Lauderdale House is an historic house, now run as an arts and education centre, based in

Waterlow Park Waterlow Park is a park in the south east of Highgate Village, in north London. It was given to the public (''i.e.'' the London County Council) by Sir Sydney Waterlow, as "a garden for the gardenless" in 1889. Description The park is set on ...

Highgate Highgate ( ) is a suburban area of north London at the northeastern corner of Hampstead Heath, north-northwest of Charing Cross. Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has two active conservation organisati ...

in north

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

History

Lauderdale House was one of the finest

country houses An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...

in Highgate and was originally built for

Richard Martin (Lord Mayor of London) Sir Richard Martin (died July 1617 in London) was an English goldsmith and Master of the Mint who served as Sheriff and twice as Lord Mayor of the City of London during the reign of Elizabeth I.Beavan Early career Richard Martyn's birth is ...

in 1582 with a timber frame. In the early 17th Century it was occupied by

Sir Henry Hobart Sir Henry Hobart, 1st Baronet (1 Jan 1560 – 29 December 1625), of Blickling Hall, was an English politician who succeeded Sir Edward Coke to become Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas. Background and education The son of Thomas Hoba ...

, who in 1616 had built Blickling Hall, Norfolk, now a

National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

property. Later Mary, Countess of Home extended the house. In 1645 it came to

Earl of Lauderdale Earl of Lauderdale is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The current holder of the title is Ian Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale. The title was created in 1624 for John Maitland, 2nd Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire. The second Ear ...

(hence its name) as his wife Anne Home's inheritance. In 1666 it was visited by Charles II and

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...

, while

Nell Gwyn Eleanor Gwyn (2 February 1650 – 14 November 1687; also spelled ''Gwynn'', ''Gwynne'') was a celebrity figure of the Restoration period. Praised by Samuel Pepys for her comic performances as one of the first actresses on the English stage ...

is said to have lived there briefly in 1670. It was later the home of the Lord Mayor of London,

Sir William Pritchard Sir William Pritchard or Prichard (1632?–1705) was an English merchant, slave trader and politician, Lord Mayor of London in 1682. Early life Born about 1632, was the second son of Francis Prichard of Southwark, and his wife, Mary Eggleston. ...

. It was converted to a neoclassical style in 1760, and

John Wesley John Wesley (; 2 March 1791) was an English people, English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The soci ...

preached here in 1782. For some time it was the home of James Yates, antiquary and Unitarian, who retired there to spend years of "learned leisure" amidst "a noble library and a fine collection of works of art". He died there in 1871. The house became a convalescent home for

St. Bartholomew's hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by Rahere (died ...

in 1872. In 1882 the then owner, Sir Sydney Waterlow, the famous printer, donated it 'for the enjoyment of Londoners'. It is a Grade II* listed building.

References

External links

Lauderdale House
{{Authority control Grade II* listed buildings in the London Borough of Camden Houses in the London Borough of Camden Arts centres in London Country houses in London 1582 establishments in England