More information : [TQ 29218054] BURLINGTON HOUSE [AT] (1)
Burlington House, Piccadilly. Mansion built in 1665 but rearranged internally in 1716 then rebuilt 1817-20. The original block on the north side of the courtyard probably conceals original fabric. (2)
The original eleven bay mansion, Burlington House, was built between 1664 and 1668. It had two and a half storeys and was constructed of brick with stone quoins. The project was begun by Sir John Denham and finished by the 1st Earl and Countess of Burlington.
A number of changes to the building (structurally and stylistically) have been carried out since its original construction.
In c. 1709 the entrance court to the south, the staircase and entrance hall were enhanced.
Between 1719 and 1722 the 3rd Early of Burlington carried out a number of alterations internally and externally. These were inspired by his trip to Italy and the architect Colen Campbell drew on the designs of Inigo Jones to introduce an Italian style into the house.
In 1770 the house was leased to the Duke of Portland, who, influenced by an austere form of neoclassicism, employed John Carr of York to redesign the eastern end of the building. The Saloon was also decorated in the Kent's baroque decorative style.
In 1812 the hosue was purchased by Lord George Cavendish and a series of important alterations were carried out by Samuel Ware. Kent's decorative work was retained and copied to create an early example of the Kent Revival style. A ballroom was created on the eastern side, and a state dining room on the west. The two were linked by a sequence of five rooms, which are now known as the John Madejski Fine Rooms.
Burlington House was purchased by the government in 1854 and it served as the headquarters of various learned societies, almost all of which are still housed within the courtyard.
The Royal Academy was granted a 999-year lease in 1867 and its Main Galleries and art school were constructed from designs by Sidney Smirke RA. A third floor was also added to accommodate a suite of Diploma Galleries to link Burlington House with the three-storey ranges which were constructed around the courtyard.
A number of alterations have subsequently been made to the house including: the construction of a new Library (1986), a Print Room (1993) and the remodelling of the top-floor galleries (now the Sackler Wing of Galleries ) in 1991.
For a detailed description of Burlington House and The Royal Accademy please refer to the accademy's website.
For a detailed description of Burlington House ¿ external and internal ¿ including structural changes and architectural styles please refer to Pevsner and the Listed Buildings Record for the house. (3-5)
on 1 July 1858, papers by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace were presented to a meeting of the Linnean Society. These papers introduced their ideas of evolutionary biology and which later led to the publication of Darwin's seminal work On the Origin of Species. (6)
National Grid Reference TQ2921480540 (centroid of the object) identified by digital ordnance survey mapping. (7)
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