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Apsley House

Apsley House is the London townhouse of the Dukes of Wellington. It stands alone at Hyde Park Corner, on the south-east corner of Hyde Park, facing towards the large traffic roundabout in the centre of which stands the Wellington Arch. It is a Grade I listed building.

Apsley House

United Kingdom

1226873[1]

Designed by Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, the house was built for Lord Apsley in the 1770s. It was purchased by Richard Wellesley, in 1807, and passed to his younger brother Arthur, in 1817. It was sometimes referred to as Number One, London. It is perhaps the only preserved example of an English aristocratic townhouse from this period.


The house is also called the Wellington Museum, its official designation under the Wellington Museum Act 1947. Run by English Heritage, much of the house is open to the public as a museum and art gallery, exhibiting the Wellington Collection, a large collection of paintings, other artworks and memorabilia of the career of the 1st Duke. The 9th Duke of Wellington retains half the house for the family's private use. The practice has been to maintain the public rooms as far as possible in the original style and decor of the 1st Duke.

Wellington Museum Act 1947

An Act to transfer to the Crown Apsley House and the site, forecourt and garden thereof and certain chattels formerly belonging to the first Duke of Wellington; to provide for the use of Apsley House partly as a museum for the preservation and exhibition of the said chattels and other chattels associated with the said first Duke or his times and for other public purposes, and partly as a residence for the Dukes of Wellington; to amend the enactments relating to the Wellington estates, so as to provide for the automatic devolution of the property subject to the trusts thereof whenever there is a change in the person holding office as First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer or Speaker of the House of Commons; and for purposes connected with the matters aforesaid.

31 July 1947

Apsley House in 1829 by Thomas H. Shepherd. The main gateway to Hyde Park can be glimpsed on the left.

Apsley House in 1829 by Thomas H. Shepherd. The main gateway to Hyde Park can be glimpsed on the left.

Apsley House next to the gate

Apsley House next to the gate

The statue of the Duke of Wellington facing Apsley House. Hyde Park Corner to the left.

The statue of the Duke of Wellington facing Apsley House. Hyde Park Corner to the left.

Apsley House at night

Apsley House at night

List of monuments to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington

– the country home of the Dukes of Wellington

Stratfield Saye House

– the residence of the 1st Duke as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports

Walmer Castle

Waterloo ceremony

Wellington Museum, Somerset

Wellington Museum, Waterloo

Jervis, Simon & Tomlin, Maurice (revised by Voak, Jonathon; 1984, revisions 1989 & 1995) Apsley House Wellington Museum published by the Trustees of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London  1-85177-161-1

ISBN

The Buildings of England: London vol. I, p. 463. ISBN 0-300-09653-4

Nikolaus Pevsner

Stourton, James (2012). Great Houses of London (Hardback). London: Frances Lincoln.  978-0-7112-3366-9.

ISBN

Official website

Apsley House – English Heritage website

Historical Images of Apsley House

Old and New London: Volume 4 (1878), pp. 359–375

Apsley House and Park Lane