10, Downing Street: entrance hall and drawing room, Plate 124: No. [46], Downing Street declined at the turn of the 19th century, becoming surrounded with run-down buildings, dark alleys, the scene of crime and prostitution. Many rooms and sections of the new building were reconstructed exactly as they were in the old Number 10. That the First Lord of the Treasury occupies it if he thinks proper. Clickhere to get exact directions from your point of departure. [34], Walpole did not accept the gift for himself. See letter, dated, "Downing Street, 30 June 1742", from. When Margaret Thatcher arrived in 1979 she insisted that the artwork had to be British and that it celebrate "British achievers". [14], Downing did not live in Downing Street. The black appearance was the product of two centuries of pollution. Accessed through the first floor, its vaulted, arched ceiling rises up through the next so that it actually occupies two floors. You may want to take a video from the bus since a still shot might be hard to capture while the bus is in motion. Churchill called his secretaries the "garden girls" because their offices overlook the garden. 10 Downing Street, the locale of British prime ministers since 1735, vies with the White House as being the most important political building anywhere in the world in the modern era. I am bitterly disappointed with what has happened. Plans of 10, 11 and 12 Downing Street (published 1931): This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 14:14. Earlier, the government had taken over the other Downing Street houses: the Colonial Office occupied Number 14 in 1798; the Foreign Office was at Number 16 and the houses on either side; the West India Department was in Number 18; and the Tithe Commissioners in Number 20. Originally three houses, Number 10 was offered to Robert Walpole by King George II in 1732. The original door was put on display in the Churchill Museum at the Cabinet War Rooms. [4], 10 Downing Street is Government property. A note from Lord North to the Office of Works, dated September 1774, asks that the work on the front of the house, "which was begun by a Warrant from the Treasury dated 9 August 1766",[54] should be finished. It was used as the dining room when Robert Walpole was prime minister. 10 is in stark contrast to the five prime ministers who have taken office in the past 12 years: David Cameron,. [101] Number 10 Downing Street has a lift. [60], Nevertheless, for 70 years following Pitt's death in 1806, Number 10 was rarely used as the First Lord's residence. [26], However, there have been numerous times when prime ministers have unofficially lived elsewhere out of necessity or preference. [71] During World War II, Churchill was photographed many times emerging confidently from Number 10 holding up two fingers in the sign for "Victory". Situated in Downing Street in the City of Westminster, London, Number 10 is over 300 years old and contains approximately 100 rooms. [159][note 2] Until the late 19th century, Prime Ministers were required to furnish Number 10 at their own expense with furniture, tableware, china, linens, curtains and decorations. The front door to Number 10 is most likely the most famous feature of the building. The work of a slave of the holy place, Maqsud of Kashan in the year 926" (the Islamic year corresponding to 1520). [121] The only picture in the room is a copy of a portrait of Robert Walpole by Jean-Baptiste van Loo hanging over the fireplace. You can change your cookie settings at any time. This was a formidable undertaking: the three buildings contained over 200 rooms spread out over five floors. It is now painted terracotta. [74], By the middle of the 20th century, Number 10 was falling apart again. [161] Also in attendance were Elizabeth II and representatives of the families of every 20th-century Prime Minister since H. H. Asquith, including Lady Olwen Carey Evans (daughter of David Lloyd George), Lady Leonora Howard (daughter of Stanley Baldwin), and Clarissa Avon (widow of Anthony Eden and niece of Winston Churchill). Save. Although its hard to get a good look at the street due to security, Downing Street still remains as one of the most visited sites in our capital city. I want them all PLUS general travel tips. 604.536.3353 No. 10 Downing Street is the official residence and the office of the British Prime Minister. In May 2010, it was reported that David Cameron, who also had four small children upon taking office, would also take up actual residence above Number 11, and his Chancellor, George Osborne, above Number 10. Philadelphia Overall rating. 