Headstone Manor seen across its moat

Image: © Marathon Taken: 25 May 2016

The land on which Headstone Manor stands was part of the complete manor of Harrow, owned by Wulfred, Archbishop of Canterbury in 825 AD. The house was originally completed in about 1345 and used as the Archbishops' main residence in Middlesex. Headstone Manor and its farm remained in the ownership of the church until the Reformation. It was sold by Henry VIII in 1547 to Lord Edward North and remained in private hands for four centuries. Over time, Headstone Manor fell into a state of disrepair, and much of its surrounding land was sold off. In 1925 Hendon Rural District Council bought the site. It then passed into the control of the London Borough of Harrow after local government reorganisation. Headstone Manor is the earliest surviving timber-framed building in Middlesex. The moat is contemporary in date to the earliest part of the building (about 1310) and is the only complete water-filled Medieval moat in Greater London. The brick facade was added in the 1770s, giving Headstone Manor the appearance it has today. With Heritage Lottery Funding, plans are in hand to restore the house and open it as a permanent museum in March 2017, telling the story of Harrow and of Headstone Manor.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0