Spencer House, Westminster
Spencer House is a historic town house at 27 St James's Place in the St James's area of Westminster, Greater London, England. The house is Grade I listed on the National Heritage List for England.[1]
Early history
The house was commissioned in 1756 by
In 1758,
As the home of successive Earls and Countesses Spencer, the staterooms of the house became a theatre for the pageant that was London high society. Members of the Spencer family occupied the mansion continuously until 1895, when the house was let out. The Spencers returned for a brief time during the first quarter of the 20th century, after which the house was let at various times as either a club or offices. During the Blitz of the Second World War, it was stripped of its few remaining authentic treasures, specially made furniture, and fireplaces.
Recent history
Spencer House remains in the ownership of the
On 25 December 1986, RIT Capital Partners, the family company of Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild, secured a 96-year lease (with an additional 24-year option) with an annual rent of £85,000.[4]
In a restoration, the state rooms and garden were returned to their original appearance. The lease of Spencer House was valued at £35 million in the 2017 annual report of RIT Capital Partners.
Together with Lancaster House, Bridgewater House, Dudley House and Apsley House, Spencer House is one of the last of the many aristocratic townhouses which once adorned central London.
References
- ^ Historic England, "Spencer House (1264952)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 2 July 2017
- ^ "Camilla to visit Spencer House". 26 November 1998.
- ^ "Welcome to Spencer House".
- ^ "RIT Capital Partners PLC Annual accounts 2009". Companies House. 29 July 2009. p. PDF page no. 19 (document page 17). Retrieved 26 February 2022.[dead link]
Bibliography
- Stourton, James (2012). Great Houses of London. London: Frances Lincoln. ISBN 978-0-7112-3366-9.
Further reading
- Christie Manson and Woods (2010) The Spencer House Sale: Thursday 8 July 2010: property of the Spencer collections, sold by order of the trustees.