Montagu House, Whitehall

Montagu House, Whitehall was a substantial mansion built from Portland stone, designed in the French Renaissance style with steep mansard roofs, corner towers, and an ornate skyline of stone chimneys. The building contained multiple floors arranged to display its extensive art collection across spacious galleries and reception rooms.

In the late 1850s, Walter Montagu Douglas Scott commissioned architect William Burn to design a grand mansion to replace the original Georgian house on the site. The building stood for roughly a century before being demolished in 1949-1950 to make way for the Ministry of Defence offices.

The residence served as a repository for important artworks, housing paintings by Rubens and Rembrandt along with an extensive collection of miniatures from the Buccleuch holdings. These pieces made the estate a cultural hub where visitors and collectors could experience significant examples of European art.

Since the building was demolished in 1949-1950, nothing of the original structure remains visible today; only the modern Ministry of Defence building occupies the site. Visitors interested in learning about the former estate can consult historical photographs and records in the Westminster Archives to understand what once stood here.

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, was born at the house in 1901, establishing a royal connection to the estate. This aristocratic link underscores the property's status as a residence of considerable social standing during its era.

Location: City of Westminster

Inception: September 24, 1864

GPS coordinates: 51.50640,-0.12639

Latest update: December 8, 2025 08:21