Wyatt for the 4th Earl of Darnley according to detailed instructions in the will of the 3rd Earl of Darnley. It was never used...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. Broomfield House lost out to London Wilton's Music Hall, with the series' overall winner announced as Victoria Baths
Victoria Baths
Victoria Baths is a Grade II* listed building, situated in the Chorlton-upon-Medlock area of Manchester, in northwest England. The building is currently on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk Register....
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
On Wednesday 25 November 2009 the transformation of Broomfield House took another step forward, as the Mayor of London's office confirmed that £500,000 was to be made available for preparatory and public consultation work. The plan is to make it into sheltered housing accommodation. Concerns have been raised by some local people about the proposals which the council will address as part of its public consultation.