Painting by Albert Ranney Chewett, in the Billiard room where it was painted.

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FAQS on Reveley Lodge - and their answers

Who owns Reveley Lodge?

Mrs Eila Chewett, late President of the Friends of Bushey Museum bequeathed Reveley Lodge to Bushey Museum in 2003. Reveley Lodge is now owned by an independent charity, viz. Bushey Museum Property Trust.

Can I visit Reveley Lodge?

Members of the Friends' are welcome to visit the Garden on any Thursday morning. Guided tours of the house can be arranged for local organisations. Refer to the events list for major public events.

Can Reveley Lodge or its gardens be hired?

The gardens can be used by local charitable organizations for particular events. The house is not available for hire.

How did Reveley Lodge get its name?

Two generations of the Reveley family owned the property from 1845 to 1877.

Is there any connection with the Reveley Almshouses in Bushey Village?

The last Reveley to own the house, George Johnson Reveley, bequeathed a substantial sum to have the Almshouses built in 1883.

When was Reveley Lodge built?

The original building was a small house built about 1842. It was extended many times with the last major extension happening in 1896.

Who else has owned the House?

Captain William John Marjoribanks Loftus Otway, the man who built Caldecote Towers, and his son Jocelyn Tufton Otway owned it between 1877 and 1898. Sir Robert Leicester Harmsworth, MP for Caithness and Sutherland, used it as his southern home 1898 to 1902

When did the Chewetts move in?

Mrs Susan Maria Chewett, mother of the artist, rented the house from 1910. Albert Ranney Chewett bought it in 1921.

Who was Albert Ranney Chewett?

He was a talented Canadian artist who attended the Herkomer Art School from 1900 to 1902. He liked Bushey and returned here to settle in 1910.

When did Eila Chewett come to the house?

As Violet Georgina Eila Hamilton-Baillie, she met and married A. R. Chewett in 1931. She was 19 and he was 53. It was a very happy marriage.

What did Eila Chewett do?

She ran the Caldecote School of Dancing at the house from c.1935 to c. 1955. She then qualified as a medical secretary and consultant orthopaedic surgeon's assistant, which she continued to do until she was 75 in 1987.

What sort of staff were needed for the house?

In the nineteenth century, there were usually a lady's maid, a parlourmaid, a cook and a gardener living in or in Otway Cottage next door. Other part-time staff came in each day.

What about staff more recently?

Eila Chewett employed a housekeeper, an estate manager, a handy man and a gardener.

What staff are there now?

Bushey Museum employs full-time staff of an estate manager and a Kew-trained professional head gardener. The rest of the work is undertaken by volunteers from the Friends of Bushey Museum.

Does anyone live in the house now?

Yes, full-time staff live in.

Are more volunteers needed?

Not at the moment, thank you.

What does Bushey Museum plan to do with the property?

Eventually, when Health and Safety and Disability Discrimination Act requirements are provided for, the gardens and the house will be opened to the public. This will depend on obtaining grant-aid, but will be at least two years away.

Does the Museum hold events on the property?

Besides the Annual Garden Party in August, the Museum does hold events at the house and garden which are open to members of the Friends only. It is necessary to join the Friends to participate. School visits and children's holiday activities are held on the property. Phone Marion Gee 020 8950 3432 for details.

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