Picture this Mount Clare a Grade I listed house. It stands proudly in Roehampton. This magnificent building boasts a history spanning centuries. Sir Robert Taylor designed Mount Clare. He completed the building in 1772. Placido Columbani later added a portico and other embellishments in 1780. The gardens were landscaped by the renowned Lancelot “Capability” Brown.
Mount Clare wasn’t just a beautiful home. It housed notable residents. George Clive a politician was the first owner. Sir John Dick the British Consul at Leghorn resided there. He died at Mount Clare in 1804. The chemist Charles Hatchett who discovered the element niobium also lived here. Other notable residents included Humphrey St John-Mildmay an MP and Admiral Sir Charles Ogle. Hugh Colin Smith Governor of the Bank of England lived here until 1908. His descendants remained until 1945.
The year 1945 marked a turning point. Wandsworth Borough Council requisitioned Mount Clare. It became a hall of residence for Garnett College. This was Britain’s only dedicated lecturer-training college. Garnett College later joined the University of Greenwich. Today Mount Clare belongs to the Southlands Methodist Trust. It serves as student accommodation for the University of Roehampton. The stately home stands as a testament to its rich history. It’s a remarkable piece of London’s past. It continues to shape the present as a vibrant part of the University of Roehampton. A legacy endures. The legacy is in the stones of Mount Clare.