Place Name
Laid out in 1926 over the grounds of Enmore House. Originally known as Fern Bank the property overlooking the Common was built in 1867 for Herbert Reeves. The house would originally have been approached from, Stonehill Road. It was put up for sale in July 1883. Described by the auctioneers as “about a half mile from the Mortlake station, occupying one of the most charmingly secluded spots in the district facing the picturesque common known as Palewell-common adjoining Richmond-park. It compromises a well arranged family residence, approached by a long carriage drive, with lodge entrance, ornamental grounds, by which it is surrounded, principally laid out as lawns, shrubberies, and flower garden: also kitchen garden well-stocked with fruit trees, stabling, small farm and other outbuildings, two paddocks &c, the whole covering an area of about four acres. Beautiful views are obtained from the house which occupies a perfectly dry and exceeding picturesque position on gravel soil.” The house, now known as Enmore, came up for sale again in February 1923 with considerable changes: “Situate in a good residential thoroughfare known as Stonehill-road, and occupies a charming position facing Palewell Common. The Residence is approached by a long carriage drive and contains: Entrance hall, four reception, billiard room, 12 bed and dressing rooms, two bath rooms. and usual offices. Co.’s Water. Electric Light and Gas. Central Heating. Modern Drainage. Wired for Telephone: Lodge. Garage, or Coachhouse. Stabling with Living Rooms over. DELIGHTFUL PLEASURE GROUNDS, Thriving Orchard, and Paddock in all about FOUR ACRES.” It was occupied for a time by Gerard Twistleton-Wykeham Fiennes a journalist who wrote on naval matters for a number of publications including The Observer, and gave lectures on Sea Power and Freedom” to London County Council school teachers. He wrote two books on the subject: The Ocean Empire (1911) and Navy at War (1916). One possibly, although we cannot be certain, is that he renamed it after the Enmore, a wooden ship-rigged merchantman built by Green Shipbuilders in Bristol in 1858, the last known ship built by the shipyard. Today Enmore House is flats.
