The ghosts of Mayfair’s magnificent mansions

In the late eighteenth century, Mayfair was transformed. A rural neighbourhood on the fringes of London – known for the seedy fair that took place each May – was filled with houses for the upper classes.

Close to several parks, as well as the Court of St James, the neighbourhood was popular with aristocratic families. Over the course of the nineteenth century, many of the country’s grandest families built their London residences here, with enough space to host on a lavish scale.

However, in the twentieth century, two world wars and declining levels of aristocratic wealth meant that many of these houses were abandoned. Some were turned into embassies or hotels; others were demolished to make way for apartment buildings.

This was a time before historic properties were protected through the listing system. Nonetheless, these mansions contained some of London’s most impressive architecture. Below is a tribute to four of these lost architectural marvels.

A vast Mansion belonging to the Duke of Westminster, owner of much of Mayfair in the nineteenth century. It was designed by Thomas Cundy, the surveyor of the Grosvenor Estate, who also oversaw the development of Belgravia and Pimlico. This property featured a long picture gallery with works by Gainsborough and Valázquez, as well as a colonnaded entrance arcade flanked by triumphal arches.

In 1889, Grosvenor House was among the first properties in London to have electricity installed. However, the house was acquired by the government during the First World War, and afterwards, the family decided it was too lavish to maintain. Sadly, in 1920, the whole property was demolished, becoming the site of the Grosvenor House Hotel.

A house has occupied this site since the mid-eighteenth century. In 1819, it was acquired by the Marquess of Londonderry, who created some of the extravagant interiors in the city. This included a grand ballroom filled with sculptures by Antonio Canova, as well as a vast central staircase and a tripartite drawing room.

The mansion could host as many as 2000 guests for parties, while Napoleon III was a regular visitor. It also contained an impressive collection of silver, which was later acquired by Brighton council to decorate the Royal Pavilion. But in 1962, the family finally left, and in 1963, the building was replaced with the 28-storey London Hilton.

Arguably the most opulent house of the lot, this Italian palazzo was built in the 1850s for Gloucestershire landowner Robert Staynor Holford. Within, there was a grand marble staircase, numerous state rooms, and an art collection that would make most museums proud, featuring works by Titian, Tintoretto, van Dyck and Rembrandt.

The house was later rented by the US Ambassador, whose receptions caused two-hour traffic jams on Park Lane. However, in the First World War, it became a hospital, with its state rooms turned into dormitories. The family was so heavily indebted that the place had to be sold in 1929, soon demolished to make way for the Dorchester Hotel.

Another impressive mansion, it was built in 1740 by William Kent, who introduced the Palladian style of architecture to Britain. Belonging to the Duke of Devonshire, the house included a 40-ft library, eleven gilded state rooms, and much of the family’s famous art collection. Here, the 5th Duke of Devonshire and his wife, Lady Georgiana Spencer, hosted the most important Whig politicians of the Georgian period. Their house was also the setting for an infamous fancy-dress ball to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. Guests dressed as historical portraits come to life, and the Prince and Princess of Wales were among those present.

But this was another mansion requisitioned during the war and used by the Red Cross. After the war, the family abandoned the property, and in 1919, the site was sold to pay for death duties. It is now occupied by an immense office block overlooking Green Park, built in 1926 as the UK headquarters of the car company Citroen.

However, a piece from the original structure remains on show today. The blue ornate gates at the entrance to Green Park used to belong to Devonshire House. They were commissioned in the early 18th century for Heathfield House in Turnham Green. When the house was demolished in 1837, the Duke of Devonshire bought the gates for Chiswick House, later moving them to Devonshire House in 1897, and then across the road to Green Park in 1921. In 1970, long after Devonshire House was demolished, the gates were given Grade II listed status.