In Search of the Oldest House in London

[@bobfountain2959]

Would love more on London's old buildings.

[@billmilligan1705]

If you want the oldest building in London there is a Roman building still in use from the occupation near Whitehall called the Vetus Allec Secreti. It's open to the public every 32nd September where the holder of the keys is offered a fresh fish from the Thames, a round loaf of bread and some kale

[@matthewgartell6380]

Here Here!

[@highpath4776]

@@billmilligan1705 32nd ? ( Oct 2th ?)

[@shauleen]

Yeah.. loved Mary close in Edinburgh...

[@barryxf]

I’m working on an idea for a wall-mounted photographic exhibition of the changing skyline of the City of London with photos and accompanying details of notable buildings, this to be based somewhere in the EC3 area.

[@Kakuoin]

Hey Jago, I actually used to live in the Ancient House in Walthamstow. So cool that you covered it! The inside is renovated into 2 or 3 flats if I remember, but all the original beams remain, albeit with gaps in the walls and horrendous draughts.

[@Tony_P]

It also made an appearance in Joolz Guides latest video.

[@julianshepherd2038]

I went to some parties at the then squatted Sutton House in Hackney 1535. Late 80s. Surreal.

[@laila970]

It's strange this house keeps on coming up lately someone just brought me a cool ancient house mug from the Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum too.

[@shantishanti1949]

what is between the vertical timber beams ... is that mud brick ?

[@jamiejones8508]

Oooh interesting :-)

[@peabody1976]

I'm happy that even with exploring the old(er) houses of London-ish you snuck in train footage. Very good. And yes, more about cool buildings that survived the Great Fire would be nice to watch.

[@Dailymailnewz]

In finchley there is a church that was build during the time of King alfred around 980 AD.

[@NicholasNA]

There’s a well preserved Roman house (well remains of a Roman house) in a basement under a modern office block by the Monument. The best preserved parts are its baths. It is can be visited on occasional open days - or if you ask the Museum of London nicely.

[@garyfrancis6193]

What monument?

[@branscombeR]

@@garyfrancis6193 The Monument to the Great Fire of London (1666), more commonly known simply as the Monument, is a fluted Doric column situated on Fish Street Hill, near the northern end of London Bridge. Road. The supposed origin of the fire was a bakery in nearby Pudding Lane. At that time most buildings in the City were made of wood, and that, coupled with a dry summer, meant the flames spread quickly throughout the City. The fire raged for four days and during that time one third of all buildings in London were destroyed, 86% of the City was burnt to the ground and 130,000 people were made homeless. R (Australia)

[@Julius_Hardware]

"I don't find them as interesting as small private residences..." - Which explains what Jago was doing in my wardrobe. Possibly.

[@mikewilliamson7246]

It MIGHT explain why he was in your wardrobe but NOT what he was doing there ! 😮

[@adrianbromfild8624]

Every time you put a video up I learn something new about London!

[@SamanthaWritesThings]

Love these London history videos of yours! * slams beer stein on table * MORE!

[@shereesmazik5030]

Sodden with beer - London

[@acmehorse]

Take care of the spillage! 😂

[@pinkthing999]

Pint pot, surely?? 😂😂

[@hymek7017]

St Bartholomew's church in Smithfield seen at 03:25 houses the oldest complete ring of five or more bells in the world. All five bells date from 1510, were all cast by Thomas Bullisdon and have been in the same tower all that time, doing the same job they were intended to do.

[@paulnorman6821]

Not quite right: the tower was built in the 1620s. We're not entirely sure where the bells lived before that.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

Hi Jago from Spain where it is hot 38°. Thanks for another tale not from the tube. It is all very interesting. I remember going to London on the train into Fenchurch St. and seeing houses that had been bombed leaving the adjacent houses still standing and the upper floor fireplaces still in place with the odd vase still on the mantelpiece.

[@ratinatrap7815]

I love Jago's "off the rails" videos I hope he makes more.

[@nomusician4737]

Really old building is one of my favourite subjects so I wouldn't be even a bit upset if this became a series.

[@fernbedek6302]

More planning committees need to accept ‘a winged beast ordered me to build it in a dream’ as a reason to accept some slight zoning violations.

