In an attempt to take you all out of your comfort zones, our Secret London series uncovers lesser-known gems in the city and beyond.
This episode we nosy around Spencer House, one of London's few remaining aristocratic homes hidden in stately St James's.
What's this about a posh old house in Green Park?
Say hello to Spencer House, one of London's finest surviving eighteenth century townhouses. It was built for John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer (great grandson of Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough) between the years of 1756 to 1766, after he managed to buy the plot following the suicide of Henry Bromley, the first Baron Montfort, on New Year's Day in 1755. Lovely.
To this day, the house still remains in the ownership of Charles Spencer, brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, but since the Second World War has been leased by Christie's Auctioneers, the British Oxygen Company, Economist Intelligence Unit and now, the Rothschilds.
A thing of regal and stellar beauty, the demi-palace was originally built as a romanticised Temple of the Arts for fashionable high society entertainment, and as a grand setting for the Earl's bulging art collection. Designed by John Vardy and James "Athenian" Stuart – a man who dabbled in the Arcadian values of Ancient Greek Architecture – the house's meticulously authentic Greek details has made it one of the finest examples of a Neo-classical aristocratic gaff in London.
Snazzy carpets, opulent mosaic ceilings, glittering porcelain, fine mahogany numbers, a colossal variegated portrait bust of Lucius Verus and a stonker of a semi-circular staircase await you.
Sound interesting – what else?
Slap bang in the middle of St James's, the house really is the definition of palatial, over-the-top bling. Standing a stone's throw away from the likes of Clarence House, Lancaster House and Buck's Palace, the Grade I-listed gem boasts some of the best Grecian and Regency-style interiors in the entire city. Eight painstakingly beautiful restored rooms are open to the public, with rare paintings by Sir Joshua Reynolds, quality wood carvings, objects d'art, vintage literature, French chateau-worthy chandeliers on display.
Highlights include the Palm Room, pictured below, a fantastical place featuring a magnificently carved gilded palm ceiling that was based on Charles II's bedchamber at Greenwich Palace, and the grand staircase hall, which dons a huge Venetian gilt-painted repoussé copper and bronze lantern from the 1700s. Its claim to fame? The giant thing is thought to have come from the Bucentaur, the famous State Barge belonging to the Doge of Venice. Fancy.
Other must-sees include Lady Spencer's private drawing room where pink, biscuit, blue and gold shades reign supreme. The inspiration was a ceiling in the Baths of Augustus in Rome. Serpentine satinwood corner cupboards, fine offerings of English and French marquetry and paintings by Antonio Canova, Antonio Joli and Gaspar van Wittel are well worth a closer look. If you don't want to take our word for it, Arthur Young once wrote that the room was "fitted up with great taste; scarce anything can be more beautiful than the mosaic ceiling, the cornices and all the ornaments". There we go, then.
To Instagram? Head to the Painted Room and check out the ceiling. It is #wowzers. Other than that, the stunning chandeliers in The Great Room will keep your phone preoccupied for hours.
Sold. When can I visit and how do I get there?
The house is open every Sunday throughout the year, except in August. Guided tours kick off at 10.00am and end at 4.30pm on the dot. Allow about an hour for your visit. The closet tube stop is Green Park, which is about a five minute walk away.
Anything else I should know?
Ask before you take photos, unless you want to be wrestled to the ground by a blue badge guide. If this makes you sceptical about going, know this: everyone from Her Maj to Prince Charles has stepped through the house's doors, so even if you don't get a shot, you can still brag to your friends that you were in good company (sort of).
Spencer House is at 27 St James's Pl, St. James's, London SW1A 1NR. For more information, visit the Spencer House website.
