Burgh House

New End Square Hampstead
Greater London
NW3 1LT GB
Website
Phone: 020 7431 0144
Burgh House was built in 1704 during Queen Anne's reign. Its first occupants were Henry and Hannah Sewell. After Henry's death in 1708, Hannah continued living here until 1720. At this time the Spa (or Hampstead Wells) was flourishing. In 1720 the Spa's physician, Dr. William Gibbons, moved to Burgh House. He was the first physician to encourage the drinking of the foul tasting "Chalybeate" waters and is said to have drunk two or three glasses of it every morning. He enlarged Burgh House and added the present wrought-iron gate which bear his initials. From the 1740's the house was occupied by a variety of professionals. The longest inhabitants in the house were Sarah and Israel Lewis (46 years). Israel was an upholsterer of Fleet Street who was involved in a court case in which he was found guilty of creating a nuisance by "making an enclosed Dung stall" in his garden. He was fined ?5 to make him remove it. As late as 1854 the house was known as Lewis House.
Longitude: -0.1833333
Latitude: 51.55