[@hb1338]

Money is more easily available and more readily accepted.

[@dukenukem5768]

My winged beasts point out stuff that needs knocking down.

[@faithlesshound5621]

The lawyer Sidney Powell's evidence for ballot box-stuffing in the 2020 Presidential election came to her psychic friend in a dream. However, no judge accepted that.

[@morbik1]

Yes, I would like more videos about really old buildings in London please.

[@davidwong9230]

Thanks for this interesting trip…going round the houses. As for the house which was a bicycle shop, it was being recycled 🏠

[@jerribee1]

Oh dear, oh dear.

[@RM-ti8nf]

😄

[@pauliemoody8754]

I'm so enjoying the London buildings sidelines outings. More please.

[@briancisco1176]

Yes, more please on old buildings!

[@katrinabryce]

I guess you would find much older examples outside of London, saying as they didn't have a Great Fire that they needed to survive. Certainly round my way, there are some really old buildings, presumably originally farmhouses in amongst a load of much newer houses.

[@capabilityred3606]

Nice video Jago. I spend a lot of time wandering around London and I am always seeking out old and interesting quirky buildings, so I really enjoyed this one. I totally agree with you that smaller and odd buildings are far more interesting than the castles and palaces that everyone already knows about. More of these please!

[@peterthorpe8104]

Yes please! More more more. I love your videos on whatever subject you cover.

[@disphoto]

Well understated: "Legend has it that Queen Mary the first dined here while the Protestant Martyrs were burned, which would have been pretty impressive given that she'd been dead for 37 years." 🤣I think calling it "impressive" is what tickled me. Never let facts get in the way of a good legend.

[@pj_naylor]

St Barts has 5 bells all of which pre-date the reformation, hung in an anti-clockwise circle. Unfortunately a very different set of bells appear on the soundtrack of the last wedding in "Four Weddings and a Funeral", which was set there.

[@irkibby]

More architecture! I love London for the surprises it throws at you, like the diminutive tower of All Hallows Staining, left standing amongst huge buildings near to Fenchurch St Station. Also nearby the ruins of St Dunstan in the East. St Olaves also nearby has a lot of remaining medieval features and connections with Samuel Pepys iirc

[@michaelaskew6025]

Thank you for your time, effort and expense and would love to see more like this.🥰💚🌱

[@glynwelshkarelian3489]

I think St Bartholomew's is close to the top of my "Must see unknown London'. The church is only slightly older (by English standards) than the White Tower. It one of a very few with standing Norman arches: and I still find it a bit jaw dropping nearly 50 years after I first went in. Churches of London could be a long runner. There are far more than Tube Stations. If you count everyone that's ever been there'll be close to as many as there are bus stops! Especially if you make it Places of Worship. The Welsh Church on Pentonville Rd. St Giles, were those being hung at Tyburn got their last drink. The former CofE church that is now the Russian Orthodox Cathedral on Exhibition Gardens. & many, many more.

[@hb1338]

Churches in the City of London alone would occupy dozens of videos, especially their history shortly before and after the Great Fire. Most of them were actually re-built by Robert Boyle (the physicist) - Wren was actually very busy building St Paul's at the time, but he took the the credit because he was Boyle's boss.

[@thechrissyb]

Coming from colchester I get to work on some pretty old places, one of which is a medieval hall house, a lot more wonky than the one you pictured. Surprisingly not listed, mainly due to being behind a large hedge so people don't know it exists.

[@karenryder6317]

Why would a "large hedge" be allowed to stand if it blocks a house of this historical character, let alone be allowed to prevent it from being listed if the structure otherwise qualifies?

[@EdEditz]

I always enjoy a video about London's old buildings so yes please!

[@GNTel313]

A refreshing diversion from your usual "tales from the tube" Jago. A most interesting and different film. Thank you .... and yes please... some more would be great kind sir !!

[@TfL1901]

I grew up in Walthamstow, and used to walk past he Ancient House every sunday morning, on the way to my piano lesson. it looked quite dilapidated whilst i was growing up - the top of the house was very slanted, like it would fall down!!. The recent restoration has really brought it back to life

[@sugarnads]

Did u scout around in scarborough?

