THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON TOUR: NUMBER ONE LONDON (Apsley House)



Our tour's first stop was, fittingly, Number One London, the town house of the 1st Duke of Wellington, Apsley House.  We arrived before public hours in order to take a private tour given by Christopher Small, who kindly agreed to let us photograph inside.  He is a fount of knowledge on the Duke and the Museum, an excellent guide to everything we wanted to know.

For the Apsley House wsebite at English Heritage, click here.

The website has an excellent timeline on the history of the house from its original construction by architect Rovert Adam (1728-92) in 1771 for Henry Bathurst, Lord Apsley, to its present day status as The Wellington Museum.


Painting of Apsley House, 1770's


Our post on the 2014 renovations at Apsley house is here.


First Christopher took us to see the many gifts and awards the Duke received from grateful governments and monarchs. Here are just a few from the several rooms full of treasure.

Field Marshal's Batons: decorative  accolades from allied nations

The Prussian Service, with Arms of the Duke of Wellington, 1819


Silver-gilt candelabra

The Wellington Shield, designed by Thomas Stothard, 
made by Benjamin Smith 1822


Vase from the Prussian Service, 1819


The Saxon Dinner Service

Coming Face to Face with the gigantic statue of Napoleon by Canova, one is amazed first by its size, then by its placement in Apsley House (home of Napoleon's conqueror), then by the complete lack of resemblance to what we know of Napoleon's physique: short and stout, -- and with no vest into which he could insert his hand.







Canova sculpted this image of Napoleon as Mars the Peacemaker between 1802 and 1806. It is said that Napoleon disliked this statue and had it placed in the basement of the Louvre. He found it disrespectful. The British government purchased the statue for 66,000 Francs in 1816; the Prince Regent gave it to Wellington, who figured he might as well find a place for it.  When it acquired its fig leaf, I do not know.  The floor beneath the statue had to be reinforced in order to hold the heavy marble work, over eleven feet in height.

Click here to read about Victoria's visit in 2011 and what happened when her husband saw it.

The graceful curving staircase is part of the original Adam design. On the principal floor (up one flight) there are four drawing rooms, the State dining room, and the Waterloo Gallery..

chandelier in the Piccadilly Drawing Room

Piccadilly Drawing Room Fireplace by Robert Adam

According to the text panel, the Piccadilly Drawing Room was designed in 1774 by Robert Adam; his fireplace, frieze and ceiling ornament remain.

Apse of the Piccadilly Drawing Room


Adam Ceiling of the Portico Drawing Room




Yellow Drawing room, above and below



The Striped Drawing Room was adapted by Benjamin Dean Wyatt in the 1820's from a bedchamber and dressing room in the original Adam plan.





Striped Drawing Room; side table with bust of Prime Minister Spencer Percival

Bust of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger (and reflection of Marilyn)


State Dining Room

The dining room was added to the Adam building for the Duke in 1819 by architect Benjamin Dean Wyatt.  Also included in the addition were bedrooms and dressing rooms, not on display.

The Portuguese silver gilt service stands as a centerpiece on the dining room table. It was made in Lisbon about 1816 and presented to the Duke for his preservation of Portugal.

Our excellent guide, Christopher Small,on the left.


The Waterloo Gallery was a second addition to the original Adam structure, built again by Benjamin Dean Wyatt (1775-1852) in 1828, after the Duke had become Prime Minister. At about 92 feet in length, it provides elegant space for dinners, receptions, and the display of the extensive art collection, about which we shall report soon.






The intrepid Duke of Wellington tour group 


Below, several glass cases held possessions of the Duke and his family.

On the right above, the Duchess of Wellington's silk Key Bag


1850 New Year Card from Queen Victoria to Elizabeth, 2nd Duchess of Wellington


1st Duchess of Wellington' s Diary

1815 miniature, thought to be of Kitty, 1st Duchess of Wellington at age forty


The upper hair is from Copenhagen, the Duke;s charger;
below, a small piece of Copenhagen;s mane

For more reports on The Duke of Wellington Tour at Apsley House, September, 2014, please stay tuned.