Kenwood, St George's Hill

Add links
Coordinates: 51°21′20″N 0°26′47″W / 51.355522°N 0.446335°W / 51.355522; -0.446335
This is a good article. Click here for more information.
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Kenwood, St. George's Hill
)

Kenwood
Map
General information
Architectural style
Tudor revival
Town or cityWeybridge
CountryEngland
Completed1913
ClientNorman H. Johnson
Design and construction
Architect(s)Theophilus Arthur Allen

Kenwood is a house on the St George's Hill estate, Weybridge, Surrey, England. Originally called the Brown House, it was designed by architect T. A. Allen, and built in 1913 by Love & Sons, a local building firm. The estate was constructed around the Weybridge Golf Club, which was designed in 1912 by Harry Colt.

John Lennon, of the Beatles, bought Kenwood for £20,000 (equivalent to £431,200 in 2021)[1] on 15 July 1964, on the advice of the Beatles' accountants, Walter Strach and James Isherwood. Lennon was resident from the summer of 1964 until the late spring of 1968. Film of the gate and the exterior of the house was included in an ITN programme called Reporting 66 in 1966. Parts of a home movie showing Lennon at Kenwood in 1967 were featured in the film Imagine: John Lennon.

Kenwood is close to Sunny Heights, the former home of Ringo Starr, and a short drive from Kinfauns, George Harrison's former home in Esher. In October 2006, Kenwood went back on the market at a price of £5.95 million; it was sold in January 2007 for £5.8 million.

History

Located on Wood Lane, off Cavendish Road, Kenwood was built in a mock-

Tudor style in 1913, and was originally called The Brown House.[2] The footprint and gardens cover 1.5 acres (0.61 ha), of which—under the rules of the building scheme—the house must occupy no more than one fifth and the plot may not be subdivided into more than one home. It was designed in 1913 by architect Theophilus Arthur Allen, who had been commissioned by local man Norman H. Johnson.[3] Allen employed a local firm called Love & Sons in the construction of Kenwood.[3] The hill was divided into lots around the Weybridge Golf Club, which was designed by Harry Colt in 1912.[4] Many of the original houses on the estate were built by master builder Walter George Tarrant
, whose firm constructed Kenwood's original external garage c. 1920 (it was demolished c. 1995).

Purchase and renovations by John Lennon

John Lennon bought the house on 15 July 1964, on the advice of the Beatles' accountants, Walter Strach and James Isherwood.[5][6] Cliff Richard and Tom Jones had earlier bought homes on the St George's Hill estate.[7] Though reportedly not liking Kenwood (describing it as a "stop-over" on the way to something better), Lennon spent £40,000 (were it cash for ordinary expenditure equivalent to £862,000 in 2021)[8] on renovations, reducing its 22 rooms to 17, landscaping the grounds, and building an outdoor swimming pool, constructed by a local skilled tradesman, Fred Borley.[9] Much of the initial decoration was left to interior designer Kenneth Partridge, whom Lennon employed after being impressed by his design work at a lavish party held by Beatles' manager Brian Epstein to celebrate the Beatles' departure for their first tour of the United States.[10] However, when Partridge had completed his work, Lennon and then-wife Cynthia immediately made a number of further alterations which better reflected their taste.[11] Cynthia's mother was given an allowance to fill the shelves of the house with antiques and antiquarian books, and a heavy sliding wooden door was installed at the gate entrance to keep out fans.[12]

Kenwood has three floors. On the ground floor during the Lennon period the front door opened onto an entrance hall, wherein Lennon placed a suit of armour and a

née Stanley), also known as Mimi.[19] Behind the sunroom was the split-level kitchen where state-of-the-art appliances were installed, so complex that a tutor had to come and give the Lennons lessons in their use.[20]

Completing the ground floor was a smaller lounge, and a large garage. The main staircase to the upper floors was situated in the entrance hall. The house had six bedrooms, with five on the first floor. The giant master bedroom featured a huge double bed, white carpets and an en-suite bathroom complete with sunken bathtub, shower,

