Clare Lawn

Clare Lawn was built in 1866 by Frederick Wigan on eleven acres of land adjoining Richmond Park, at the top end of Sheen Lane. The architect was Robert Phillip Pope.

Fredrick Wigan was a highly successful hop merchant in Southwark. He married Mary Harriet Blunt at St Marys Mortlake in April 1857 and they had 10 children.

Clare Lawn was a substantial Victorian villa, designed to accommodate Frederick's large family and to display his status and wealth. The house had five principal bedrooms with two dressing rooms, and five other rooms including day and night nurseries, two bathrooms and two WCs, on the first floor. The ground floor had a library, billiard room, morning room, drawing room, dining room with separate servery, reception room, a large hall with two principal staircases and two WCs. In the basement were the servants' quarters, and the female staff slept in the nine bedrooms that were on the top floor. In the grounds were stables and a piggery. There were extensive grounds including a winter garden and a range of cool houses adjoining the house. In 1891 10 members of the Wigan family and 10 members of staff lived in Clare Lawn.

In 1893 Frederick Wigan decided to extend and improve Clare Lawn. This was the heyday of the Arts and Crafts movement and the new extension reflected this. A picture room, conservatory, library and study were added by the architects Sir Aston Webb and Ingress Bell. Walter Crane designed the elaborate plaster work and Stephen Webb created the marquetry panels for the study.

Frederick became High Sherriff of Surrey in 1894 and was knighted the same year. He was created a baronet in 1898.

Frederick Wigan died in April 1907 and was buried in East Sheen cemetery. Mary Harriet died in 1915; the contents of the house were then sold, and the house put up for sale. It was bought by a Mr Lancaster who died not long after the purchase and the house was then demolished between 1924 and 1926.

View a video about Clare Lawn entitled Hops and the New Aristocracy of East Sheen.