Who knew that just a short walk from downtown London you could walk into the city’s quirkiest time warp? Eldon House is the oldest single-family residence in the city, built in 1834 for the Harris family. John Harris was a British Navy man whose family went on to become prominent members of the community after they settled in London. This house remained with them for four generations, until being donated to the City of London in 1960. 

The book-lined shelves and period furniture in the huge house are probably to be expected. But what’s surprising is the massive collection of exotic animal horns that greet visitors in the dark, wooded foyer. Mounted racks that once belonged to animals such as the roan antelope from Angola can be seen along one wall, and as you turn a corner you’ll be treated to a display of spears and swords from the Masai of Kenya. Perhaps the most appropriately colonial touch is an elephant foot umbrella stand.

Once you’ve wandered through the many tastefully decorated rooms, settle into one of the cozy benches in a comfortable nook by the large east-facing window near the kitchen. Curators have put out sections of one of the Harris girls’ diaries, allowing visitors a glimpse of past life as she saw it—a very nice touch to an already authentic experience.

While the inside of the house has an air of African exoticness to it, the grounds surrounding the house are purely English. As with many historical sites, the gardeners here do their best to showcase flowers that would have been planted when members of the Harris family were walking the grounds. To further the English experience, during the summer you can have afternoon tea at Eldon House, sipping from a variety of teas and feasting on scones as the Thames River flows far below this historical house.

Admission is $6 for adults, $11 for families and $1 for children under 14.

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