Dennis Severs' House

Dennis Severs was a quirky Californian who moved to London in 1967 and tried to bring his notion of the past alive in his house in Spitalfields. Severs invented the Jervis family who had lived here over centuries and attempted to tell a fictional story of past eras through objects he picked up for a song on countless stalls. He died in 1999 and a charity runs this dark and musty five-storey 18th-century house as an “art-form” for paying visitors. If you liked the “art” of Tracey Emin’s bed you won’t mind paying to see this somewhat comical house, if not, best to avoid and spend your money elsewhere.

When you walk through the door of 18 Folgate Street you instantly leave the 21st century behind and enter the 18th century world of the Gervais family, immigrant French Huguenot silk merchants.

Lovingly restored and recreated by the late Dennis Severs, you are guided by candlelight from the atmospheric basement kitchen with its huge dresser and accoutrements, through opulent living rooms and intimate bedrooms, each with its own story, all heaving with interesting artefacts, smells and sounds.

As you climb higher through the house your guide transports you through changing times and fortunes until you reach the squalid Dickensian attic where people slept five to a bed.

An hour and a half later, it’s back down the twisting stairs to raise a toast to Dennis, whose main wish was that visitors to his house should ‘get it’. Many do, some don’t, I’m certain I did.

We were guided by the very talented Joel on this fabulous ‘theatrical tour’. It is more expensive than the silent timed walk-through option, as it only caters for six guests at a time but I think it’s worth every penny.
It seemed extremely odd to step outside again into the street. I would have liked to have lingered longer.

I had great expectations, however I was disappointed.
I thought that the fact you are asked to be on time was in order to ensure that not too many people would be at the same time in the house.
We arrived 10/15 min earlier to ensure this and we were already invited to get in. I would have preferred to wait for the people who were already inside to finish their tour so we could have a bit more space and enjoy the silence (instead we could just hear people going up and downstairs).
The decor and artefacts we could see were great and the light of the candles were lovely but it wasn’t enough candle light in our tour at 15.00pm to see many things, I guess it’s better in the morning?
Only the fire in the kitchen was lit, the rest not even slightly warm and not a single promised crackling fire… (this would have helped to the lack of light)
A few things were in the kitchen like an open pomegranate or a fresh pear with a bite, however I don’t think it was enough to make you feel as if the family had just left the kitchen.

The welcoming host had a great voice and informed us about the house history and rules, however the guards in each floor didn’t add anything positive to the promised “experience”. I wouldn’t ask for them to wear a period costume but perhaps all black or at least something that would make them “blend” with the house?
Because the lack of experience, and even acknowledging the quality and rarity of many items inside the house, it sadly reminded me of the fake touristic Sherlock Holmes museum in Baker Street….
Not sure this experience was what Dennis Severs had in mind….

Visited last year during the daytime and made sure to book in good time for the evening Christmas opening. Beautifully decorated - so much detail everywhere. I was glad that we had visited previously though as it is so dark inside that you would miss things if you hadn't seen it already I think. Only a few people allowed in at a time as it is so small so you must book ahead to make sure you can get in. No photographs allowed as it would spoil the atmosphere inside. Well worth a visit - fascinating!

We’ve been meaning to visit for ages & finally got there today just in time to see it still decorated for Christmas. Well it was just fabulous, I can’t stop thinking about it & will definitely go back. The fact that no talking, photography or phones are allowed just makes it more atmospheric & a bit creepy on a dark winter’s day. Highly recommend.

This is an interesting house to visit. The history of the Spitalfields area and of the houses built to accommodate Huguenot silk workers is fascinating. And Dennis Severs’ interpretation of the lives of the fictional Jervis family in the house on Folgate Street is engaging. However, the idea that the house somehow allows you to smell and see and hear your way back through the ages didn’t work for me. The slightly bonkers and eclectic mix of modern, vintage and antique objects made me smile but nothing more profound than that. Plus the staff all take themselves a bit too seriously. At £15 a ticket I would have liked to have got a bit more out of it. However, it must be expensive to keep the place up so I didn’t begrudge it too much.

I’d wanted to visit Dennis Sever’s for a long time but my schedule had never mirrored it’s opening hours. My visit was on a self guided basis & it’s possible to roll up without a reservation for these sessions. Special event & private tours are also offered. There was a short queue on arrival, they admit groups of 8-10 at a time. The premise of the house, styled to replicate that of a family home of Huguenot silk weavers in the18th/19thC, is that you allow your senses to smell, hear & see as you journey silently through the 10 candlelit rooms, piecing together the scene. Each room is set. as if the family have suddenly departed - half eaten meals, semi drained glasses of sherry, abandoned pipes, etc. Rooms are stuffed to the brim with a hotch potch of furniture & personal effects warmed by the burning embers of real fires. It’s interesting & atmospheric, & well worth a visit if you’re in the area. The experience is greatly enhanced by the banning of photography. Allow between 20 & 45 minutes.

From the moment I stepped into the house I really felt like I had travelled in time - especially as the house was candlelit. The detail in the rooms makes them seem very lived in and quite different from 'museum piece' houses I have visited before. Walking around in silence really helps you tune into what it was like.

My one slight criticism is that there is no decompression chamber (!) - being ejected into modern Folgate Street/the A10 afterwards was a bit harsh!

This is an unusual and quirky little place, sitting somewhere between still life art and a museum. It's very atmospheric and you are encouraged to use all your senses so that the visitor is drawn into story and the time the artist is trying to relay.

It doesn't take long to walk through the 4 floors so the entry fee is a little high but overall definitely worth a visit if this is your kind of thing.

Absolutely loved this concept, my husband, not so much. Loved the house, the gentleman who did the talk before we went in, was very friendly and informative. Each room was in candlight, so some objects were hard to see, but the atmosphere, with the smells and sounds was electric. There were so many things to look at and 3 floors to navigate, so not good if you have mobility problems, all visits were timed but the rooms are quite small, so you need patience and allow slow movers and readers time to leave the room. This was a silent visit, so this enhanced the environment. Overall, a good visit. No photos allowed.