Everyone is welcome at Charlton House & Gardens on Saturday 12th September
Charlton House & Gardens is taking part in Open House Festival 2026. The house and gardens will be open to everyone on Saturday 12th September as part of the annual free event.
‘We are delighted to be putting on two special architectural tours alongside general house tours,’ says Janet Denne, CEO at Royal Greenwich Heritage Trust (RGHT) the charity that runs Charlton House & Gardens. ‘We want as many people as possible to learn more about this Grade 1 listed Jacobean mansion in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. There are so many stories that we want to share about the history of the House.’
Charlton House was built between 1607-1612 for Sir Adam Newton, tutor to King James I’s eldest son, Prince Henry. It is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Jacobean architecture in the UK.
Open House visitors will be able to wander round the rooms and learn more about its history – Lady Newton will visit from Jacobean times.
The stories of the house are connected to the local community, in particular St Luke’s Church, which is across the road from Charlton House. Sir Adam Newton’s estate funded the complete rebuilding of the church in 1630. Later owners of the house include the Maryon-Wilson family who have named private pews in the church. The church will also be open on 12th September and will be offering tours of the church and the tower.
What’s happening:
- House and architectural tours
- Gardens open
- Meet and greet from Lady Newton
- Frilly’s will be open
- Food and drink on the front lawn
- St Luke’s tours
- Open 10am-5pm
The Open House Festival, which started in 1992 as Open House London, celebrates architecture and unique spaces. Members of the public are invited to explore buildings across London’s 33 boroughs. The festival encourages community involvement as well as welcoming visitors from further afield.
‘We are really keen that some of the visitors to Open House come from close to home,’ explains Janet. ‘The house is part of the local community and we want people to find out more about the history of this amazing house.’
There will be four tours of Charlton House throughout Saturday 12th September, which are bookable through the Open House Festival website from 19th August. Drop-ins are encouraged throughout the day (from 10am-5pm).
