Is it possible for a London townhouse to rival the grand hotels of Paris? Chesterfield House once did just that. Built in Mayfair between 1747 and 1752, Chesterfield House was the vision of Philip Stanhope. He was the 4th Earl of Chesterfield. Stanhope was a statesman and man of letters.
The exterior of Chesterfield House boasted a Palladian style. Inside visitors found Baroque elegance. The house stood proudly on the north side of Curzon Street. Its location was between South Audley Street and what we now know as Chesterfield Street.
Chesterfield House impressed many. Pierre-Jean Grosley was a French travel writer. In his book Londres, he declared it equal to Parisian nobility’s hotels particuliers.
Isaac Ware built Chesterfield House on land owned by Richard Howe. Chesterfield penned his thoughts from “Hotel Chesterfield” in a letter to his son. This was on March 31, 1749. He described his boudoir as the gayest room in England. He also called his library the best. Chesterfield proudly noted his garden would soon be a verdant scene. He felt it would be uncommon in London.
The Quarterly Review described the mansion. You could still see his favorite apartments furnished as he left them. This included what he called the finest room in London. It was his spacious and beautiful library. It overlooked the finest private garden in London. The walls were covered halfway up with rich literature. Above the cases were portraits of eminent authors. They were French and English. Chesterfield had conversed with most of them. Around the cornice were Horatian lines in foot-long capitals.
The staircase of Chesterfield House had an interesting history. The columns and marble staircase came from Cannons. Cannons was the mansion of James Brydges. He was the 1st Duke of Chandos. After the Duke’s death in 1744, Cannons was demolished. Chesterfield purchased the staircase materials at auction in 1747. He also bought the portico and railings. Chesterfield furnished his mansion with items from Houghton Hall. This included an 18-candle copper-gilt lantern.
Chesterfield’s library featured portraits of his ancestors. In a satirical move, he included two old portraits. He labeled them “Adam de Stanhope” and “Eve de Stanhope.”
Chesterfield even created Stanhope Street. He did this on adjoining land. He purchased it from the Dean and Chapter of Westminster.
In 1869, a description of Chesterfield House noted both its fine points and disappointments. The grand marble staircase came from Canons. Busts of Pitt and Fox greeted visitors. A lofty clock appeared to chime the hours like one at Versailles. The music-room was disappointing. The drawing room was called the French room. The looking-glasses seemed to mirror and multiply the society of Chesterfield’s time. A chandelier once belonging to Napoleon I hung in another drawing room. The library held books of enduring interest. An ante-chamber offered a glimpse into Chesterfield’s daily life. Outside was a stone terrace overlooking a large lawn.
The 5th Earl of Essex recalled seeing Chesterfield basking in the sun. He was sitting on a rustic seat. It was in front of his mansion.
To avoid demolition, Charles Magniac purchased the house in 1869. He paid a reported sum of £175,000. Magniac reduced the grounds. He erected buildings overlooking Chesterfield Street. These were named Chesterfield Gardens.
Viscount Lascelles bought the house in 1919. He married Princess Mary in 1923. They moved out in December 1931.
Sadly, Chesterfield House was demolished in 1937. A block of flats with the same name now stands on the site.