| Summary : Winfield House is a detached house situated at the northwest side of Regent's Park in London and is now residence of the Ambassador of the United States of America. It is a Regency style villa, originally named Hertford Villa but later known as St Dunstan's, and was designed by the architect Decimus Burton as part of John Nash's grand design for Regent's Park. From 1917 until 1921 it was used by St Dunstan's Institute for the Blind and then remained empty for the rest of the 1920s. St Dunstan's Institute for the Blind, now renamed and known as Blind Veterans UK, was established in 1915 and first located in Winfield House which was lent to the charity. The establishment was founded by Sir Arthur Pearson who owned the Evening Standard and founded the Daily Express. He lost his sight through glaucoma and wanted to help those who had lost their vision in the First World War by providing care and rehabilitation. In 1936 the building was partly destroyed by fire and it was bought by the Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton who demolished it and built a red brick Georgian style house in its place. This was designed by Leonard Rome Guthrie of Wimperis, Simpson and Guthrie with Johnny Sieben and Sheila Lady Milbank as interior decorators. The building was named Winfield House after Barbara Hutton's grandfather and it was her home from 1937 until 1939. During the Second World War the building was commandeered and used by an RAF barrage balloon unit and an Air Crew Reception Centre, later it was used as an American Officers' Club. In 1946 Barbara Hutton gave the house to the United States Government to be used as the official residence of the American Ambassador.The building lies in a Conservation Area. |
More information : Winfield House is a detached house situated at the northwest side of Regent's Park in London and is now residence of the Ambassador of the United States of America. It is a Regency style villa, originally named Hertford Villa but later known as St Dunstan's, and was designed by the architect Decimus Burton as part of John Nash's grand design for Regent's Park. The original design was to include 56 villas, but only eight were ever built and this was the largest. It was constructed by James Burton in 1825.
From 1917 until 1921 it was used by St Dunstan's Institute for the Blind and then remained empty for the rest of the 1920s.
In 1936 the building was partly destroyed by fire and it was bought by the Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton who demolished it and built a red brick Georgian style house in its place. This was designed by Leonard Rome Guthrie of Wimperis, Simpson and Guthrie with Johnny Sieben and Sheila Lady Milbank as interior decorators. The building was named Winfield House after Barbara Hutton's grandfather and it was her home from 1937 until 1939. During the Second World War the building was commandeered and used by an RAF barrage balloon unit and an Air Crew Reception Centre, later it was used as an American Officers' Club.
In 1946 Barbara Hutton gave the house to the United States Government to be used as the official residence of the American Ambassador for the price of one American dollar. From 1946 until 1955 significant restoration and an extension to the front took place and in 1955 the first ambassador took up residence. It is built of red brick and Portland stone dressings with a slate roof. (1)
The house was designed by L. Rome Guthrie of Wimperis, Simpson and Guthrie. It was built of red brick and Portland stone dressing and is covered by a slate roof. The entrance front is thirteen bays wide with projecting three-bay ends, which themselves flank a single storey entrance extension. The central door is flanked by Doric columns. The parapet contains a relief of the seal of the United States of America. The garden front is thirteen bays wide with a central pedimented portico of four giant Corinthian pilasters. Inside the Green or Garden Room is hung with Chinese wallpaper which were originally from Townley Castle, County Louth. The house further contains several antique features of the 18th century. In the former nursery suite some 1930s features also survived. Grade II listed. (2)
Winfield House, the residence of the Ambassador of the United States of America to the Court of St James, stands on the site of a Regency villa which was part of a grand scheme for Regent's Park, planned by John Nash and was to include fifty-six villas, however, by the time George VI became King costs had skyrocketed and only eight villas were built. This was the largest villa in the park, was designed for the Marquess of Hertford by Decimus Burton and built in 1825, probably by James Burton. The Marquess of Hertford was a friend of the King, owned a vast art collection and was known as the `Caliph of Regent's Park'. Having salvaged a clock from St Dunstan's Church in Fleet Street and set it up in the garden, he changed the name of the villa to St Dunstan's. The house lent its name to St Dunstan's Institute for the Blind, which occupied the building from 1917-21, but stood empty through the rest of the 1920s. In 1935-6 it was leased by Lord Rothermere, who returned the clock to the church. On 10 August 1936 the Crown Estate Commission gave permission for the old white stuccoed villa to be pulled down and a red brick Georgian style house built in its place. The original landscaping of the gardens probably survives, but was not investigated by RCHME. (3)
St Dunstan’s Institute for the Blind, now renamed and known as Blind Veterans UK, was established in 1915 and first located in Winfield House which was lent to the charity. The establishment was founded by Sir Arthur Pearson who owned the Evening Standard and founded the Daily Express. He lost his sight through glaucoma and wanted to help those who had lost their vision in the First World War by providing care and rehabilitation.
Blind Veterans UK continues to provide care to war veterans who have lost their sight in their various centres around the UK. (4)
At the time of amending this record in 2012, access to information on the designation noted in source 2 above is available via the National Heritage List for England. (5)
According to English Heritage’s Corporate GIS the building is located in a Conservation Area. The National Grid Reference for the building is: TQ2742082931 (6) |