Sudley House
The Sudley House in Mossley Hill Road in the Aigsburth, Liverpool (United Kingdom), was built in the early 19th century by the wealthy grain merchant Nicholas Robinson. Neither the year of the start of the work, nor the executive architect is unknown, but suggests the style back to the works of Thomas Harrison, who drew up the plans for a number of built in this style buildings in the area Liverpoos in the years 1811-1815. Robinson moved into the house in 1823 and the following year the building was finally completed. The building is surrounded by a spacious garden with views of the River Mersey. Robinson was appointed in the years 1828-29 to the mayor of the city of Liverpool and lived in the Sudley House until his death in 1854. According to him, his two daughters lived in the house until her death in 1883.
The property in 1883 went to the shipowner and merchant George Holt. His daughter, Emma, was suitable Sudley House, 1944, the city of Liverpool. Today, the property serves as an art museum administered by the National Museums Liverpool. It houses the collection of George Holt, inter alia, Includes work by Thomas Gainsborough, Joshua Reynolds, Edwin Landseer, John Everett Millais and JMW Turner. After a two year renovation phase and investments of £ 1 million alone in the furniture of the museum on May 26, 2007 celebrated its reopening. The museum building is a listed building and is listed as a building of outstanding architectural and historical interest in the category II (Grade II) of the Statutory List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest.
Structural changes
George Holt had made a number of structural changes to the building after the acquisition. So he moved the main entrance from the east side to the north side of the building and built a new porch on the east side. The west wing was extended and, inter alia, complemented by a tower. Even today, many of these changes made since the 1880s are clearly visible. The fireplaces, antique wallpaper, the paneling of oak are well preserved. The cut marble fireplace in the dining room still bears the arms of the Holt family. Sudley House is one of the few houses that are so comprehensive receive in the Victorian style. It is also the only existing art collection of a Victorian merchant, whose works are still exhibited at the point where it has its collector so affixed.