Step back in time at the Dennis Severs’ house in London

As I arrived at the Dennis Severs’ house in the Shoreditch neighbourhood of London, there was not much to distinguish it from the others in this Georgian Terrace, surrounded by modern office blocks. One of the guardians of the house was waiting just outside and gave us a few words of introduction, requesting that we walk around the candle-lit house in silence to soak up the atmosphere.

The house is a cross between a stage set for an 18th century costume drama and a living museum, where the ghosts of the past have just left the room. The house was created by Californian Denis Severs, who lived in the house, with no electricity or modern conveniences, until his death in 1999. For his own enjoyment he created the house as a sensory experience which would transport visitors away from the 20th century – the house’s motto is You either see it or you don’t.

The ghosts in question are Mr Jervis, a prosperous imaginary silk-weaver and his wife Mrs Jervis. We catch a glimpse of their daily domesticity, their treasured possessions and their disgarded orange peel. In every corner is a small tableaux of objects from their lives, artfully arranged to hint at their lifestyle and character.

In the front dining room, they’ve just finished their dinner, a pomegranate lying half eaten on the table. In the corner we overhear the sounds of the chatter and read Mrs Jervis’ list of daily tasks for her housemaid. She’s clearly a conscientious and efficient housewife, instructing her maid to dust the vertical surfaces first, then wait an hour before dusting the flat surfaces.

Downstairs, in the cosy kitchen, the embers are glowing in the grate of the iron range, the wooden dresser is groaning under the household china and the kettle’s about to boil. Here’s a retreat for the servants to gossip over a cup of tea about the goings on in the household, before Mrs Jarvis calls them to task again.

On the first floor, Mrs Jervis’ front withdrawing room is the grandest room in the house with green painted panelling, high back chairs and crimson silk and printed chinz drapes. Mrs Jervis has been entertaining guests, her tea caddy and best china ready on the table with a gilded pineapple centrepiece to impress the guests.

Next door, however is Mr Jervis’ territory, reflecting the Hogarthian scene of drinking hanging on the chimneybreast. The scent of cloves and cinnamon from the warming punch (all drunk) lingers in the air and recently smoked pipes are laid on the table. Mr Jervis has spent a raucous evening with his male friends, judging by the amount of empty wine bottles left in the corner and the unemptied chamber pot.

And so upstairs to bed in the imposing but surprisingly small four-poster – people were clearly much shorter in those days. The walls are decorated with delicate china and at Mrs Jarvis’ dressing table, the ribbons and feathers are at hand to ornament her hair, and her best dress hanging ready.

It’s clearly been a long day for Mr and Mrs Jervis and so we too retired to Carluccios, just around the corner, for a warming cup of hot chocolate.

Dennis Severs’ House, 18 Folgate Street, London E1 6BX
0044 (0)20-7247 4013 website: www.dennissevershouse.co.uk

Pictures by kind permission of the Dennis Severs’ House

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