Dudley House

TQ 2880 NW CITY OF WESTMINSTER PARK LANE, Wl 68/42 (east side) No. 100 (Dudley 24.2.58 House) - II* Town mansion. Rebuild of 1827-28, possibly incorporating part of C.18 house, by William Atkinson for the 1st Earl of Derby, internal alterations by S.W. Daukes for Lord Ward in 1855 (c.f. Witley Court); major renovation/refurbishment by Sir Basil Spence and Anthony Blee 1969-70. Stuccoed with slate roof. A restrained Grecian design. 3 storeys, basement and dormered attic. 9 windows wide Park Lane front with shallow 3 window centre break and 7 bay long asymmetrical return to Culross Street. The ground floor to front is screened by a projecting stone colonnade of coupled Ionic columns advanced to centre to form tetrastyle portico in front of entrance lobby. The colonnade supports a conservatory-verandah-balcony with decorative ironwork standards and spandrels, across full width of 1st floor (possibly a c.1855 Daukes addition). 2nd floor sash window in shallow architrave surrounds. 1st and 2nd floor sill bands; cornice and balustraded parapet, solid over centre break where it bears the Dudley arms. Similar details to return with pedimented rectangular stucco bay to 1st floor left and 3-window break to right. Spear head area railings. The interior retains 4 good gilded plasterwork ceilings in the Graeco-Roman taste of the 1820s (one covered up on 1st floor) and several fine chimney pieces, some C.18 and reset. The main staircase compartment and entrance hall would appear to have been redecorated in keeping with the opulent "Louis XVI" of Dauke's destroyed ballroom and picture gallery, though the ironwork stair balustrade is probably Atkinson's. Fine C.18 wrought iron stair balustrade to rear may be retained from the C.18 house; new classical upper hall by Spence. Dudley House is the only early Park Lane mansion to have survived. Survey of London; Vol. XL.

Listing NGR: TQ2802180698