Schomberg House

Schomberg House stands on the south side of Pall Mall in central London. It is a red-brick mansion built in the late 17th century for the 3rd Duke of Schomberg, a Huguenot general in British service. The house was adapted from Portland House, which had been created by the Countess of Portland by joining two smaller houses. Its street façade is unusual, with four main storeys above a basement, nine windows, and bold stone projections topped by a pediment. The decorative work is made of Coade stone, manufactured by Eleanor Coade. Only the street façade survives today, though it was rebuilt in its original form after partial demolition. The house has a colourful history tied to notable figures. After the duke’s death in 1719, it was let out and later divided into three separate houses by the artist John Astley in 1769. Astley lived at number 81 and added a studio on the roof. The central house became a ‘Temple of Health and Hymen’ under quack doctor James Graham, who installed a vast ‘celestial bed’ with early electrical devices. Nearby, portrait painter Thomas Gainsborough lived at number 80 from 1774 until his death in 1788. Artists Richard and Maria Cosway also lived at number 81, while number 82 housed a fashionable textile store. Visitors today see the striking surviving façades of numbers 81 and 82, with number 80 rebuilt to match its original design. The façade features narrow windows, bold quoins, and projecting bays that resemble small towers. Though much of the interior was lost, the exterior remains a fine example of late 17th-century architecture. The house is listed Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England, recognising its historical and architectural importance.