Spencer House

Our next adventure in things new to us was the Spencer House, another of London's few remaining "town houses," that is, great houses in London maintained by the Great and the Good for the "season" in London. (See Downtown Arby's or Bridgerton for deeper insight). There are only a handful left, including Apsley and Spencer House. The Spencer clan goes way back and includes a number of notable members, some of whom are or were extremely well known. The House was begun in the 1750s, enjoyed its height throughout the 1800s, but began to decline in the 1900s, as the family's fortunes changed. It was let out beginning in 1927, with most of its grand furnishings removed to the ancestral home out in the countryside. With the Blitz, even more was removed for safekeeping. Much more recently, Spencer House caught the eye of one of the Rothschilds and associated investors, and so began a lengthy and very costly renovation and restoration back to its glory days. Fortunately, the furnishings of those years were well documented and have mostly been re-created or restored, owing to the cooperation of the Victoria and Albert Museum and similar entities. Evidently, no expense was spared in regard to the authenticity of the renovation. The main function of the House these days is as a venue for hire, with tours like ours available now and then. Its private rooms are mostly the headquarters of the corporation responsible for the renovation. The House is still owned by the Spencers, namely Lady Diana's brother. Photography is permitted in only two of the House's many rooms, so my coverage will be limited. There is, of course, an excellent website, which well conveys the House's history, collections, and renovation. With lots of pix.

At St. James, right on the park; kings and queens among the neighbors

Bits of the interior opulence I won't attempt to describe

Except they probably had to corner the world gold leaf market for
the renovation

Restoration of the fireplace was said to have taken 6,000 man-hours

Note puffy button-covers

The guide: appropriately aristocratic bearing and scholarly air...

Sir John Soane's Museum, 2024

We first visited Sir John Soane's Museum at the end of our 2022 London campaign, were blown away, and resolved to visit it again, next time in town, and to do it via the guided tour. Hardly anything in the "museum" is labeled (and much of what is labeled is mis-labeled). Soane was a late Georgian/Regency architect of note and professor of architecture in the Royal Academy, and what became the "museum" was really his house, twice expanded, which doubled as his firm's offices, his classroom and teaching lab. Drawings, prints, paintings, models, architectural designs, casts, actual artifacts--thousands of objects, all left exactly as they were at his death in 1837, donated to the Nation. Marie Kondo's worst nightmare. Anyhow, we did the Museum again, this time with Rebecca, who had wisely reserved us spots in both the guided tour and later in the "drawing room" too (same day reservation). As good as our first visit was, this one was far, far better. See my 2022 post for more pix and narrative. 

The museum occupies the three buildings in the center

There were convex mirrors in nearly every room--architects
need light, right?--and one room had some 122 mirrors, mostly
of the convex variety

Our guide opening out the full Rake's Progress series; Soane and
Hogarth were pals; the guide packed about 3 hours of wisdom and wit
into the 90 minute tour; one of our best ever

Turner and Soane were pals, too; Refectory of Kirkstall Abbey, 1798

Sir John evidently was a fan of Paestum, as we are

Also funny faces

Interesting adjustable stove in the kitchen; Victorian, actually, used
by the staff

Obligatory staircase shot

Not your typical British drawing room: this is where Soane's students
labored, drawing, copying, learning architecture

Battersea Power Station/Shopping Centre

We can see Battersea's four giant smoke stacks from our flat...it's not a quarter mile away, over and up the river a bit. The power station was built in the 1930s and is considered one of the world's largest brick structures. It must certainly be the world' largest art deco brick structure. Both RAF and German pilots used the plumes of its smoke stacks for navigation in the fog, and consequently it was never bombed. (The German air ministry in Berlin was never bombed because Goering was widely regarded by the Allies as an idiot and to be kept in power). At its height, Battersea powered a fifth of London, including much of the central city. As its power-generating days came to a close, in the 70s or 80s, it was given Grade II status, which connotes architectural or historical significance. It was designed by the same architect who did the red telephone booths. "No job too big nor too small." Something one has to see, especially considering it is now one of London's newest shopping/residential areas, and, more importantly, the location of the nearest Marks and Spencers. There's a Battersea Park, too, quite large, but we haven't been there yet. The similarly large Bankside power station, just down the river a mile or so, is now the Tate Modern Museum. Wasted space, in our opinion.

Battersea from our side of the river; surrounded by shopping areas,
high-rise condos, etc.

Approaching from the Chelsea Bridge

Note unmistakable art deco features

Inside one of the giant turbine halls...the Apple store is
on the lowest level, left; the Ray Ban store further down 
on the right; the boulangerie on the ground level, right;
etc.

Just like the galleria in your town, except for the unmistakable art
deco features....

Apsley House, 2

Apart from the Prado, is there a room in any museum anywhere that has four (4) Velazquez paintings? The Louvre has none (0). And there are many more artworks at Apsley, most acquired, I conjecture, as a result of Wellington's command during the Peninsular War, when he and fellow Brits ridded Spain of the Bonapartes. Below is the merest sample. The picture gallery--the great hall--is hung floor to ceiling with works of the masters (not to mention the hinged Versailles-type mirrors).

Velazquez, A Spanish Gentleman

Velazquez, Two Young Men Eating at a Humble Table

Velazquez, Pope Innocent X; muy famoso

Velazquez, The Water-seller of Seville (reputedly the
one that led to Velazquez' appointment as court painter)

Three Jan Breughels

Guido Reni, St. Joseph

Never miss a Claude Lorraine

One of several Jan Steens, The Egg Dance

Steen, The Dissolute Household

In the great hall...$9mm cost over-run, in today's dollars

Equestrian

Josephine, too

Yet another

One of the annual celebratory Waterloo dinners

One of the great hall's mirror/windows

Among the Rubens...

Grand staircase

In the basement, much historical/military stuff

Departing a very impressive place