Powis House

It stood on the northern side of Great Ormond Street, not far from Queen Square.

At some point it was let for use as the French embassy, and on 26 January 1713 it burned to the ground, while the Ambassador, the Duc d'Aumont, was entertaining.

The subtle but lively façade featured Corinthian pilasters and a phoenix above the front door.

Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke leased the house in the mid 18th century and from 1764 to 1783 it was the Spanish embassy.

However, the locality was rapidly falling from favour with the aristocracy, making the demise of the house more or less inevitable, and by the end of the 18th century it had been demolished.