Liverpool Art College.[22] In particular, two drawings by late Beatles' bassist Stuart Sutcliffe were hung, for what Lennon described as "sentimental reasons".[23][24] The first floor also had a study. On the top floor was the attic, which Lennon claimed as his own, painting the ceiling one bright colour, then changing to another when the paint ran out, and installing most of his musical equipment there.[24] Outside the house, seen to the right when looking down from the sunroom, lay the swimming pool. In 1967, Lennon suggested a mirrored bottom for the pool; being advised that this would be not only impractical and expensive, but potentially dangerous to swimmers, he settled for a large eye mosaic set in the side.[25] The mosaic was based on the Eye of Knowledge, which was part of the teachings of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.[26]

Staff

The Lennons initially had problems recruiting reliable staff, but eventually employed a cook/housekeeper (Dorothy Jarlett, or Dot), a chauffeur (Les Anthony), and a groundskeeper.[27][28] Lennon was surprised and impressed to discover that the groundskeeper had "dropped out" of university to pursue his love of horticulture.[29] Others employed at Kenwood included Lennon's schoolfriend Pete Shotton, who worked as his personal assistant in the early part of 1968, and Pauline Jones, who was the girlfriend (later wife) of Lennon's father, Alfred Lennon. Jones worked as an au pair and secretary, answering the large volume of fan mail received at Kenwood, during late 1967.[30][31][32]

Songwriting

Lennon did much of his songwriting in the attic, where he had several

upright piano in the sunroom.[35]

Recreation

Aside from the mini-studio, the attic contained two other rooms: a small guest bedroom and a games room used for recreation. Lennon filled it with three full sets of the model car racing game

Monkee Michael Nesmith and his wife Phyllis, Bob Dylan and Peter Cook) stayed or dined at the house, together with old friends like Ivan Vaughan and Shotton from Liverpool, or strangers Lennon had met at a party or nightclub, such as the Ad Lib.[42] Cynthia and Lennon were beginning to lead separate lives by 1967, and it was not uncommon for Cynthia to wake up in the morning to find the house filled with people in various states of intoxication whom Lennon had met the previous night in clubs.[43] Large parts of the house were unused by the Lennons, and visitors remarked that there was frequently a strange atmosphere.[44]

Lennon, Yoko Ono, and Cynthia

In 1968, Cynthia went on vacation to Greece, leaving Lennon at Kenwood with Shotton. After several days of taking LSD and smoking

Two Virgins album, and then "made love at dawn", according to Lennon.[46] Cynthia returned early from her vacation, and discovered Lennon and Ono sitting cross-legged on the floor and staring intently into each other's eyes (Ono was wearing one of Cynthia's bathrobes). In a state of shock, Cynthia then left to stay with friends for a few days, although Lennon and Cynthia were reconciled for a time upon her return to Kenwood.[47]

It was during Cynthia's next holiday in Italy that Lennon and Ono finally entered into a permanent relationship, and Lennon asked for a divorce. Cynthia, together with Julian and her mother, moved back into Kenwood for the summer, where

Dorchester Hotel in London, leaving Kenwood for the last time.[54]

Film/interview/photos

Film of the exterior of the house and the gate was included in Reporting 66, a programme produced by

Two Virgins.[57] Lennon was interviewed several times on audio tape at Kenwood; interviewers included Ray Coleman and Kenny Everett.[58][59] Several photo sessions also took place at Kenwood, the most famous of which provided the cover photo for the Beatles' 1965 album Rubber Soul.[60]

Kenwood after the Lennons

As Lennon and Cynthia were getting divorced, it became clear that Lennon did not wish to keep Kenwood, and Cynthia could not afford to maintain it on her own, so it was sold in December 1968, for a reputed £40,000 (equivalent to £738,000 in 2021).

