Chandos House, Chandos Street, Cavendish Square, W1.

The house was built in 1769–71 by Robert & James Adam. It is Robert Adam's first London house designed in the Georgian style of his father’s Edinburgh developments, and is one of the finest Adam houses surviving. 

The house was leased by the third Duke of Chandos. After the death of James Brydges, the 3rd Duke of Chandos, the house passed to his second wife, Anne Eliza [Elletson]. Her estate was managed by trustees during her madness and, on her death on 20 January 1813 at Chandos House, her daughter Anna Eliza inherited the properties. Her husband, Richard Temple, could scarcely contain his glee at the inheritance:

About £1000 will pay off all outstanding bills — law and all, which will close the Executors accounts — and much more than that sum is in the receivers hands. All things therefore as yet seem to go on well. I have sent and taken possession of Minchenden which is a Freehold. Chandos House being Leasehold, it is thought right that I should not take possession there until the will is open, but measures are taken to prevent plunder. (Richard Temple to Nugent Buckingham, 22 January 1813; HEH STG Correspondence Box 34 (38).)

Temple planned to let the house (HEH STG Correspondence Box 4 (08)) and from 1815 to 1871 it was the Austro-Hungarian embassy. In 1824, a Prince Polyniac was interesting was interested in acquiring the property (BRO D-FR/46/11/94) but this seems to have come to nothing.

As the family’s finances deteriorated, Chandos House began to fall into disrepair. In March 1837, Ambassador Prince Paul Esterhazy threatened to quit unless repairs were carried out; they were (Beckett, page 185; Esterhazy was ambassador to London between 1830 and 1837, and was renowned in London society for the splendour of his jewellery). Further repairs were implemented in the 1840s. In 1847, bailiffs were ordered into the Duke’s properties to seize property for creditors; Chandos House, however, escaped as it was still occupied by Prince Esterhazy.

The 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos eventually moved into the house. He lived there before being appointed Governor of Madras in 1875. It was let in 1881 and 1882, and was vacant in 1885, but in 1888 the Duke implemented major repairs to drains, plumbing and the roof, as well a installing electricity. He died there on 26 March 1889.

From 1964 it has been occupied by the Royal Society of Medicine, who have recently restored the building.

Sources

Weinreb & Hibbert. Beckett.

"All change in Cavendish Square," Brian Dunning. Country Life Annual 1966. Pages 85-88.