Dover House Scottish Office

TQ 3080 SW CITY OF WESTMINSTER WHITEHALL SW1 83/84 (West side) 5.2.70 Dover House (Scottish Office) GV I Former mansion, now government offices. 1755-58, by James Paine for Sir Matthew Featherstonhaugh, enlarged for the Duke of York in 1787 by Henry Holland who provided a new porticoed forebuilding with entrance hall on the site of Paine's forecourt, rebuilt the west front and redecorated some of interiors. Portland stone, slate roof. Restrained, elegant Palladian design by Paine with very sophisticated Parisian neo-Classical screen by Holland. 3 storeys and dormered hipped roof. 5 windows wide. The Whitehall front has low single storey wings with pediments facing north and south, concealed by Holland's screen. This consists of a central tetrastyle Greek Ionic columned, pedimented portico projecting over pavement, the flanking recessed sections of fine ashlar rusticated screen wall with entablature broken forward over 4 free-standing columns of the same order, surmounted by neo-classical vases; the entablature and balustraded parapet are carried across over the similarly rusticated blind end walls of the wings. Horse Guards Parade front, with rusticated ground floor, has a 3 storey one window south extension to its 5 bay front; recessed glazing bar sashes, those on 1st floor pedimented and the central window of Venetian pattern set in semi- circular arched recess. Continuous iron balcony to 1st floor. Modillion crowning cornice and balustraded parapet. Holland's Whitehall portico leads, via vestibule, into circular saucer-domed hall encircled by Tuscan pink marble columns on drum pedestals and lit by lantern; staircase with bowed and segmental steps, rises from the centre into Paine's house; behind west front,on 1st floor, the north room retains compartmented Paine ceiling, the south room a c.1840 Italianate ceiling; on ground floor central room has delicate, painted Etruscan- Raphaelesque decoration a la Bélanger, and the flanking rooms,with screens, all part of Holland's refurbishment; good chimneypieces, etc. Survey of London; vol XIV The Life and Work of James Paine; Peter Leach Henry Holland; Dorothy Stroud

Listing NGR: TQ3009380028