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 | |
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The front of Apsley House in 2005 | |
Location within Central London | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Neo-classical |
| Location | 149 Piccadilly London, W1 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 51°30′13″N 0°09′06″W |
| Client | |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) |
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| Website | |
| www | |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Reference no. | 1226873 |
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.