575 Wandsworth Road
An extraordinary home and an intriguing work of art
575 Wandsworth Road, Lambeth, London, London, SW8 3JD
Important notice
Opening times for 11 December 2023
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Ticket type Gift aid Standard Adult £11.00 Child £5.50 Become a member and discover more than 500 places
Assistance dogs only
Guided tour
No direct access to the house - you must book in advance to see the house. Limited on-street metered parking in the local area. No toilets, catering or shop on site. No door number - count down from other houses. For any particular access needs, please contact us.
Induction loop
Steps/uneven terrain
Narrow corridors
Virtual tour
Please contact the property team directly on 575wandsworthroad@nationaltrust.org.uk to find out more
By road
Wandsworth Road is a busy main road and there are few places to park. There is metered parking in St Rule Street. We recommend travelling by public transport as an easier option and to reduce car usage in the area.
Parking: There is no parking at the property. There are some parking meters in nearby roads, but we recommend accessing the site by public transport where possible.
By train
Wandsworth Road Station is on the Overground. It is one stop from Clapham Junction. Exit left out of the station and walk a few minutes until you reach number 575 on your left.
By bus
Frequent local services stop directly outside 575 Wandsworth Road. If travelling from Vauxhall, go to Vauxhall Bus station, and at stand G take the numbers 87, 77, or 452 and get off at Westbury Street. The bus journey should take under fifteen minutes and 575 Wandsworth Road is just a couple of doors down from the bus stop. If travelling from Wandsworth (via Clapham Junction), get off at St Rule Street stop and cross over at the pedestrian crossing. The house is directly to the left of a dark green building (no. 577).
By bicycle
The nearest Barclays Cycle Park is Wandsworth Road Isley Court. There are also places to park your own cycles nearby.
Underground
Nine Elms Station on the Northern Line is the closest tube station, approximately 15-20 minutes walk away. Clapham Common Station is about a 20-25 minute walk, via Clapham Old Town, (the Common should be on your left and you should pass a paddling pool and bus terminus). Continue to Rectory Grove and walk down Matrimony Place past St Paul's Church and the Eden Community Garden. This brings you to Wandsworth Road and number 575 is just two doors to the right.
575 Wandsworth Road, Lambeth, London, London, SW8 3JD
Planning your visit
Booking your visit to 575 Wandsworth Road
Discover everything you need to know about booking your visit to this intricately decorated home and elaborate work of art, tucked away in the middle of London.
Group visits to 575 Wandsworth Road
Would you like to bring a special interest or school group to this unique place? Please get in touch with us via email on 575wandsworthroad@nationaltrust.org.uk to get the ball rolling.
Highlights
House
Grade II-listed Georgian terraced house, which was turned into a work of art by Kenyan born novelist and civil servant, Khadambi Asalache.
Things to see and do
575 Ways to Create and Connect: Everyday creativity workshops inspired by 575 Wandsworth Road
575 Wandsworth Road is delivering free creative workshops every Wednesday (10am-11:30am) throughout October at Battersea Arts Centre for Wandsworth residents aged 60+ years aimed at fostering social connections and inspiring creativity at every age. 575 Ways to Create and Connect uses the theme of ‘everyday creativity’, with each session exploring a different creative prompt and medium linking to the story of the house. They can be enjoyed as a one off, or part of the wider programme and offers an accessible way of exploring our individual and collective creativity in an informal and welcoming setting. To kick start the programme, and mark International Older People's Day, we'll be working with vintage paper collage artist Laura Goossens (gooseglitters), for a very special morning of collage, and then artist Elaine Giles will be leading a series of workshops using water, pigment, paper and gravity to explore the magic of mark making. Get in touch at 575wandsworthroad@nationaltrust.org.uk to find out more!
About 575 Wandsworth Road
The hand-carved fretwork interior of this modest, early 19th-century, terraced house is enthralling and inspiring.
575 Wandsworth Road was acquired by the National Trust in 2010, because of the rich and striking interiors created by Khadambi Asalache (1935-2006), a Kenyan-born poet, novelist, philosopher of mathematics and British civil servant. He bought the house in 1981 while working at the Treasury, and over a period of 20 years (from 1986) turned his home into a work of art.
Prompted by the need to disguise persistent damp in the basement dining room, he initially fixed pine floorboards to the damp wall. He went on to embellish almost every wall, ceiling and door in the house with exquisite fretwork patterns and motifs, which he hand-carved from reclaimed pine doors and floorboards found in skips.
The house stands as he left it, with his painted decoration on walls, doors and floors and with rooms furnished with his handmade fretwork furniture and carefully arranged collections of beautiful and functional objects, including pressed-glass inkwells, pink and copper lustreware, postcards and his typewriter.
Book a visit
575 Wandsworth Road is open for tours from May-October. To look after our delicate interiors, places are limited to six people at a time so pre-booking is essential. It's a visit unlike any other National Trust day out, as you'll be invited to take off your outdoor shoes to protect our hand-painted floors. Please come prepared, wearing thick, gripped socks or bring a pair slippers on the day.
You'll start your visit with an introductory talk around the dining table, before exploring the house with a member of the team. Help us look after this small and fragile house by not taking photographs and also travelling light. Bags and coats can be stored securely at the start of the tour. Please note, there are no catering facilities or toilets onsite.
History
The home and legacy of Khadambi Asalache
575 Wandsworth Road, London, was the home of Khadambi Asalache, a Kenyan-born artist, poet and civil servant who spent almost 2 decades transforming his home with intricate fretwork. Today, his home has become a source of inspiration for collaborators and creatives of all ages, forging social connections within its community and beyond.
Our work
Creative collaborations at 575 Wandsworth Road
575 Wandsworth Road has been home to a wide variety of artists and creatives who have developed deep and meaningful connections with the house over the last 10 years which have shaped the house's legacy and its impact on individuals and communities. 575 Wandsworth Road is a place where the idea of ‘home’ takes on a profound and transformative meaning, where connection thrives, and where the future holds endless possibilities.