[@pras12100]

"Sutton House" in Hackney dates back to 1535. The National Trust have it now so I suspect no-one lives there any more but it was built as a private house. Edit: Also "Bromley Hall" in Bromley-by-Bow was built in 1485 (but is now offices).

[@Clavichordist]

Please do post more videos like this one. I really enjoy seeing old buildings. Coming from across the pond, our oldest building in my city dates back to 1633. It's a far cry from what you have. We did inherit a lot of the same names though. Where I live, there's Haverhill, Amesbury and Salisbury, all not too far away. I'm located about 2 miles from Bradford and Newbury, and 30 miles from Gloucester, Wakefield and Rowley.

[@hb1338]

Nice to see you that you don't deal with these new-fangled piano thingies !

[@Clavichordist]

@@hb1338 Yup. ;-)

[@f4gsforpele]

390 years old is still pretty incredible

[@TheStevewhelan]

4:27 "War! What is is good for?" Removing the brick facade's off of old buildings apparently 😁

[@MarkMcCluney]

Most interesting. I noticed Rising Sun Court - how about something about the oddest street names in London? Isn't there somewhere called Bleeding Heart Yard, for example?

[@hb1338]

Bleeding Heart Yard is in Farringdon - I think it is off Greville Street.

[@davidmccann9811]

When I moved out of London some years ago, I lived for a few years in a house built in 1698. On one occasion we were doing some work and found a mummified cat under the floor. I have no idea how long it had been there, but we just put it back so it's probably still there.

[@Paradoxical124]

How good was the build quality?

[@countesscable]

I loved this! Can we have more please? Brilliant delivery as always. Only downside--it’s too short!!

[@roadhog6]

Yes please Jago !! I indeed would like to know many more of those houses and the history of the old London. Thanks a lot !

[@roadhog6]

Had to correct what I’ve typed. Geeez my phone is a nuisance !! Thanks all the same for your thumbs up 👍

[@martinturner1809]

A few months ago we did a pub crawl of londons oldest pubs. Can’t remember much but I think it was fun and probably worth a try 😂

[@alyspullein5755]

Please keep them coming, love your videos. Thank you!!!

[@keithparker1346]

I like the contrast between really old and new in London

[@SamLowryDZ-015]

You could have stretched 'house' to public houses and The Ancient house frontage has an architectural similarity to one of the oldest buildings in Forest Gate - The Old Spotted Dog (closed pub) which IRRC dates to 15th C. It's been in a shoddy state for years and weatherboarding and stucco still hides the original timber frame exterior.

[@ianmason.]

The Old Spotted Dog used to be a regular drinking haunt of mine until it closed. I used to take members of my staff there for their dread annual assessments as it was a long way from the office (Marshwall) and was big enough that at lunchtime you could always find a quiet, private corner to have a chat in.

[@Ikwigsjoyful]

While I do love trains, I also love old buildings! Well, just history in general I suppose - any time you want to talk about anything historic, I'm here for it!

[@elainemulberryrat5300]

Hello Jago. Very interesting historical tour. More please.

[@EngineerLewis]

Locally in my town (Newark-on-Trent) we have a 1350 building which is similar to your oldest house in London. It was a coaching inn and most recently was used by the Nottinghamshire Building Society. It is great to see old buildings every day and I guess most people ignore the history as they pass them. Thanks for the video JH.

[@JoOtterH]

In Bathley nearby, The Hollies has a structure which dates to 1296. And then of course there are Norman houses in Lincoln dating to the latter part of the twelfth century.

[@hb1338]

People ignoring history - in Oxford and Cambridge, students live, eat and work in buildings, many of which have been there since the 16th ,17th and 18th centuries, completely oblivious to and ignorant of the history of those buildings.

[@williammoore9794]

I used to live down the road from Canonbury Tower, which i recently discovered was built about 1509. Doesn't beat Walthamstow, but sounds as if that structure has been heavily restored. I was also the housing officer for the Pepys Estate in Deptford which is built on the site of one of the old dockyards. The estate still contains the old gatehouse, officers terrace, and rum warehouses which were all converted into council housing (flats) in the 1960s. Many of those flats were sold on the Right to Buy, but i think the remaining ones could be some of the oldest social housing in London (albeit only converted as such in living memory). More old London buildings please!

