Bridgewater House, Westminster
Bridgewater House is a palatial mansion in London's St. James's. It is located, overlooking Green Park, on the, between the Little Street, Cleveland Row and the Little St James 's Street, land adjacent to the St. James 's Palace.
After .. The first known building on the site was the Berkshire House, built around 1626-27 for Thomas Howard, the second son of the Earl of Suffolk and Master of the Horse King Charles I of England when he was still Prince of Wales victory of parliamentary forces in the English Civil War the house was used as the Portuguese embassy. After the restoration of the monarchy lived in the Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon. Then the house was inhabited by the beloved Charles II. Barbara Villiers was raised in 1670 for the Duchess of Cleveland, making the house as Cleveland House was known. They were restored in the old house, redecorate the front and fitted with new wings. Some years the house belonged to a speculator, who, 3rd Earl of Bridgewater sold it in 1700 to John Egerton, who left it by inheritance to his descendants. The Earls and Dukes of Bridgewater interim family owned the property until 1948.
Architectural History
A thorough reorganization of the old Cleveland House in a neo-Renaissance palace was carried out until 1803 by the architect James Lewis ( 1750-1820 ), and especially since 1840 in the Italianate style by Sir Charles Barry and 1854 by Lord Ellesmere later Earl of Ellmere for Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater redesigned. It consists of the typical yellowish sandstone from Bath, includes over three floors and a basement is covered by a slate roof. A new Gallery was designed by Charles Tatham (1772-1842) to the great photos collection record. Became famous for the house as one of the two locations of the famous collection of Orléans, the Stafford Galley ( in Cleveland House ) and the Bridgewater Gallery ( Bridgewater House ), where the collections of paintings of the Duke of Bridgewater and his nephew and heir of George Granville Leveson - Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland ( whose second son was Ellesmere ) was opened at least temporarily to the public. This collection of about 70 paintings from the collection was opened in 1803 and was every Wednesday afternoon from selectees or recommended by the Royal Academy people are visited.
The building was heavily damaged in World War II and stripped of his equipment. The reconstruction of the house to offices covered the architectural masterpieces. They were rediscovered during the renovations in 1999. In 1981 bought the Greek shipowner Giannis Latsis Bridgewater House. It is now owned by his family and not publicly available.