Members had expected to pay £5 entry fee (as mentioned on the website), but on the day entry was free! Myddleton House is now used for Lea Valley offices so there is only modern office furniture and sadly nothing from the period, which was disappointing. Members wished that some of the original furnishing, at least in one room, could have been left in situ.
They saw just the ground floor rooms. The ceilings and coving were magnificent and there were tables laid out with lots of photos and information. There was a guide and member of Myddleton House Society in each room to discuss the history, life and work of plantsman E A Bowles who was also an artist, entomologist, botanist, writer, plant hunter world wide, and a lay preacher.
Myddleton house was built in 1814 by his great grandfather. After Bowles' death the house was empty for a while and then taken over by the Royal Free Hospital for a medical school. The gardens were used by the pharmacy department and the restored kitchen garden has a glass house, peach house and potting shed, growing vegetable varieties from Bowles' time.
In 1968 it was sold to the Lea Valley Regional Park Authority. A heritage grant has enabled extensive restoration.
The tour inside was quite short (45 mins) and afterwards they walked round the gardens, sat in the sunshine and enjoyed a cuppa (some with cream teas!) with lots of talking, friendship and laughter.