London's Admiralty House, listed as a Grade I structure, sits on the site of two seventeenth-century houses: Walsingham House, the London residence of Lady Walsingham, and Pickering House, residence of Sir Gilbert Pickering. Constructed in 1788 and designed by Samuel Pepys Cockerell, it was built at the request of Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Howe, First Lord of the Admiralty, for a few small rooms of his own.
Throughout history, significant figures have resided within its walls. Winston Churchill lived in the house while serving as First Lord of the Admiralty for two terms, from 1911–1915 and 1939–1940. Prime Minister John Major also moved there temporarily in 1991 while repairs of the bomb damage at 10 Downing Street were being made.
More recently, the building has been used as a temporary office for those who have become leader of the governing party prior to being appointed Prime Minister, such as Boris Johnson and Liz Truss. Today, Admiralty House contains government function rooms and three ministerial flats. The four-storey yellow brick building is accessed from the older Ripley Building, to which it is connected.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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