Whitehall Historic House
Free-entry Tudor timber-framed house in Cheam village, run by Sutton Council, with period rooms, a walled garden and a community café.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Whitehall is a timber-framed house in the village of Cheam, in the London Borough of Sutton. It was probably built around 1500 as a yeoman farmer's house and has been altered and extended over five centuries. One tradition says Elizabeth I once held a council there during a hunt from nearby Nonsuch Palace, which is how it is said to have got an early nickname, The Council House.
Cheam School was founded at the house in 1645, and the merchant and writer James Boevey is thought to have lived there from about 1670 to 1696. The Killick family lived at Whitehall from 1741 to 1963. The borough council bought the house in 1963 and opened it to the public in 1978 after restoration.
The house closed in 2016 for a refurbishment and reopened in June 2018. The work added a lift and new stairs to improve access, and the rooms show Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian features. The garden has a medieval well that served an earlier building on the site.
Today the London Borough of Sutton runs the house with volunteers and the Friends of Whitehall. Entry is free, heritage volunteers lead drop-in tours on Saturdays, and a community café, Beans and Bloom, run by the social enterprise Nickel Support, operates on site.
Highlights
- Tudor timber-framed house dating from around 1500
- Rooms with Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian features
- Garden with a medieval well
- Volunteer-led Saturday tours
- Beans and Bloom community café
Permanent exhibition
- Historic rooms of Whitehall – Rooms of the Tudor house with Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian features, plus a garden with a medieval well.
- Founded
- 1978
- Operated by
- London Borough of Sutton
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Adults | free |
|---|
General admission and the volunteer-led tours are free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description
The council says Whitehall Historic House is accessible to wheelchair users and that the refurbishment added a lift and new stairs. Sensory sacks with ear defenders, fidget toys and a spotter's guide can be borrowed free from the front desk. An audio description guide and a visual guide to preview the building are available.
Kids & families
Children under 12 must always be accompanied by an adult. The house runs family events such as seasonal trails.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Cheam railway station
Cheam railway station is the nearest station, about a five-minute walk.
By car
A pay and display car park is behind Cheam Library, reached from Park Road.
Amenities & dining
- Café
Beans and Bloom is a community café run by the social enterprise Nickel Support, with indoor and outdoor seating.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
Rooms at Whitehall can be hired through Sutton Libraries.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Tours and opening hours depend on the availability of volunteer guides. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. |
