History and Research: Apsley House

Apsley House, also known as ‘Number One, London’ stands on the north side of Hyde Park Corner. It is the magnificent former home of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769–1852) and was granted to him by a grateful nation.

Inside, it is furnished with nearly 3,000 works of art that were given to the Duke in celebration of his role as victor of Waterloo in 1815 and liberator of Europe from Napoleon.

History

Designed to reflect the Duke of Wellington's celebrity status after his victory at the Battle of Waterloo, Apsley House is a magnificent example of a metropolitan mansion in the Regency style.

History of Apsley House

Significance

Apsley House is significant as a national memorial to the Duke of Wellington and British triumph over the Napoleonic threat, as a restored historic house, as a celebration of Regency taste and as an important gallery of decorative and fine art.

Significance of Apsley House

Research

This section contains a review of the major studies that have contributed to our growing understanding of Apsley House.

Research on Apsley House

About the author

Dr Susan Jenkins is a Senior Curator with English Heritage. She has written a number of articles about the history of Apsley House and its collections for leading art and history journals.

About Portico

Portico is the area of the English Heritage website dedicated to exploring the history and significance of the 400 or so sites in the care of English Heritage.

Buy the guidebook

The Apsley House guidebook is one of a suite of authoritative and beautifully illustrated guides that help to bring our properties to life with their photographs, plans and reconstruction drawings.

Apsley House guidebook