Inventory Site Record

Millfield House, originally a smaller house, was enlarged in the latter part of the C18th to provide a fine suburban villa, which had a number of illustrious tenants. In 1849 it became a school for London workhouse children, which was extended over the years and by 1897 housed c.400 paupers. It was partially self-supporting with two meadows, a few acres of cultivated land, a herd of cows and some pigs. It closed in 1913 and from 1918-71 it was used as a hospital. It was re-opened by Enfield Council as Millfield House Arts Centre in 1979, encompassing a theatre and library (now relocated). The gardens immediately surrounding the house were landscaped with flower beds, shrubberies and trees; one of Enfield's communal air-raid shelters is found in the garden. Millfield House was re-opened in April 2011 following refurbishment.

Site location:

Silver Street, Edmonton

Postcode:

N18 1PJ

What 3 Words:

layers.exile.belong

Type of site:

Public Gardens

Borough:

Enfield

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

gardens have unrestricted access from Pymmes Brook

Special conditions:

Facilities:

House has room hire, Gallery, parking, disabled access, café, toilets. St David's Park: children's playground

Events:

Numerous events in Theatre. House has courses, talks and other regular and one-off events; air raid shelter occasionally opened to public

Public transport:

Rail: Silver Street then bus; Edmonton Green then bus. Bus: 34, 102, 144, W6, 217, 231

Citymapper    
Google Map    
streetmap.co.uk

Research updated:

01/04/2011

Last minor changes:

19/07/2023

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. www.enfield.gov.uk; www.millfieldartscentre.co.uk

Millfield House was built in the C18th, originally a smaller house that was enlarged as a suburban villa. The central block predates 1778 and was extended by flanking pavilions and a service wing between 1792-96. First mention of Millfield House appears in the Minutes of Edmonton Vestry in December 1796 when it belonged to John Wigston of Trent Park (q.v.), at which time it was let to the Imperial Ambassador, probably Graf Ludwig von Starhemberg, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the German Empire. In 1828 Robert Mushet of the Royal Mint died at Millfield House, at which time it was valued at £6,300. It was sold in 1845 to the Strand Union Guardians who opened a school for London workhouse children in 1849. Over the next 40 years various buildings were added, such as two infirmary blocks and further extensions in 1889 and by 1897 it housed c.400 paupers. The school was partially self-supporting with two meadows, a few acres of cultivated land and a herd of cows and some pigs. The children were also taught trades: the boys, tailoring, shoemaking and carpentry; the girls, housework, needlework and laundering. The school was closed in 1913 and the house was purchased by the Metropolitan Asylum Board for a mental hospital, but at the outbreak of World War I it was used to house Belgian refugees.

In 1918 Millfield House was converted by the Board into the Edmonton Colony for sane male epileptics. When it was taken over by London County Council in 1935 it was renamed the St David Hospital for Epileptics, which it remained until 1971 when it was acquired by London Borough of Enfield. Extensive renovations and the demolition of some of the old workhouse buildings ensued, although a lodge and outbuilding from the workhouse period remain as well as an early C20th lodge.

It was re-opened as Millfield House Arts Centre in 1979, the whole complex encompassing Millfield Theatre and Weir Hall Library in addition to the Arts Centre. In December 2008 the library was relocated to Fore Street, Edmonton and the Arts Centre was closed in 2009 for a £2.5m refurbishment project, which included new facilities such as a cafe bar and performance space, marking the Arts Centre's 30th anniversary. A second part of the scheme includes renovation of the listed Millfield House, which Pevsner described as "a surprisingly grandiose but loosely conceived Neo-classical plan, no doubt suitable for showy receptions". The gardens immediately surrounding the house have been landscaped with flower beds, shrubberies and trees. Beneath an area of laurel shrubbery is one of the few remaining communal air raid shelters in Enfield.

Beyond the gardens is St David's Play Area, which leads to an area of landscaping to the busy roads, and adjacent to Millfield Theatre complex, with which Millfield House shares the entrance from Silver Street.

Sources consulted:

Bridget Cherry & Nikolaus Pevsner, The Buildings of England: London 4: North (Penguin, 1998); Millfield House information leaflets

Grid ref:

TQ329925 (532940,192550)

Size in hectares:

St David's Park: 1.16

Site ownership:

LB Enfield

Site management:

Millfield House leased to Trust from April 2000; St David's Park: Place Shaping and Enterprise, Parks Business Unit

Date(s):

C18th

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

LBII*: Millfield House. LBII: Entrance Lodge to Millfield House; wall running west from west of Entrance Lodge

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

No

In Conservation Area:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

Not known

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

None