Winfield House

Winfield House stands in Regent’s Park, a large green space in central London. It is a grand townhouse built in the 1930s for the American heiress Barbara Woolworth Hutton. The house replaced an earlier villa called Hertford Villa, which had been damaged by fire. During the Second World War, the site was used by the Royal Air Force. After the war, Hutton donated the property to the United States. Since 1955, it has served as the official residence of the American ambassador to the United Kingdom. The house is recognised for its Neo-Georgian design, created by architect Leonard Rome Guthrie. It was first named St Dunstan’s but was later renamed Winfield House after Hutton’s grandfather. The building is Grade II listed and holds a place on the U.S. Secretary of State’s Register of Culturally Significant Property. Inside, the interiors have been updated over time, including work by decorator and former silent film star William Haines in 1969. The grounds cover twelve acres, making it the second largest private garden in London. Visitors find a mix of formal and informal spaces within the grounds. There is a small wood, a sculpture garden, and a vegetable garden, along with a greenhouse and a grass tennis court. A wide lawn stretches across most of the property, used for events. Pathways and drives link the front entrance to the rear areas. The gardens are bordered by trees, planted mainly for privacy and security. The house itself remains a secure and well-maintained residence for the ambassador.