26, Rutland Gate

26 Rutland Gate is a house built between 1846 and 1847 by the builder John Tombs. It is constructed of brick, painted white, with stucco dressings. The house stands tall at four storeys, with a basement and attic, and features a four-bay front that includes a four-storey canted bay window. The entrance is located in a Tuscan closed porch with a balustraded roof on the south side. A bombé cast-iron balcony with French windows is present on the first floor, while the second floor has segmental pediments. The cornice has been lost, and the return elevations have been altered. Although the interiors have not been inspected, it is known that the house was lavishly refitted in the 1960s and underwent further alterations afterward. In the 1920s and 1930s, No. 26 Rutland Gate served as the London residence of Lord Redesdale, the father of the Mitford sisters, who used it during the London season. This house is included for its group value as part of the original layout of Rutland Gate and is notable as the only surviving villa from the 1840s that remains freestanding.