Description
Crewe House is a rare survival in central London of a detached mansion set in its original grounds. Built in the early C18th it was considerably altered in the late C18th and early C19th. Previously known as Wharncliffe House, it was purchased in 1899 by the Marquis of Crewe and renamed Crewe House. In 1937 it became offices for Messrs. Tilling and it is now the Saudi Arabian Embassy, extensively restored for this use by architects Michael Lyell Associates in 1988-90. The house is visible through an ornamental wrought iron screen with gates and lodges at either end, also by Michael Lyell Associates, which replaced a rendered brick wall. The garden within is entirely re-landscaped and is abundantly supplied with dwarf plants.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | Wharncliffe House; The Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in London |
|---|---|
| Site location | Curzon Street, Mayfair |
| Postcode | W1Y 7FJ |
| What3Words | ///volume.fades.snap |
| Type of Site | Private Garden |
| Borough | Westminster |
| Open to Public | No |
| Opening Times | Private |
| Public Transport | Tube: Green Park (Victoria, Piccadilly, Jubilee), Hyde Park Corner (Piccadilly) |
| Research Updated | 1 November 2007 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
The house was built in 1730 (Pevsner has 1746/7) by architect Edward Shepherd, but it was considerably altered in the late C18th and early C19th for James Stuart Wortley. In 1937 it was altered once more by H J Starkey when it became offices for Messrs. Tilling. The oldest surviving interior is the double-height front hall of 1911 by Elms & Jupp for the 1st Marquis of Crewe.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ286803 |
|---|---|
| Site Ownership | The Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Site Management | The Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Dates | 1730; 1988/90 |
| Listed Structures | LBII*: Crewe House |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Westminster |
| In Conservation Area | Yes |
| Conservation Area Name | Mayfair |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | Yes |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
South Street Garden was planned as the centrepiece for new housing built for the Grosvenor Estate, one of three new gardens created on the estate's land in Mayfair that had previously been occupied by stables and other ancillary buildings. It was part of the 10-year programme drawn up by Estate Surveyor Edmund Wimperis when he was appointed in 1910. The private garden, inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, has lawn, sunken lily pond with brick and tile walls, and a perimeter path with herring bone patterning. Integrated into the brick and tile garden wall is a picturesque potting shed. A large plane tree predates the early C20th layout.
Mount Street Gardens are on the site of an important early Georgian cemetery built as a result of the 1711 Fifty New Churches Act. The site was acquired by the newly-formed church of St George's Hanover Square as a burial ground in 1723. Few burials took place after 1831 and it closed in 1854. Like other urban cemeteries the former burial ground was later converted into a public garden. It was laid out in 1889 with plants, paths and a small fountain designed by Ernest George and Harold Peto. Its name changed to Mount Street Gardens from Mount Field, called after English Civil War fortifications here known as Oliver's Mount. The layout has little changed since 1889, retaining its late C19th gate piers at one entrance. Around 90 sponsored benches line the paths, almost all of which were donated by Americans due to the proximity of the US Embassy.
* on The National Heritage List for England, Parks & Gardens
Berkeley Square Gardens were originally laid out in 1740s, the present layout dating from 1766/7. Lord Berkeley of Stratton, Royalist commander in the Civil War, acquired extensive lands north of Piccadilly soon after the Restoration and the family's London residence was situated near here until 1733. When, in 1696, the 3rd Lord Berkeley sold Berkeley House to the 1st Duke of Devonshire, he agreed to keep a strip of land clear of development to protect the view north from the house. This condition was honoured when the Berkeley estate was laid out for speculative building in the 1730s/40s, and resulted in the present square. The garden was first enclosed in the mid 1740s. Having become neglected, it was laid out anew in 1766/7 since when it has remained virtually unchanged. Improvements carried out in 1994 by WCC included restoration of the statue 'Woman of Samaria'. The surrounding London Plane trees are among the oldest in central London, planted in 1789.
Berkeley Square Gardens were originally laid out in 1740s, the present layout dating from 1766/7. Lord Berkeley of Stratton, Royalist commander in the Civil War, acquired extensive lands north of Piccadilly soon after the Restoration and the family's London residence was situated near here until 1733. When, in 1696, the 3rd Lord Berkeley sold Berkeley House to the 1st Duke of Devonshire, he agreed to keep a strip of land clear of development to protect the view north from the house. This condition was honoured when the Berkeley estate was laid out for speculative building in the 1730s/40s, and resulted in the present square. The garden was first enclosed in the mid 1740s. Having become neglected, it was laid out anew in 1766/7 since when it has remained virtually unchanged. Improvements carried out in 1994 by WCC included restoration of the statue 'Woman of Samaria'. The surrounding London Plane trees are among the oldest in central London, planted in 1789.
