**Discover the stories of some of the most breathaking and historic great houses of London, along with their secrets, in this lavishly illustrated compedium.** London has a **wealth of truly stunning great houses** , seen by many as **one of the marvels of English architecture,** and yet to many their histories, their interiors and their occupants remain unknown. This book, illustrated throughout with **sumptuous photography of these breathaking residences,** reveals to us this **secret world of riches and splendour.** From the **baroque and imposing magnificence of 10 Downing Street** , perhaps London’s most famous address, to the **extraordinary Pre-Raphaelite mosaics of Debenham House** to the confident, **futuristic steel and glass of the Richard Rogers House in Chelsea,** this book showcases these properties and **details their origin as well as the many transformations they have undergone** from their construction to the present day. There are many **architectural wonders** , among them Robert Adam’s 20 St James’s Square and William Burges’s Tower House. Several — including Bridgewater House with its Raphaels and Titians — have held **great art collections**. These are houses that hold **extraordinary stories:** half the Cabinet resigned after breakfast at Stratford House; and on 4 August 1914, at 9 Carlton House Terrace — then the German Embassy — young duty clerk Harold Nicholson deftly substituted one declaration of war for another. With **photography by the world-famous and multi-award winning Fritz von der Schulenburg** , this title **brings these houses to life in all their grandeur** , and text from historian and author James Stourton delves into the many **fascinating stories hidden behind the walls** of these homes. *Great Houses of London* opens the door to some of the **greatest and grandest houses** in the world to **tell the stories of their owners and occupants** , artists and architects, their restoration, adaptation and change. Now available in a more compact format.