[@edwardalexander9486]

Synchonicity? Parallel universes? Joolz Guides covered the same Walthamstow house a couple of days ago - and nice to see it again.

[@ludovica8221]

Jago and Joolz could do a great collaboration

[@jerribee1]

​@@ludovica8221 Sounds like a 1960s musical duo, à la Chad and Jeremy.

[@craiga7907]

When I was a kid I had a jigsaw I did many times of a medieval gateway with a Tudor style building on it and shops either side. Always wondered where it was. Today, 50 years later, I found out. Thanks Jago.

[@rogerwells6807]

A new, and interesting departure. More please.

[@fireaza]

I'd always been hoping you would do an episode about the oldest, still-operating building in London! If you expanded out from just houses to also businesses, might there be something even older that's not a castle or palace?

[@DiniAdd0807]

I love your videos. Please do create more on the historical buildings in London. Thanks.

[@ronalddevine9587]

Your videos are always informative and entertaining. Keep up the good work, mate. Cheerio from New England. 😊

[@Jablicek]

The transition from London to Walthamstow was lovely! Nicely done. And the old 'ouses :)

[@inmodulo]

Great Video.. please do more! Love the Edgar Wright transition (you could have thrown in a pint being drunk too!).. the sound worked brilliantly.

[@JagoHazzard]

Ah yes! You spotted the source I cribbed from!

[@RobWalker1]

Yes, great stuff. More old stuff would be very welcome!

[@ocanica3184]

I watched a video of a tour of Leytonstone's oldest pubs during covid. Would love to see your take on something similar.

[@iankemp1131]

Would also love to see Jago do Leytonstone's tube station with its fascinating mosaic murals.

[@Sorbus79]

Crofton Farmhouse, near Orpington, is also a 15th Century Hall House with later additions. Time a visit when Crofton Roman Villa is open, or take the R8 to Downe Village for a trip to Down House. Darwin made a lot of money investing in the railways!

[@marcusdamberger]

Maybe a series on interesting buildings that did survive the Great Fire that we wouldn't normally think of.

[@benbeasant3443]

That would be a very short series

[@MartyFox]

I appreciate that the titleholder is a good honest house that stuck around so long that everyone forgot how old it was

[@johnledingham852]

I for one would certainly like to enjoy your research into the history of London's old, surviving buildings. We see grand and humble buildings around us and know nothing of the role they played in our forebear's lives. As we start to age ourselves, and start to mellow, our interest in these buildings, and their historical significance takes on greater importance to us. So do your research Jago, and share your findings with us!

[@xander1052]

Oldest in my area are the Mill Platt Almshouses from 1664. the doors are infamously short and it's rather off the usual routes.

[@nickywarner5826]

Thank you!! Absolutely love your dry humour and while I knew about the house in Walthamstow, I’m off to Spitalfields to look up those fantastic places. You did a fantastic job making this interesting, informative and fun 🙌🏼

[@luxford60]

I saw the title and wondered if it would include The Ancient House in Walthamstow, and was pleased to see that it did.

[@CrazyBusDriverDave]

I grew up in Walthamstow, and I was always fascinated by that house, and frustrated by how little I could find out about it. There's a small local history museum literally round the corner to it In another old house and they knew almost nothing about it either. Thanks for rekindling this frustrating and probably futile quest to uncover more about this house.

[@HeidiBird]

I would LOVE to see more like this! The incredibly architectural mix from medieval-ancient to modern glass-and-steel is what makes London so incredible.

[@jeremypreece870]

In some of your more recent videos you have been getting out and about to places like York and Edinburgh. How about pushing the envelope and getting out of London and finding the oldest house in Britain? When I briefly lived in Winchester, I discovered that there are houses in the Cathedral Close that are a good 150 years older than your place in Walthamstow!

[@acps110]

Fantastic! It is always interesting to hear about the history of buildings that survived both the Great Fire and the World Wars. Would love to hear more.

