Richmond House

It was built shortly after the Restoration of the Monarchy of 1660[1] when King Charles II returned to Great Britain from his exile in France during the Civil War and Commonwealth.

Charles Lennox had in many ways been placed by the king into the persona of the deceased 3rd Duke of Richmond, whose family was much beloved by the Stuart monarchs.

[5] To the immediate west of Richmond House and adjoining Whitehall stood the "House of the Earls of Loudoun and Mar" (joint Secretaries of State of the Kingdom of Scotland 1705-1708/9), built 1687-93 by John Drummond, 1st Earl of Melfort (1650-1715), Secretary of State of the Kingdom of Scotland 1684–9, for use by holders of that office (abolished 1707) and demolished after 1820 to make way for Richmond Terrace built in 1822 and surviving today.

The library and art collection were rescued from the fire and were removed to Goodwood House, where the surviving two wings were built (to the designs of James Wyatt) to re-house them.

The duke returned to the yard of his house, and there being then no engines, and very little readiness either in the astonished servants, or the populace, to afford assistance, he seemed likely to be, in a very short time, a witness to the destruction of his entire property there.

Three looking-glasses, said to be worth twelve hundred pounds, were thus rescued; two large cabinets, containing his grace's papers, were lowered from the rails of the balcony by this unknown gentleman.

Upon the whole it appears, that the endeavours then used for the preservation of the valuable furniture and effects were so far successful, that all the papers in the office fronting towards the garden, and appropriated by the duke to ordnance business, are saved; all the furniture of the first floor, even to the hangings of the duke’s bed; all his private papers, with the letter which he had left unfinished, and the valuable paintings, are saved.

During the rage of the fire, a favourite spaniel dog of the duke's was observed at the window of an apartment, jumping and making endeavours to force his way through the glass.

His grace offering a reward to any person that would save him, a waterman by means of ladders fastened together, mounted to the window, threw up the sash, and brought the dog down safely.

[21] Plans revealed in October 2018 indicated that most of the 1980s structure would be demolished in preparation for this move, with only the facade retained in front of a new building designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, containing a permanent chamber and offices.