Winfield House is an English townhouse in

Regent's Park Regent's Park (officially The Regent's Park) is one of the Royal Parks of London. It occupies of high ground in north-west Inner London, administratively split between the City of Westminster and the Borough of Camden (and historically betwee ...

, central London and the

official residence An official residence is the residence of a head of state, head of government, governor, religious leader, leaders of international organizations, or other senior figure. It may be the same place where they conduct their work-related functions. ...

of the

United States Ambassador Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the president to serve as the country's diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as ambassadors-at-large. Under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S ...

to the United Kingdom. The grounds are , the second-largest private garden in London after that of Buckingham Palace. The house was built for American heiress Barbara Woolworth Hutton in 1936 on the former Hertford–St. Dunstan estate that had been damaged by fire. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, the estate was used by the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

. Hutton donated it to the United States after the war, and since 1955 it has been the American ambassador's residence. The house is Grade II listed by

Historic England Historic England (officially the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England) is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It is tasked w ...

as an "exceptional ambassador's residence and as a notable Neo-Georgian town house containing numerous features of note."

Hertford Villa

The first house on the site was Hertford Villa, the largest of the eight villas originally constructed in

, pursuant to the development scheme of John Nash. This house was designed by Decimus Burton in 1825 for

Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford Francis Charles Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford, (11 March 1777 – 1 March 1842), styled Viscount Beauchamp between 1793 and 1794 and Earl of Yarmouth between 1794 and 1822, of Ragley Hall in Warwickshire and of Sudbourne Hall in S ...

, who used it for orgies.Stourton. Page 153. Burton's creation was described as, 'decorated simplicity, such as the hand of taste, aided by the purse of wealth can alone execute'. Burton's design was subsequently refurbished with an updated exterior. Later, this

Georgian style Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, Geor ...

villa became known as 'St Dunstan's' because of the distinctive clock that hung in front of it, which was purchased by the art-collecting Marquess of Hertford when it was auctioned from the church of St Dunstan-in-the-West prior to the church's demolition in 1829–30 for a road-widening scheme. Subsequent occupants who leased Hertford Villa–St. Dunstan's included American financier

Otto Kahn Otto Hermann Kahn (February 21, 1867 – March 29, 1934) was a German-born American investment banker, collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. Kahn was a well-known figure, appearing on the cover of ''Time'' magazine and was sometime ...

and British newspaper proprietor

Lord Rothermere Viscount Rothermere, of Hemsted in the county of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1919 for the press lord Harold Harmsworth, 1st Baron Harmsworth. He had already been created a baronet, of Horsey in th ...

. During the First World War, Kahn lent the house to a new charity for blinded servicemen, which took the name of St Dunstan's (now Blind Veterans UK). After a fire in 1936, the house and grounds were purchased by

Barbara Hutton Barbara Woolworth Hutton (November 14, 1912 – May 11, 1979) was an American debutante, socialite, heiress, and philanthropist. She was dubbed the "Poor Little Rich Girl"—first when she was given a lavish and expensive debutante ball in 1930 a ...

and then demolished.

Winfield House

Hutton commissioned a new mansion to be built in the Neo-Georgian style, which was designed by Leonard Rome Guthrie of the English architectural practice Wimperis, Simpson and Guthrie. The house was at first known by one of the names of its predecessor (St Dunstan's), but Lord Fraser of Lonsdale, head of the soldiers' charity, approached Hutton to explain that the similarity in the name and location of her house and his organisation (still with an office in Regent's Park) caused confusion, and he asked that she give up the historical name. She agreed to the request and chose a new name, derived from her grandfather Frank Winfield Woolworth, who had an estate, Winfield Hall, in Glen Cove, New York. During the Second World War, the house was used by a

barrage balloon unit and as an officers' club. It was visited during the war by film actor

Cary Grant Cary Grant (born Archibald Alec Leach; January 18, 1904November 29, 1986) was an English-American actor. He was known for his Mid-Atlantic accent, debonair demeanor, light-hearted approach to acting, and sense of comic timing. He was one o ...

, who was married to Hutton at the time. After the war, Hutton sold the house to the American government for a token sum, one dollar. After extensive renovations, Winfield House became the ambassador's residence in 1955. The previous

at 14 Prince's Gate had been deemed inadequately secure. The house is listed on the

U.S. Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...

's Register of Culturally Significant Property, which denotes properties owned by the U.S. State Department with particular cultural or historical significance. The interiors have undergone several alterations at various points, including in 1969 by

William Haines Charles William Haines (January 2, 1900 – December 26, 1973) was an American actor and interior designer. Haines was discovered by a talent scout and signed with Goldwyn Pictures in 1922. His career gained momentum when he received favo ...

, a decorator and former silent film star. Route 66 Winfield House

Grounds

Winfield House is situated within twelve acres of grounds set into Regent's Park, which includes a small front wood,

sculpture garden A sculpture garden or sculpture park is an outdoor garden or park which includes the presentation of sculpture, usually several permanently sited works in durable materials in landscaped surroundings. A sculpture garden may be private, owned by ...

formal garden A formal garden is a garden with a clear structure, geometric shapes and in most cases a symmetrical layout. Its origin goes back to the gardens which are located in the desert areas of Western Asia and are protected by walls. The style of a forma ...

vegetable garden The traditional kitchen garden, vegetable garden, also known as a potager (from the French ) or in Scotland a kailyaird, is a space separate from the rest of the residential garden – the ornamental plants and lawn areas. It is used for grow ...

, and tennis court, as well as an extensive lawn which comprises the majority of the acreage. Pathways and drives extend into the grounds, and connect the front garden and entrance to the rear. The property is surrounded by trees, primarily for security and privacy.

References

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