No.8 And Attached Railings

No.8 Marlborough Street is a terrace house, completed in 1790, with alterations made in the 19th and 20th centuries. It was designed by John Palmer and built by Charles Viner. The house stands at the junction of Marlborough Street and St James's Square, displaying a triangular plan and enclosed sides and rear, with a staircase to the rear.

The building is constructed of limestone ashlar to the front, which is painted, and has a parapeted mansard roof covered with Welsh slate. The front elevation is three storeys high, with an attic and basement, and features a two-window facade. The first floor has two six/six horned sash windows set in splayed reveals, accompanied by a continuous wrought iron balconette. The second floor mirrors this design with similar windows in plain reveals and a continuous stone sill. The ground floor incorporates an eight/eight horned sash window to the left and a six-panel door with a single-pane overlight and pennant step, set within a moulded architrave with a flat surround, moulded cornice on console brackets, and one step to a pennant paved crossover, which features a 19th-century cast iron footscraper. A six/six sash window and a 20th-century plank door and window are located in an ashlar infilling under the crossover; the basement lacks area steps. The roofline includes a triple dormer with glazing bar casements. Architectural detailing includes a band course over the ground floor, a sill band to the first floor, a frieze, a moulded eaves cornice, and a coped parapet that continues with No.7 Marlborough Street. The interior of the property has not been inspected. Attached wrought iron railings feature shaped and cast arrow heads on limestone bases.

Historically, the house was part of an incomplete development of St James’s Square, on land leased from Sir Peter Rivers Gay. An underlease to Charles Viner in 1790 details the builder's use of the corner site to construct an additional house. Sources consulted include an abstract of title of Sir J F Rivers and associated maps.