[@vladimirnikolov5114]

Great content! I would like to watch more short, but informative videos about London.

[@freddyaraujo3094]

As always you have the ability to take us to such wonderful and beautiful places. Thank you

[@flutebasket4294]

God, those post-modern buildings are quite possibly even more heinous than the concrete brutalist tripe that scarred our great cities in the last couple of generations

[@zues121510]

love it how at the end (6:29) the people, who I presume are locals, also look shocked to see a building as old looking as this!

[@Amb0ss]

A cracking video. Would love to see more London history videos.

[@kaitlyn__L]

Lovely vertical panning shot in that alleyway right at the end!

[@darylmarincovich7898]

YES, more on London's old buildings done in your inimitable style !

[@loritsi]

I really love your writing style in your videos, it is the perfect mix of informative and deadpan humour

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

In NYC's case, the oldest building in NYC is the Wyckoff House in Brooklyn's Canarsie. Built in 1652, it was one of the first structures Europeans built on Long Island, as well as one of the oldest surviving examples of a Dutch frame house in the US. It is situated on land that Wouter van Twiller (once the Dutch West India-appointed Director of New Netherland) purchased from the local Lenape people in approximately 1636. The house was one of several ordered built by Wouter before he was recalled to the Netherlands by 1640. The Wyckoff family moved there in 1652, hence the name! However the oldest buildings in the whole country are in New Mexico! The Ancestral Puebloan dwellings! Construction of them began in 750 AD! Those in the Chaco Canyon were built in 800, the Taos Pueblo was built between 1000 and 1450, and the Acoma Pueblo was built between 1000 and 1200! The Acoma and Taos Pueblos are the oldest continuously inhabited sites in the country! Their famous cliff dwellings were built as the Ancestral Puebloans shifted from hunting and gathering to a more sedentary life that relied on farming. They moved their residences from the canyon floor to the canyon walls and cliffs, which provided natural protection.

[@BytebroUK]

Hah! Not directly relevant, so forgive me, but when I visited my friend in Alabama in '94 and we did a 1,000 mile road-trip to Wichita Kansas, I mentioned to him that I had lived in cottages that were older than his country :)

[@jakejada1632]

Hey, awesome info! Do people still live in the cliff houses?

[@GreatGreebo]

@@jakejada1632No…the people just disappeared around 1200 AD. The thought is there was some kind of “event” that forced them out (not sure if it was war? disease? famine? ?? )

[@PopeLando]

Richard Rich was the subject of the funniest line in A Man for All Seasons. At Thomas More's trial the only way they can get him is for Richard Rich (John Hurt) to perjure himself. More (Paul Scofield): Richard, you have a new badge of office, what is it? Thomas Cromwell (Leo McKern): Sir Richard Rich is made Solicitor-General for Wales. More: Oh, Richard. "It profiteth a man nothing to sell his soul for the world." But for Wales....?

[@JagoHazzard]

I was in a production of that, many years ago.

[@neilbain8736]

One tends to forget our Jago's interest in architecture. A Hazzard of many talents. 5:15 I don't know the technical name for this neat AV trick but the collection of noises and travelling cutaways(?) are perfectly timed, tuned and choreographed. 6:06 I want to see that bicycle shop! I bet it smelled like a proper workshop, of paraffin and oil with Sturmey K type hubs, toggle chains and wing nuts on display- none of this new fangled boutique malarchy with atmospheric lighting and clothing and clueless staff who'd probably dissolve in a flaming ball of lycra if they got anywhere near a Primus Stove with a match. (There's a beautiful picture from the Blitz of JA Grose's shop somewhere in London- he built frames under the name of JAGROSE- after a direct hit in the Blitz, with no walls, a pile of rubble and a solitary bike hanging from a beam on the ceiling that sealed the deal on a memorable picture).

[@amitbasu8159]

Thoroughly enjoyable and informative video, Jago. Thank you. I do enjoy your occasional forays into non-train-related territory. However, it would be remiss of me not to observe that on this occasion your final candidate for oldest building in London does bear a certain similarity to Trigger's broom.