Bill Martin, writer of songs such as "Puppet on a String" and "Congratulations".[62] Kenwood has had a succession of owners, and some major renovations. The interior now little resembles the house that Lennon lived in. The sunroom has been completely rebuilt. The exterior and grounds are similar. After being displayed at the Liverpool International Garden Festival in 1984, the psychedelic eye mosaic was unclaimed, and left in a field. It was rediscovered and restored by Tom Lorimer, a laboratory technician at the Liverpool John Moores University, to be displayed at the Museum of Liverpool Life.[63] Items from Lennon's Kenwood period have also appeared for auction, including towels and cutlery, a caviar jar, and the table that sat in the sunroom.[64] Lennon kept the Kenwood house sign after he left, but gave it to Andy Eccles, a gardener at Tittenhurst Park, in 1972. It was sold for US$20,400 in 2003.[6] In October 2006, Kenwood went back on the market, initially seeking up to £150,000 more, was sold three months later for £5.8 million.[65] It has been claimed each owner after the Lennons has sold it owing to divorce.[38][66]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  2. ^ "John Lennon's Home for Sale". Propeller. Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  3. ^ a b Inventory of Tarrant Built Houses on St George's Hill (1992)
  4. ^ Smith, Stewart. "St George's Hill Golf Club". St George's Hill Golf Club. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  5. ^ Coleman 2000, p. 721.
  6. ^ a b "John Lennon's Kenwood Estate Sign". It's Only Rock n Roll. 2003. Archived from the original on 15 December 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  7. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 199.
  8. ^ Spitz 2005, pp. 514–515.
  9. ^ Davies 2002, p. 323.
  10. ^ Brown & Gaines 1984, p. 129.
  11. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 201.
  12. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 228.
  13. ^ Brown & Gaines 1984, p. 2.
  14. ^ Coleman 2000, p. 343.
  15. ^ Davies 2002, p. 324.
  16. ^ "John Lennon on the couch". Beefheart, Captain. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  17. ^ Vyner 1999, p. 136.
  18. ^ Brown & Gaines 1984, p. 4.
  19. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 247.
  20. ^ Brown & Gaines 1984, p. 145.
  21. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 235.
  22. ^ Brown & Gaines 1984, p. 130.
  23. ^ Miles 1997, p. 170.
  24. ^ a b Coleman 2000, p. 344.
  25. ^ Coleman 2000, p. 333.
  26. ^ Miles 1997, p. 397.
  27. ^ Giuliano 1997, p. 228.
  28. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 202.
  29. ^ Shotton & Schaffner 1983, p. 103.
  30. ^ Shotton & Schaffner 1983, p. 163.
  31. ^ Lennon 1990, p. 147.
  32. ^ "Pauline Lennon". Liverpool Lennons. 2004. Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  33. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 224.
  34. ^ Sandford 2006, p. 153.
  35. ^ Shotton & Schaffner 1983, p. 121.
  36. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 223.
  37. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 204.
  38. ^ a b Angela Reardon 2006-Lived Next Door to Kenwood 1960–2000
  39. ^ Brown & Gaines 1984, p. 196.
  40. ^ Vyner 1999, p. 175.
  41. ^ Brown & Gaines 1984, p. 220.
  42. ^ Lennon 2005, pp. 218–220.
  43. ^ Lennon 1978, p. 142.
  44. ^ Lennon 1990, p. 149.
  45. ^ Shotton & Schaffner 1983, pp. 167–168.
  46. ^ Shotton & Schaffner 1983, p. 168.
  47. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 290.
  48. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 297.
  49. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 302.
  50. ^ Brown & Gaines 1984, p. 266.
  51. ^ Giuliano 2005.
  52. ^ Brown & Gaines 1984, p. 267.
  53. ^ Goldman 1989, p. 381.
  54. ^ Lennon 2005, p. 354.
  55. ^ Miles 1998, p. 227.
  56. ^ "John Lennon – Imagine (1988)". Apple Corps. Archived from the original on 13 December 2010. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  57. ^ J Hoberman – The Films of John And Yoko (The Ballad of John And Yoko – Rolling Stone 1982) p264
  58. ^ Coleman 2000, p. 365.
  59. ^ Lewisohn & Martin 1996, p. 279.
  60. ^ Kindersley 2004, p. 194.
  61. Press-Courier
    . p. 21.
  62. ^ Bowron, Steven (26 December 2004). "Bill Martin". Sunday Post. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  63. ^ Batchelor, Will; Brown, Chris (23 August 2002). "History of musical legends on display". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  64. ^ "John Lennon's Caviar Jar". It's Only Rock n Roll. Archived from the original on 15 December 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  65. ^ Woollard, Diedre (10 October 2006). "John Lennon's House For Sale". Luxist. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
  66. ^ "Kenwood property listing at Jan 2013". 9 January 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2013.

References

External links

51°21′20″N 0°26′47″W / 51.355522°N 0.446335°W / 51.355522; -0.446335

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kenwood,_St_George%27s_Hill&oldid=1179827417"