Mary Sidney, a courtier, writer, translator, and literary patron, who commenced the building of the existing house in about 1615.

Two architects were very likely responsible for the design, John Thorpe, who worked in the Jacobean tradition, and Inigo Jones, who introduced the Classical style of architecture into England.

His son and heir apparent, Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock (d.1767), lived at Houghton from 1764 until he died in a hunting accident in 1767.

[3] Considering the house as a liability, in 1794 he ordered Houghton to be dismantled,[3] and accordingly the furnishings were stripped out and the roof removed to be sold as building materials.

Conservation work was undertaken in 2006 to help maintain safety and improve the understanding of the site and new visitor information boards were installed.