Sutton House

Tudor house surviving in the heart of a thriving East London community.

Built in 1535, it is in fact the oldest domestic building in the East End and its occupants have included Henry VIII's Secretary of State, Sir Ralph Sadleir, squatters in the 1980s, and its current owners, the National Trust.

Although on the receiving end of later additions and alterations, the house still contains early features like linenfold panelling, stone fireplaces and 17th-century wall paintings. Hinged panels dotted throughout the house enable visitors to literally peel back the layers of history and see changes made to the fabric of the house for themselves.

The house also has a gallery which hosts temporary exhibitions of work by local artists, while the recently added Breaker's Yard is a contemporary urban oasis featuring an edible garden and a caravan with a surprising, manor house interior. The small gift shop sells the usual array of National Trust tea towels, mugs and preserves as well as a selection of books about London history.