Time Travelling at Dennis Severs' House | SC Exhibitions
The Dickens Room within Dennis Severs’ House © Roelof Bakker |
Folgate Street is
like many others in the Spitalfields area of London – a row of Georgian houses,
a lively pub, already filling by 5pm, a hotel – but probably unknown to many of
the workers in this busy district is that it’s also home to one of the city’s
most unique attractions: Dennis Severs’ House. This isn’t their fault; the
reason they’re probably unaware is because the house is unmarked – there’s no
information sign or gift shop, just a black door with an elaborate knocker, and
a large flickering lantern above. Like arriving at a friend’s house, I turned
up at the appointed time, was greeted and let in, but as I stepped over the
threshold, the centuries began to rewind. In a matter of seconds, I passed from
the 21st century back into the 18th.
The door closed
behind me, and my senses adapted to my new surroundings. Leading off from the
dimly-lit entrance corridor, tempting rooms, decked out in period furniture and
decorations, flickered in candlelight and were warmed by crackling fires. I
could now hear the faint sound of horses and carriages outside. The floorboards
creaked with every step – the wood was worn and used. In the near silence, the
ticking of clocks and the occasional ringing of bells became banging drums.
Shadows were everywhere – and darkness too. The only remains of the modern world
were the clothes worn by myself and the other visitors. But for long stretches
of time I found myself alone, and in those moments, staring ahead, the house’s
spell and illusion felt authentic , immediate, real – it was the past in a way
that I’d never experienced before.
You can read the rest of the article here: TimeTravelling at Dennis Severs' House.