Apsley House Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Apsley House
The front of Apsley House in 2005
General information
Architectural style	Neo-classical
Location	149 Piccadilly London, W1
Country	United Kingdom
Coordinates	51°30′13″N 0°09′06″W / 51.5035°N 0.1517°W / 51.5035; -0.1517
Client	Henry Bathurst, Lord Apsley Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Design and construction
Architect	Robert Adam (original building) Benjamin Dean Wyatt (19th-century renovations)

Listed Building – Grade I
Reference #:	1226873

Apsley House on an 1869 map. The neighbouring houses were demolished in the post World War II period to allow Park Lane to be widened. The Wellington Arch has also been repositioned since this time.

Apsley House is a famous London home that belonged to the Dukes of Wellington. It stands alone at Hyde Park Corner, right next to Hyde Park. From the house, you can see the large traffic circle with the Wellington Arch in the middle.

This building is very important, listed as a Grade I listed building. This means it is a historic building of exceptional interest.

The house was designed by Robert Adam in the 1770s. It has a neoclassical style, which means it looks like ancient Greek and Roman buildings. It was first built for Lord Apsley, which is where its name comes from.

Later, in 1817, it was bought by Arthur Wellesley, the 1st Duke of Wellington. He was a famous general who won the Battle of Waterloo. People sometimes called Apsley House Number One, London. This was because it was the first grand house visitors saw when they came into London from the countryside.

Today, Apsley House is also known as the Wellington Museum. It is managed by English Heritage and is open to the public. You can explore many rooms and see the amazing Wellington Collection. This collection includes paintings, art, and items that tell the story of the 1st Duke's life.

Even today, the 9th Duke of Wellington still lives in part of the house. The public areas are kept looking just as they did when the 1st Duke lived there.

History of Apsley House
Gallery
See also

History of Apsley House

Apsley House is built on land that used to be part of the royal grounds. In the 1600s, there were other buildings here, including a tavern called the Hercules Pillars. This tavern was even mentioned in a famous old book, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling.

Building the Original House

Robert Adam designed the first version of Apsley House. It was built between 1771 and 1778. The house was made of red brick for Lord Apsley, who was a very important judge.

Some of Adam's original designs are still there. For example, the Piccadilly Drawing Room has a curved end and a special fireplace. The Portico Room is behind the large Corinthian portico, which is a fancy entrance with tall columns.

Apsley House was once part of a long line of grand houses on Piccadilly. Many of these houses were later taken down to make Park Lane wider. But Apsley House remains, and its official address is still 149 Piccadilly.

The Duke of Wellington's Home

In 1807, the house was bought by Richard Wellesley. He was the older brother of Arthur Wellesley, who later became the Duke of Wellington. In 1817, Richard had money problems and sold the house to his famous younger brother. The Duke needed a home in London because he was starting a new career in politics.

The Duke hired an architect named Benjamin Dean Wyatt to make big changes to the house. This happened in two main stages.

First Renovations

The first stage of changes began in 1819. Wyatt added a three-story part to the house. This new section included a State Dining Room, where important meals were held, and new bedrooms.

The decorations in this part of the house looked like marble but were made from a special material called scagliola. This material was created at a factory in Lambeth.

Second Renovations and the Waterloo Gallery

The second stage of renovations started after the Duke became Prime Minister in 1828. During this time, a new staircase was built. Wyatt also added the famous "Waterloo Gallery" on the west side of the house.

The original red brick outside of the house was covered with Bath stone, which is a type of light-colored stone. A new entrance with a triangular roof, called a pedimented portico, was also added.

Wyatt first thought the work would cost about £23,000. But problems with the building structure made the cost go up to over £61,000. Wyatt also brought in a French style for the inside of the house. You can see this in the Waterloo Gallery and the fancy iron railing on the staircase.

Iron shutters and railings were also put on the house. This was done after some of the windows were broken during riots.

The Waterloo Gallery is named after the Duke's great victory against Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. The Duke held a special dinner called the Waterloo Banquet every year to remember this victory on June 18, 1815. At first, these dinners were in the Dining Room. But after the Waterloo Gallery was finished in 1828, the banquet moved there. It became a much bigger event, seating 74 guests instead of 36.

Across the busy road from Apsley House, you can see a large statue of the Duke of Wellington on his horse. This statue was made from guns that were captured during the Battle of Waterloo.

Apsley House Becomes a Museum

In 1947, Gerald Wellesley, 7th Duke of Wellington, gave the house and its most important items to the nation. However, a special law, the Wellington Museum Act 1947, allowed the Duke's family to keep living in just over half of the house. They can stay there "so long as there is a Duke of Wellington." The family's private apartments are now on the second floor of the house.

Gallery

Apsley House in 1829 by Thomas H. Shepherd. The main gateway to Hyde Park can be glimpsed on the left.
Apsley House next to the gate
The statue of the Duke of Wellington facing Apsley House. Hyde Park Corner to the left.
Apsley House at night