Friends excursions: Spencer House
Monday 20 February 2017 2.30 - 3.45pm
Meet at Spencer House, 27 St James's Place, London, SW1. Nearest tube: Green Park.
£26.
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Friends privately tour Spencer House, built between 1756–1766 for John, the first Earl Spencer and an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales. It is considered to be London’s finest surviving 18th-century town house.
Since its conception, Spencer House has been recognised as one of the most ambitiously designed private palaces ever built in London. It occupies a critical place in the history of architecture, offering a unique insight into the development of English neoclassicism. The house was built in 1756 by architect John Vardy and completed in 1766 by architect James Stuart, who was newly returned from Greece. As a result, the house features many Greek details in its design, making it a fine example of neoclassical architecture.
Our tour includes the magnificent state rooms, which later had alterations by Henry Holland, where we view the fabulous collection of furniture and paintings; including several by Benjamin West PRA, the second president of the Royal Academy.