Description

TQ 2980 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTER ST. JAMES'S PLACE, SW1
81/76
24.2.58 No 27 (Spencer House)
GV I
Town mansion. 1752-54 by John Vardy, traditionally the design
also attributed to General Gray. Building and decoration from
1756 to 1766, including interiors by James Stuart c. 1759 and
interior alterations by Sir Robert Taylor, c. 1772, and Henry Holland,
c. 1785. Portland stone, slate roof. Pure Palladian, particularly
the Green Park facade inspired by Palladio design via Burlington's
General Wade house. To Green Park 2 storey pedimented facade,
consisting of arcaded and rusticated podium storey supporting
piano nobile with engaged Doric order, the whole raised on sub-
basement balustraded terrace with vermiculated rustication and
semicircular arched openings. 7 windows wide. Ground floor/
basement has flat arched glazing bar sashes recessed in panels with
impost strings within arcade. 1st floor has architraved glazing
bar sashes with alternating segmental-triangular pediments framed
by the Doric order, with terminal pilasters, supporting an enriched
Doric entablature with the broad pediment, containing palm-wreathed
oculus, over the central 5 bays and balustraded parapet with
carved urns and statues on the dies and pediment. The entrance
flank to St. James's Place is of 3 storeys and basement and
pedimented dormers to attic. 6 windows wide. Rusticated ground
floor, with cornice and blind balustrade at 1st floor level, is
arcaded with linking impost string. Entrance in bay adjoining the
pedimented pavilion return to Park front, is pedimented with
rusticated surround and lamp standards with extinguishers. 1st
floor has Palladian window above entrance and other 1st floor windows
with cornices on consoles, that in corner pavilion with pediment
framed by similar pilaster order as on Park front, with flanking
niches. Exceptional classical interiors,in particular those
decorated by Stuart in the west range with the first "Etruscan"
room in Europe and important work by Taylor and Holland.
Survey of London; vol XXX
James Stuart: David Watkin
Architectural Review March 1984: "Tracing a Palladio elevation"

Listing NGR: TQ2917480112

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Spencer House at Wikipedia
• Spencer House official website
• Wikidata Q2505545

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record