Cecil Sharp House

A Living Monument to Folk Heritage

Cecil Sharp House stands as Britain's first dedicated folk arts centre, a Grade II-listed building that has served as the cultural heart of English folk music and dance for nearly a century. Located on Regent's Park Road in Camden, North London, the building was originally conceived as a purpose-built headquarters for the English Folk Dance Society, founded in 1911 by Cecil Sharp himself. Designed by architect Henry Martineau Fletcher in the neo-Georgian style, the building opened on 7 June 1930, five years after Sharp's death in 1924. The house was named in honour of Sharp's extraordinary legacy as a collector and preserver of English folk traditions, work that fundamentally shaped the revival of folk music and dance throughout the British Isles.

Architectural Significance and Design Innovation

The building's most striking architectural feature is Kennedy Hall, a large concert and performance space distinguished by its sprung ballroom floor designed specifically for dancing. The hall's acoustic properties were carefully engineered by architect Hope Bagenal, a friend and collaborator of Fletcher, ensuring that the space functions as an exceptional venue for both music and movement. Beyond Kennedy Hall, Cecil Sharp House contains several smaller performance and rehearsal spaces, teaching rooms, administrative offices, and the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library and Archive—a comprehensive repository of folk music manuscripts, recordings, and research materials that continue to serve scholars and musicians worldwide.

Resilience Through War and Restoration

The building's history reflects both vulnerability and remarkable resilience. During the Second World War, Cecil Sharp House was struck by four bombs in September 1940, causing severe damage to the entrance, stairs, and main hall. Fortunately, the library's collection had been moved to Cheshire for safekeeping, preserving this invaluable archive. After the war, architect John Eastwick-Field was commissioned to restore the building, which reopened in 1951. The restoration included a significant artistic intervention: the musicians' gallery, destroyed during bombing, was replaced by a monumental mural painted by British abstract pastoral artist Ivon Hitchens. Completed in 1954, this mural depicts English folk dances and traditions and was, at the time of its unveiling, the largest single-wall mural in the United Kingdom.

A Thriving Contemporary Venue

Today, Cecil Sharp House functions as an active and popular venue for concerts, workshops, conferences, and private functions. The building hosts regular performances by folk musicians and dancers, educational events, and community gatherings that continue the work Cecil Sharp began over a century ago. In 2015, the venue was voted as one of London's 20 best music venues by readers of Time Out magazine, reflecting its enduring significance in the capital's cultural landscape. The English Folk Dance and Song Society, which operates the building, became a regularly funded National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England in 2009, ensuring the continuation of its mission to preserve, promote, and celebrate folk traditions for future generations.