One of the finest townhouse-mansions in Belgravia, a 7,948 sqft (738 sqm) six bedroom residence with a terraced garden located behind a gated private driveway with a porter’s lodge in Lygon Place, originally the Italian Embassy and later the Office of the Italian Defence Attaché, is for sale via sole selling agent Beauchamp Estates.
In 2009-2011 the former Embassy building was converted back into a luxurious private residence. The Lygon Place townhouse-mansion now provides a spacious entrance hall, three reception rooms, a family kitchen and breakfast room, a cinema room, fitness studio, and six ensuite bedrooms. It is complete with a passenger lift, rear terraced garden, staff quarters/studio, direct access to an underground car park with two allocated parking bays and 24-hour porter.
The Grade II Listed Edwardian townhouse-mansion was originally built in 1900-1901 in the Arts and Crafts style, designed by architects Eustace Balfour and High Thackery Turner, with an attractive red-brick façade with Portland stone bay windows, ornate pediment and gabled roofline.
In 1923 the townhouse-mansion was acquired by the Italian government to serve as the Italian Embassy in London. It was at Lygon Place that Ambassador Pietro, the Marchese della Torretta, and later Ambassador Antonio Bordonaro entertained guests.
In 1931 the Italian government expanded their diplomatic mission in London acquiring a new Italian Embassy at 14 Three King’s Yard, another gated cul-de-sec, and converting the Lygon Place townhouse-mansion into an Embassy residence for entertaining important guests.
It is at Lygon Place during the 1930s that the Italian Ambassador, Count Dino Grandi, appointed in 1932, entertained guests including Lady Alexandra Curzon, the wife of ‘Fruity’ Metcalfe, equerry to Edward, Prince of Wales, and other Italophile guests including Diana Mitford, ‘Fruity’ Metcalfe, Lord Lloyd George and Wallis Simpson.
Count Dino Grandi sought peace between Italy and Britain to prevent Italy from entering World War II. In 1939, to stop his peace attempts, Prime Minister Benito Mussolini removed Grandi from his post and he was recalled to Italy and appointed as Minister of Justice.
After 1945 the Lygon Place townhouse-mansion became the Embassy Office of the Italian Defence Attaché providing accommodation for the Defence Attaché, his deputy and staff representing the land, air and naval branches of the Italian armed forces.
In 2005 the Defence Attaché relocated to new Embassy offices at 7-10 Hobart Place in Belgravia and developer O&H Properties and architectural practice KDS Architecture gained planning consent in 2006 to undertake the conversion of the Lygon Place townhouse-mansion back into a private residence.
The Lygon Place townhouse-mansion is now available for sale on the open market for the very first time since 1923, a period of over 100 years. Well-presented and immaculately maintained the property has a bespoke specification, air-cooling and Crestron entertainment/security systems.
On the ground floor the spacious entrance hall has bespoke-design chequered marble flooring, a guest cloakroom and a grand central staircase that leads to the principal upper floors.
The fully fitted designer kitchen and breakfast room has high-gloss white and timber cabinets, a comprehensive range of integrated appliances, marble worktops and stone flooring. The adjoining breakfast area is bordered by a large bay window overlooking the rear terraced garden.
The reception room on the ground floor and the first floor drawing room and dining room all have parquet flooring, wall panelling and elegant Regency style marble fireplaces and ceiling coving.
The luxurious principal bedroom suite occupies its own private floor on the second level of the mansion. It provides a large bedroom, two separate walk-in dressing rooms and a main bathroom with twin marble basins, marble bath and separate walk-in shower. On the three uppermost floors there are five further beautifully appointed ensuite bedrooms.
On the lower ground floor is the cinema room, fitness studio, guest cloakroom and staff quarters comprising a bedroom with shower room and kitchenette and facilities including a utility room, two vaults and storage cupboards.
Gary Hersham, Founder of Beauchamp Estates says: “The townhouse-mansion in Lygon Place is one of the finest residences in Belgravia and this is the first time it has been on the open market for sale in over 100 years. Originally the Italian Embassy and later the Office of the Italian Defence Attaché, the property has only had one private owner since being converted back into a residence.”
Charles Lloyd, Head of Beauchamp Estates (Mayfair & Belgravia) says: “During its time as an Embassy residence this illustrious townhouse-mansion was visited by notable guests from the pages of history including Diana Mitford, Lloyd George and Wallis Simpson. Well presented and immaculately maintained it provides a discerning buyer with an outstanding opportunity to acquire a luxurious turn-key residence in sought after Belgravia.”
Located off Ebury Street in Belgravia, the terrace of eight townhouse-mansions on Lygon Place have had various notable residents including diplomat Freeman Thomas, Marquess of Willingdon and Viceroy of India, shipping tycoon Sir Fenwick Shadforth-Watts and aristocrat Thomas Anson, the 4th Earl of Lichfield. The address is also believed to have inspired the fictional Belgravia home of Sir Hugo Drax, the protagonist in the James Bond Moonraker novel, author Ian Fleming lived nearby on Ebury Street between 1934 to 1945.
The townhouse-mansion on Lygon Place is for sale with a guide price of £21,500,000.
