Until the mid-18th century, Lord Mayors used their own houses or
livery (Guild) halls for their work as head of the City's
governmental, judicial and civic functions. The idea of creating a
permanent residence arose after the Great Fire of 1666 to provide a
house for Lord Mayors who did not have their own livery hall. But
it was almost three quarters of a century later that the architect
and Clerk of the City's Work, George Dance the Elder, was chosen to
design and build The Mansion House. The first stone was laid in
1739 but it was not until 1752 that Lord Mayor Sir Crispin
Gascoigne was able to take up residence there. Work was completed
in 1758.
The Mansion House is literally at the heart of the City, above
Bank tube station and on the site of a livestock market over the
River Walbrook sharing a five-way junction with Royal Exchange, the
Bank of England and Hawksmoor's St Mary Woolnoth. With the
exception of Queen Victoria Street, all the streets nearby
(Cheapside, Cornhill, Poultry) are Roman.
Imposingly Palladian in style, it is faced by a grand temple
portico at the front approached by flights of steps each side. The
entertaining rooms were built on the first and second floors. The
first floor had a roofless courtyard (later covered to form the
Salon, the entertainment space) and the great Egyptian Hall. The
second floor has a ballroom and private apartments of
the Lord Mayor and family. The third and fourth floors contain
meeting rooms and staff rooms. The cellars have storage space and
once held prisoners' cells, reflecting the former use of the
Mansion House as the Lord Mayor's Court.
Whilst Mansion House retains much of its original character, there
have been changes. Some fifty years later, two large roof
pavilions were found to be unsafe. Dance's son, George Dance the
Younger, removed one in 1795. The other was removed in 1846, and at
the same time, the main entrance to the house was moved round the
side, after various road works narrowed the esplanade up the steps
at the front. There were refurbishments in the 1860s, and 1930s,
and in 1991-3. Today the Mansion House is home to some magnificent
plate, a collection of sculptures and the 84 Dutch paintings of the
Harold Samuel Art Collection. Find out more about the
Mansion House Art Collection and the
Mansion House Plate Collection.
Click here to find out more about
tours of the Mansion House.
All images are from the City of London Libraries. Visit
COLLAGE to search for more pictures of Mansion
House.