4 stars. The original door can be seen by the public it is on display in the Churchill Museum at the Cabinet War Rooms. When Margaret Thatcher came to power it was the Blue Room; she had it re-decorated and renamed the Green Room. 10, Downing Street: main doorway and kitchen, "Who has the key to front door of No. The Press Secretary will address the lobby correspondents at 10 Downing Street to give journalists information on events attended by the Prime Minister, as well as current affairs in Downing Street and in Parliament. [46], One reason many First Lords chose not to live in Number 10 was that most owned London town houses superior in size and quality. Since 1990 when the Terry reconstruction was completed, repairing, redecorating, remodelling, and updating the house has been ongoing as needed. Grace. 2. He connected the Downing Street houses with a corridor. Well send you a link to a feedback form. Kent joined the larger houses by building a two-storey structure between them, consisting of one long room on the ground floor and several above. New York City It was here that Edward Heath kept his grand piano. [23], After Buckingham retired in 1676, Lady Charlotte Fitzroy, Charles II's daughter, moved in when she married Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield. [6][7][8] In 1654, he purchased the lease on land south of St James's Park, adjacent to the House at the Back within walking distance of parliament. Usually furnished with a mahogany table seating only eight, Prime Ministers have often used this room when dining with family or when entertaining special guests on more personal state occasions. In 1924 when Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald took office, he did not own nor have the means to buy an extensive art collection. Los Angeles V4A 3V2 )[58][59], A few prime ministers however did enjoy living in Number 10. [47][48][49][50][51][note 1], Another reason for its unpopularity was that Number 10 was a hazardous place in which to live. Contact: Prime Minister's Office enquiries. (2)You can actually see 10 Downing Street while taking a ride on the London Eye! Probably not completed until 1796,[114] this alteration was achieved by removing the east wall and rebuilding it several feet inside the adjoining secretaries' room. However, a number of challenging areas remain . In 1991, member of the IRA had attacked 10 Downing Street with homemade mortar shells, in hopes of killing or severely injuring Sir John Major, then-Prime Minster of the UK. 10, Downing Street: detail of iron balustrading to main staircase, "YouTube Simon Schama's Tour of Downing Street. Dont worry we wont send you spam or share your email address with anyone. This system was used until November 1897 when the Treasury assumed responsibility for purchasing and maintaining almost all of the furnishings in both the public and private areas except decorating the walls with art work. To them, Number 10 was unimpressive. It became unsafe and frequently required repairs. Claimed. [18], For many years, the "House at the Back" was the home of Thomas Knevett, Keeper of Whitehall Palace, famous for capturing Guy Fawkes in 1605 and foiling his plot to assassinate King James I. (4) To see any comings and goings of the PM and other government members, Thursday morning is the best time, as this is when the PM and Cabinet meeting. [117][118][119][120], Although Kent intended the First Lord to use this space as his study, it has rarely served that purpose; it has almost always been the Cabinet Room. Lastly, Google made this crystal-clear 360-degree virtual tour of some of the rooms in 10 Downing Street. [36], To enlarge the new house, Walpole persuaded Mr Chicken, the tenant of a cottage next door, to move to another house in Downing Street. 3 stars. Jones, see back cover picture credited to Robert Hill @ BBC. 10 Downing Street | 22,408 followers on LinkedIn. . It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. On these occasions, the table is set with the Silver Trust Silver set given to Downing Street in the 1990s. preceding the Great Repair, and 11,000 the Great Repair itself! Pt4: The Staircase[111]), In Kent's design for the enlarged Number 10, the Cabinet Room was a simple rectangular space with enormous windows. 10 Downing Street in London Number 10 Downing Street is the residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. [126], Sparsely furnished with a few chairs and sofas around the walls, the Pillared Room is usually used to receive guests before they go into the State Dining Room. In 1787 Number 5 became "Number 10". There were also delays when archaeological excavations uncovered important artefacts dating from Roman, Saxon and medieval times. If you are a journalist with a press enquiry or interview request, please email our press office. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. Likes. The White State Drawing Room contains examples of Adam furniture. The Hampden family had a lease on the land that they refused to relinquish. [14] The cul-de-sac had several distinguished residents: George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne from 1692 to 1696 and the Earl of Grantham from 1699 to 1703. A copy of a 16th-century original now kept in the Victoria and Albert Museum, there is an inscription woven into it that reads: "I have no refuge in the world other than thy threshold. The table is surrounded by carved, solid mahogany chairs that also date from the Gladstone era. The Duke of Wellington, for example, grudgingly lived there for eighteen months between 1828 and 1830 because his own home, Apsley House, was undergoing extensive renovations. )[26][55], Treasury officials complained that the building was costing too much to maintain; some suggested that it should be razed and a new house constructed on the site or elsewhere. [69], Despite these exceptions, Number 10 has been known as the prime minister's official home for over one hundred years. 10 Downing Street in London, also known colloquially in the United Kingdom as Number 10, is the official residence and executive office of the First Lord of the Treasury, usually, by convention, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. To celebrate, Thatcher hosted a grand dinner in the State Dining Room for her living predecessors: Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, Harold Wilson, Edward Heath and James Callaghan. You have rejected additional cookies. Prague 10 Downing Street, The Story of a House. [131], The Terracotta Room is the middle of the three drawing rooms. Three brass chandeliers hang from the high ceiling. 10 Downing Street, the locale of British prime ministers since 1735, vies with the White House as being the most important political building anywhere in the world in the modern era. Berlin At the rear is an interior courtyard and a terrace overlooking a .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}12 acre (0.2ha) garden. Tweets & replies. [15][16] In 1675 he retired to Cambridge, where he died in 1684, a few months after building was completed. [132], In the renovation of the 1980s Quinlan Terry introduced large Doric order columns to this room in the door surrounds and designed a very large Palladian overmantel for the fireplace with small double Doric columns on each side with the royal arms above. [87][93] A black iron knocker in the shape of a lion's head is between the two middle panels; below the knocker is a brass letter box with the inscription "First Lord of the Treasury". A similar clock by Samuel Whichcote of London stands in the Cabinet anteroom. [29] (See Buildings on the Site of the Cockpit and Number 10 Downing Street c1720)[26][30], The name of the "House at the Back" changed with the occupant, from Lichfield House to Overkirk House in 1690 to Bothmer House in 1720. 6 Lord Street Lakes Business Park Botany, NSW 2019, Australia. With a wrought iron balustrade, embellished with a scroll design, and mahogany handrail, it rises from the garden floor to the third floor. As head of the Great Treasury Commission of 16671672, Albemarle transformed accounting methods and allowed the Crown greater control over expenses. The upper floors were modernised and the third floor extended over Numbers 11 and 12 to allow more living space. Blick, Andrew and Jones, George (2010). The Letterbox is Useless. By the 1800s the houses had nearly all been taken over by the government. Pictures of prime ministers with distinguished guests at the door became commonplace. 10, Downing Street, circa 1754. Walpole commissioned William Kent to convert them into one building. Get Directions. [24] (See Plan of the Premises Granted to the Earl and Countess of Lichfield in 1677)[25][26] The likely reason that repair was required is that the house had settled in the swampy ground near the Thames, causing structural damage. The Cabinet Office press office only deals with enquiries from the media. [125], In the restoration conducted in the late 1980s, Quinlan Terry restored the fireplace. The Press Secretary works within the Prime Minister's Office and the Downing Street Press Office.. History. London His secretary, George Downing, who built Downing Street, is thought to have created these changes. [13], The upper end of the Downing Street cul-de-sac closed off the access to St James's Park, making the street quiet and private. Dubai This project was completed in 1737 and included corridors connecting the Treasury building with Ten Downing Street allowing Walpole, as Chancellor of the Exchequer as well as First Lord of the Treasury and Prime Minister, direct and convenient access to the Treasury offices. "These were useful exchanges. If he declines it, the Chancellor of the Exchequer occupies it, not as Chancellor of the Exchequer, but as second in the Commission of the Treasury. Terry also added an ornate gilded