Chatham House

Chatham House is a Grade I listed terraced town house located in St. James's Square, built in 1736 by Henry Flitcroft with Benjamin Timbrell as the builder and promoter for Sir William Heathcote. The house is constructed of brown brick and features a slate roof, rising four storeys with a basement and a dormered mansard. It has a façade that is four windows wide, with the doorway positioned in the second bay from the left, framed by a bold architrave surround and flanking jambs topped with carved consoles beneath a moulded cornice. This entrance is accessed by a short flight of steps. The windows are recessed glazing bar sashes set under flat gauged arches. A stone plat band is present at the first floor, along with a moulded stone cornice above the second floor. A wrought iron balcony spans the first floor, and there are wrought iron area railings with stone obelisks flanking the steps, which are topped with lampholders that include extinguishers. The elevation and details of Chatham House are uniform with No. 9 next door.

Despite some alterations, the interior retains many fine details. The layout is nearly symmetrical, divided into east and west sections, with a hall and staircase on one side and a front parlour featuring an Ionic screen on the other. Inside, there is panelling and mahogany doors, along with a very fine oak staircase that has a wave moulded closed string, carved waisted balusters, a broad rail, and panelled newels. The walls are adorned with an enriched string at the first floor level and ornate stuccowork framed panels. The upper level of the compartment features panelling, and the dome of the first floor octagon anteroom remains intact. Notably, the house has been a residence for prominent figures such as William Pitt the Elder, the Earl of Derby, and W. E. Gladstone.