The great houses of London represent one of the marvels of English
architecture and yet they are almost entirely unknown. They are for the
most part disguised behind sober facades but their riches within are
astonishing. This book will range from the romantic 17th century
Ashburnham House, nestling in the shadow of Westminster Abbey, through
the splendid 18th century aristocratic palaces of the West End, to the
curious and quirky arts and crafts houses of Holland Park and
Kensington, to the cool modernist houses of Hampstead and the exuberant
post-modern interiors of the last thirty years. Every house has its own
story to tell. This might be the colourful history of the occupants
(such as the Duke of Wellington entertaining ladies at Apsley House),
the great art collections they held (the Titians at Bridgewater House or
Sam Courtauld's Impressionist paintings at Home House), or the
architectural wonders of William Kent's 44 Berkeley Square and Burges's
Tower House in Melbury Road. The book promises to be a great revelation.