ceiling to give the rooms a more stately look. See below for some tips on how to get the best view of the street and door. With a keen interest in History and a BA degree to match Margaret prides herself on her knowledge of the amazing city she calls home and she's been guiding here now for nearly a decade. Their possession of the house, albeit temporary, was a perquisite they could bestow as a political reward. Premiership: The Development, Nature and Power of the Office of the British Prime Minister, Imprint Academic. Charleston A similar number are employed in the equivalent operation in the Cabinet . [42], Shortly after moving in, Walpole ordered that a portion of the land outside his study be converted into a terrace and garden. International agreements have been signed in this room. Stanley Baldwin used the Cabinet Room as his office. He had the Government Art Collection loan pieces. The remainder are on loan from private collectors and from public galleries such as the National Portrait Gallery, the Tate Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Gallery. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Public Enquiries: Online Contact Form. [146], Above Taylor's vaulted kitchen, between the Pillared Room and the State Dining room, Soane created a Smaller Dining Room (sometimes called the Breakfast Room) that still exists. Downing fought their claim, but failed and had to wait 30 years before he could build. [39] The cost of conversion is unknown. [28], The Lichfields followed James II into exile after the Glorious Revolution. It also houses the Prime Minister's Executive Office, which deals with logistics and diplomacy concerning the government of the United Kingdom. The building also hosts foreign dignitaries, national leaders, and government ministers. 6M Followers. Prone to sinking because it was built on soft soil and a shallow foundation, floors buckled and walls and chimneys cracked. 8,439 talking about this. Fredrick Robinson, Lord Goderich took a special liking to the house in the late 1820s and spent state funds lavishly remodelling the interior. I believe Mr. Charles Townshend occupied it, but I know Mr. Dowdeswell did, & it is remarkable that he is, I believe, the only instance of a Chancellor of the Exchequer upon Record who was not in the Cabinet. [77], The architect Raymond Erith carried out the design for this painstaking work[78] and the contractor that undertook it was John Mowlem & Co.[79]The Times reported initially that the cost for the project would be 400,000. [158], In addition to outstanding artwork, Number 10 contains many exceptional pieces of furniture either owned by the house or on loan. An advertisement in 1720 described it as "a pretty open Place, especially at the upper end, where are four or five very large and well-built Houses, fit for Persons of Honour and Quality; each House having a pleasant Prospect into St James's Park, with a Tarras Walk". About half belong to the Government Art Collection. Since the door had no keyhole, the inside officer depended upon the lone outside officer. [22], In 1671 George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham took possession when he joined the Cabal Ministry. Washington DC. Adjacent to St James's Park, Number 10 is approximately 34 mile (1.2km) from Buckingham Palace, the London residence of the British Monarch, and near the Palace of Westminster, the meeting place of both Houses of Parliament. There is a private residence on the third floor and a private kitchen in the basement. Balfour revived the custom that Number 10 is the First Lord and Prime Minister's official residence. )[64], When Lord Salisbury retired in 1902, his nephew, Arthur James Balfour, became Prime Minister. If you are emailing about an issue relating to the responsibilities of another Government Department or public authority then you should contact them directly.Due to the exceptionally high volumes of emails being received at this time, the Prime Ministers Office is only able to deal with those that relate directly to the Prime Minister. Begun in 1825 and completed in 1826 at a cost of 2,000, the result is a spacious room with oak panelling and reeded mouldings. William Pitt the Younger, who made it his home for twenty years (longer than any First Lord before or since) from 1783 to 1801 and from 1804 to 1806, referred to it as "My vast, awkward house". Downing Street itself was built in the 1680s by Sir George Downing who had purchased a large tract of land near Parliament, on the edge of St. Jamess Park. George II took this opportunity to offer it to Robert Walpole, often called the first prime minister, as a gift for his services to the nation: stabilising its finances, keeping it at peace and securing the Hanoverian succession.
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