Winfield House
| Company type | Official residence |
|---|---|
| Industry | Diplomatic residence |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Founder | Barbara Woolworth Hutton |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom |
| Owner | United States government |
Winfield House is a distinguished English townhouse situated in Regent's Park, central London, serving as the official residence of the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom (formally, ambassador to the Court of St. James's). Encompassing approximately 12 acres (4.9 ha), its gardens rank as the second largest private green space in London, surpassed only by the gardens of Buckingham Palace.
Constructed in 1936 for American heiress Barbara Woolworth Hutton, the residence occupies land on the former Hertford–St. Dunstan estate, which had suffered fire damage prior to development. During World War II, the property was requisitioned for use by the Royal Air Force. Following the war, Hutton gifted the estate to the United States government, and since 1955 it has functioned as the home of the US ambassador. The building holds a Grade II listing from Historic England, recognized as an "exceptional ambassador's residence" and a significant Neo-Georgian townhouse featuring many noteworthy architectural elements.[1]
Hertford Villa
The initial residence erected on this location was Hertford Villa, the grandest among the eight villas originally built within Regent's Park as part of the development plan by John Nash. Designed in 1825 by Decimus Burton for Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford,Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
Among the notable tenants leasing Hertford Villa—later called St. Dunstan's—were American financier Otto Kahn and British press magnate Lord Rothermere. During World War I, Kahn generously lent the property to a charity established for blinded servicemen, which adopted the name St Dunstan's (now known as Blind Veterans UK).[2] Following a fire in 1936, the estate and house were acquired by Barbara Hutton, who then demolished the fire-damaged structure.[3]
Winfield House
Barbara Hutton commissioned a new mansion constructed in the Neo-Georgian style, designed by Leonard Rome Guthrie from the architectural firm Wimperis, Simpson and Guthrie.[1] Initially, this new residence retained one of its predecessor’s names (St Dunstan's), but Lord Fraser of Lonsdale, leader of the soldiers’ charity, approached Hutton to point out that sharing a name and location with his organisation—still operating from Regent’s Park—was causing confusion. He requested that she relinquish the historic name.[4] Hutton consented and selected a new name inspired by her grandfather Frank Winfield Woolworth, who owned an estate named Winfield Hall in Glen Cove, New York.[5]
During the Second World War, Winfield House served as a base for a Royal Air Force barrage balloon unit and functioned as an officers’ club. The property was also visited during this period by actor Cary Grant, who was married to Hutton at that time. Post-war, Hutton sold the mansion to the United States government for a nominal price of one dollar.[3]
Following significant refurbishment, Winfield House became the official residence of the U.S. ambassador in 1955. The previous ambassadorial residence at 14 Prince's Gate was considered insufficiently secure.[6] This property is included in the U.S. Secretary of State's Register of Culturally Significant Property, which identifies State Department-owned sites with notable cultural or historical importance. The interiors have been modified several times over the years, including renovations in 1969 by decorator and former silent film actor William Haines.[1]
Grounds
Winfield House occupies a twelve-acre estate nestled within Regent's Park. The grounds feature a modest front woodland, a sculpture garden, a formal garden, a vegetable garden, and a grass tennis court accompanied by a greenhouse positioned just behind it. The majority of the property consists of an expansive lawn designed for hosting events. A network of paths and driveways weaves through the landscape, linking the front garden and main entrance with the rear sections of the estate. Surrounding the property are numerous trees, primarily planted to enhance security and maintain privacy.
See also
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- List of structures in London
- United Kingdom – United States relations
- U.S. Embassy, London
- British Ambassador's residence in Washington, D.C., the British counterpart to Winfield House
- Deerfield Residence (Dublin), official residence of the US ambassador to Ireland
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cite error: Invalid
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Bibliography
- Stourton, James. Great Houses of London. London: Frances Lincoln, 2012. ISBN 978-0-7112-3366-9
- Tuttle, Maria, and Marcus Binney. Winfield House. London: Thames & Hudson, 2008. ISBN 978-0500976784
External links
- Official website
- Winfield House (Hertford Villa, St Dunstan's) at the DiCamillo Companion
- Pages with reference errors
- Pages with script errors
- Articles with short description
- Pages with broken file links
- Commons category link is defined as the pagename
- Buildings and structures in Regent's Park
- Buildings of the United States government
- Diplomatic residences in London
- Grade II listed houses in the City of Westminster
- Houses completed in 1936
- Register of Culturally Significant Property
- United Kingdom–United States relations
- Woolworth family
- 1936 establishments in England