Northumberland House

Northumberland House stood at the western end of the Strand in the City of Westminster for nearly three centuries. Built around 1605 by Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton, it began as Northampton House before passing to the Earls of Suffolk. In 1640 it became the London home of the Percy family, Dukes of Northumberland, one of England’s richest aristocratic dynasties. The house overlooked the Thames and Trafalgar Square in its later years. Most grand mansions along the Strand had gardens reaching the river, but Northumberland House’s garden stopped short. The house changed hands for £5,000 in furnishings and £15,000 in cash during the 17th century. Over two centuries it was remodelled by architects including James Paine and Robert Adam. Adam’s Glass Drawing Room became one of his most celebrated interiors. By the 19th century the Strand had become commercial, and the Duke resisted leaving despite pressure from the Metropolitan Board of Works. After a fire and a £500,000 offer, the house was demolished in 1874 to make way for Northumberland Avenue. Visitors today can still see traces of the house. An archway designed by William Kent was moved to Bromley by Bow in 1998. Panelling from the Glass Drawing Room survives in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The Hotel Victoria on Northumberland Avenue echoes the old mansion’s entrance and oriel window. Though the building itself is gone, its legacy remains in the street layout and surviving fragments.