Painting of the 4th Earl of Chesterfield on the right, and examples of his letters on the left

Ranger’s House and its Residents

The objects displayed in this room, known as the Ranger’s Room, are directly connected to those who have lived here. They include the house’s most famous resident, the 18th-century diplomat Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield.

Although Ranger’s House was built in about 1723 it only acquired its name in the early 19th century, when it served as the official home of the Keeper, or Ranger – a purely honorary title – of Greenwich Park. The Rangers commemorated in this room include Princess Sophia Matilda, niece of George III, British Prime Minister Lord Aberdeen, and Prince Arthur of Connaught, a son of Queen Victoria.

Scroll down to find the key objects to look for on each tour.

Star object

Ranger’s House

  • Anthony de Bree
  • 1884
  • Oil on canvas
  • Britain

This is one of only a few known paintings of Ranger’s House. It was commissioned in 1884 by Blanche, Countess of Mayo, during her 11-year residence here. Queen Victoria assigned her the honorary title of Ranger of Greenwich Park in 1877 following the assassination of her husband, the Earl of Mayo, who was Governor-General of India. 

The front wall and railings and the covered brick portico were erected in 1815 for an earlier resident, Princess Sophia Matilda, niece of George III. They were demolished in 1903 when the house first opened to the public under the auspices of the London County Council.

On loan from the Museum of London

Artists and makers

Dwarf display cabinet

  • George Bullock
  • About 1814
  • Oak and ebony with lacquered brass grilles and pleated silk inserts
  • Britain

This cabinet was probably designed to hold a collection of small objets d’art and valuable porcelain. It was made by the cabinetmaker George Bullock for Queen Charlotte, wife of George III, who gave it to her niece, Princess Sophia Matilda.

The gift probably commemorated the princess’s appointment in 1814 as Ranger of Greenwich Park. A year later, she took up residence here at Ranger’s. The cabinet is the only object displayed in the house that is historically related to it.