Southside House Summary

• Address: 3 Woodhayes Road, Wimbledon, London, SW19 4RJ (Map)
• Tel: +44 (0)20 8946 7643
• Fax: +44 (0)20 8946 7643
• Owner: The Pennington Mellor Munthe Charity Trust
• Administrator: Richard Kendall
• E-mail: Click here to contact
• Website: Go to the Southside House website

John Pennington's daughter Hilda, married Axel Munthe, the charismatic Swedish Doctor whose most famous book, "The Story of San Michele", briefly outsold the Bible and remains amongst the ten best sellers of the 20th century. The gardens were developed by Hilda Pennington Mellor, a passionate gardener herself, into a fascinating series of sculptural rooms linked by mysterious pathways.

The preservation of the house was left to Hilda and her youngest son, Malcolm, who led a life of extraordinary adventure during the Second world war. A member of the S.O.E., Major Munthe has worked behind enemy lines in Nazi-occupied Scandinavia, and took part in the allied landings at Anzio. Suffering from war wounds, the reclusive Major eventually retreated to the safe haven of Southside House which he painstakingly restored, and transformed to a stage on which his perceptions of family history were presented. He devoted the same energy to preserving Hellens, the family's country home in Herefordshire.

Malcolm Munthe's surviving children continue to cherish Southside House and Hellens through the Pennington-Mellore-Munthe Charity Trust. Both houses serve their communities, with concerts, lectures, workshops and literary evenings as well as guided tours. You can get further information from their very descriptive Website.

Opening Times - 2012

• 7th April - 30th September: guided tours only on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays at 2 pm, 3 pm & 4 pm (duration 1hour 15 minutes)
• No booking required
• The House is closed during Wimbledon Tennis Fortnight

Admission Prices - 2012

• Adult - £6.00
• Child - £3.00
• Concessions - £6.00
• Family - £12.00

Groups 15 - 24:

• Can book for Monday,Tuesday or Thursday mornings or afternoons
• Tour duration approximately 1.5 hours
• Cost per head £12.50
• Includes tea/coffee & biscuits on arrival
• Deposit of £50.00 required when confirming booking

Disabled Access: If you are a wheelchair user or have any specific access requirements please phone the Administrator in advance of your visit. Guide/Assistance dogs are welcome. For further access information please email or telephone.

Special Events, Function Hire and Filming:

Southside House hosts a regular programme of concerts, poetry, art and gardening workshops, literary and drama events; for instance, in 2002, as part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations, four candle-lit concerts and receptions were hosted at Southside.

Rooms at Southside may also be hired for suitable functions, receptions and seminars, while the house is also an excellent location for film, TV and stills photography. For further information please call +44 (0)20 8946 7643, or Email Directly.

Location and Getting There:

Southside stands on the southern corner of Wimbledon Common, in Woodhayes Road, beside Kings School, and opposite a small green with two pubs - the Crooked Billet, and the Hand in Hand.

• Public Transport: the nearest railway station is Wimbledon. There are regular trains and underground services from central London to Wimbledon. From Wimbledon Station, take the 93 bus to the Rose and Crown public house, next to the War Memorial. It is a six minute walk from here along the common to Woodhayes Road. For more detailed information about public transport, please contact London Transport
• By Car: From central London take the Kings Road to Putney Bridge. Cross the bridge, and drive south along Putney High Street, across 3 sets of lights to Putney Hill. Continue up the hill for one mile to the Tebbit's Corner roundabout. Take the second exit off the roundabout, signed to Wimbledon. Follow that road, with the common on the right. After 2 miles, turn right into Cannizaro Road, which runs across the common to Woodhayes Road. Southside is next to Kings College School, and can be identified by its black gates set into a long brick wall. The blue and white clock tower is just visible, and the entrance is by the black garage door.

Further information including opening times and prices

Image Gallery

Your Reviews of Southside House

M. Barrick (04 January 2012)

I visited Southside House in the 1990s. It smelt of wood smoke and polish, very lovely feeling about it, lots of not very good paintings by the family. It is the only place I have ever been to that kept the Powder room intact - from the time when you had your powdered wigs refreshed by putting your head into a separate room through holes in the wall and a servant powdered them inside - stopping the powder going everywhere. It is a must. Very odd opening hours and I could never get back in again as every time I went it was closed. But worth persevering as it is really different from the usual run of the mill houses. Small wandering halls and room from all periods making for a special day out.

Barbara Kelsey (19 April 2004)

Just to say what a wonderful few hours were spent at Southside House, a delightful atmosphere of history, art and a lost world, with a wonderful array of artefacts that each had their special place that stays on in one's memory long after one had left the house.

Additional Info for Southside House

• Gardens
• Dogs allowed
• Education
• Guides
• Filming

Heritage Groups

• Historic Houses Association

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