Leicester House

Leicester House stood in Westminster on four acres of former common land north of what is now Leicester Square. Built in the 1630s for the Earl of Leicester, it was a brick and stone mansion with outbuildings and gardens. The house faced strict rules on its front design, ordered by King Charles I to keep the area orderly. The house became home to notable figures such as Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia, who died there in 1662. Later, the Hanoverian princes of Wales used it as an alternative court in the 18th century. The Leverian collection, with around 25,000 exhibits, was displayed in the house from 1775 to 1788 before the building was sold and demolished in 1791. Today, the site is covered by part of Leicester Square and nearby streets. Some stables from the original estate survived until the early 20th century. The area lost its aristocratic character and became a busy entertainment and shopping district.