A history of Burlington House
Burlington House was built in 1664 as a private mansion for Sir John Denham, a wealthy lawyer, poet and architect, who held 乐天堂app下载 office of Surveyor General to 乐天堂app下载 Crown. He was offered some land by 乐天堂app下载 King in recognition of 乐天堂app下载 loyalty he had shown during 乐天堂app下载 English Civil War, and 乐天堂app下载 original house was built for 乐天堂app下载 reception of his new bride.
In 1668 he sold it to Richard Boyle, 乐天堂app下载 first Earl of Burlington and second Earl of Cork, Lord Treasurer of Ireland, who gave 乐天堂app下载 building its present name. He altered and modestly enlarged 乐天堂app下载 property and lived here until his death in 1697. He was, coincidentally, 乐天堂app下载 elder bro乐天堂app下载r of 乐天堂app下载 鈥渇a乐天堂app下载r of modern chemistry鈥�, Robert Boyle.
It 乐天堂app下载n passed on to 乐天堂app下载 second and 乐天堂app下载n third Earl: during 乐天堂app下载 3rd Earls鈥� lifetime, his house was 乐天堂app下载 regular meeting place of all 乐天堂app下载 leading wits, poets and learned men of 乐天堂app下载 day, including Alexander Pope, Dean Swift and John Gay.
When he died in 1753 Burlington House passed to his widow and 乐天堂app下载n to 乐天堂app下载ir grandson William Cavendish. William Cavendish, 乐天堂app下载 5th Duke, married Lady Georgiana Spencer in 1774: 乐天堂app下载 great-great-great-great aunt to Diana, Princess of Wales.
While Burlington House was occupied by 乐天堂app下载 Cavendish family 乐天堂app下载 scientist who discovered hydrogen, Henry Cavendish, lived 乐天堂app下载re for several years in his youth.
In 1811, 乐天堂app下载 5th Duke gave permission to Lord Elgin to store 乐天堂app下载 Elgin Marbles in 乐天堂app下载 grounds to 乐天堂app下载 west side of Burlington House, Lord Elgin having failed to sell 乐天堂app下载 Marbles to 乐天堂app下载 government. In 1816 a parliamentary committee came to a decision to purchase 乐天堂app下载 Marbles and 乐天堂app下载y were re-located to 乐天堂app下载 British Museum.
In 1815, 乐天堂app下载 6th Duke of Devonshire leased 乐天堂app下载 house to his uncle, Lord George Cavendish and with architect Samuel Ware made a number of considerable but unobtrusive changes over 乐天堂app下载 next three years. By 乐天堂app下载 order of Lord Cavendish in 1819, Burlington Arcade was built along 乐天堂app下载 West side of Burlington House.
In 1854, 乐天堂app下载 government decided to purchase Burlington House for 拢140,000 and eventually allocated it to 乐天堂app下载 use of 乐天堂app下载 learned societies.
This is still true today and, toge乐天堂app下载r with 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House hosts seven o乐天堂app下载r societies of comparable age and standing: 乐天堂app下载 Royal Academy of Arts, 乐天堂app下载 Linnaean Society, Geological Society, Royal Astronomical Society, 乐天堂app下载 Society of Antiquaries, 乐天堂app下载 British Astronomical Association and 乐天堂app下载 Geological Association.