[@wilsjane]

My thoughts exactly. But who knows, parts of the foundations may have been original.

[@scottc1589]

Jago, With the creative production values like yours, I could watch a video on paint drying, and still find it enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the "... we're off to Walthamstow." sequence.

[@verseau8360]

Besides the fascinating history and architectural treasures being described, I really enjoyed your humorous commentary and so you just gained a new subscriber! Bravo!

[@HerbertDuckshort]

Thanks JH. I’ve just tried the old “a winged beast ordered me to build it” schtick on the planning application to extend my kitchen. I’ll let you know how I get on.

[@chrisperry7963]

I would love for you to cover more olde buildings, or even odd ones, for that matter!

[@yearight6294]

im glad this came up on my home page, i haven't seen a video from u in a little over a year now. i use to watch every single one and now i have a lot of catching up to do

[@andrewsices]

I was inspired to watch your program on the oldest house in London, and hope to see many more like this. You have a great sense of humor.

[@paulblake1164]

I was wondering if you were going to head over to Waltthamstow to see that old house it looks a lot better since It was restored again in 2001-2, when you see it for the first time its a plesent surprise

[@bishwatntl]

Headstone Manor in the north end of the borough of Harrow might be a contender (and it's near to Headstone Lane station on the Overground).

[@ianthomson9363]

As a long-time resident of Harrow I have to agree.

[@temporalcomet]

Yes, more please! ❤ Love all the transport vids, and it's nice to see you branch out, so to speak 😏

[@SamI-bv9kd]

I do like your occasional forays outside of transport. Please do continue to range as broadly as you want :)

[@nmarks]

Hey, Jago, just thought you might like to know that John Taylor, the man who brought bungalows to the UK, was the architect who designed many of the buildings for the London, Chatham and Dover line.

[@MarvinV180]

Maybe oldest pubs in London? Keep up the great work

[@bobhodgestransportDVDs]

Interesting video, I went to school in Walthamstow, Sir George Monoux Grammar School, now a 6th form college, the school was founded in 1527, the original building is in St. Mary's Churchyard, their were almshouses on the ground floor, the school room was on the 1st floor, St Mary's church is near the ancient house.

[@shadowjames42]

I don't know how to search for content like this, so thanks KZbin for letting me happen upon it. Great video, no messing about, just solid narration about what it's meant to be about. Excellent.

[@davidsterry786]

Not the oldest house but the oldest terraces is 52-55 Newington Green. As a newly minted architectural assistant for the GLC Historic Building Devision I was sent to survey the building one morning. It stuck in my mind because I had to survey the kitchen whilst a Greek family ate olives for breakfast with me stretching a tape over their heads.

[@lukeonuke]

that might be one of the most greek things to do

[@sjcuk]

That ancient house in Walthamstow has a touch of 'triggers broom' about it.

[@galinneall]

Thanks for the tip. I'm heading off to London soon, for a week, and even though I certainly don't need any more recommendations of things to see, I'm adding these places to my list. Keep up the good work!

[@xxFreakifyxx]

I got to stay in a historical house on Prince Street in Spitalfields last time we went to London and it was so beautiful and old. I also loved the walking tours about the architecture and the atrocities that are being committed tearing down gorgeous old buildings

[@menashakate]

Elated! Superb🎉! You have researched so well. Please prepare more historical films of London. Your enthusiastic voice- over gives an inkling of the layer-upon-layer rich humanscape. Thank you.

[@sunjamm222]

A great video once again. With no butchering or quartering of Smithfield Market and area

[@lefroy1]

It would be lovely to see the interiors of some of these old houses. Can only imagine how romantic St Barts Gatehouse would feel at Christmas time.

[@WoolwichCommoner]

@Jago there's some very old houses next to Eltham Palace. Plus some interesting railway history. Eltham Well Hall station inspired E. Nesbith of The Railway Children fame and Eltham Park station was part of a temperance housing development

[@jharris947]

0:05...That is one butt ugly skyline. Yes it certainly has changed over the centuries and, in many areas, not for the better. Excellent video as always.

[@DAYNURSERY]

Yes please Jago. Can we have more on old buildings and there history. We do love the trains video as well