Address
Mansion House
London EC4N 8BH
About Mansion House
Located in the vibrant heart of the City of London, Mansion House serves as the distinguished residence and office of the Lord Mayor.
Until the mid-18th century, Lord Mayors used their own homes or livery halls for their official duties. After the Great Fire of 1666, the idea of a permanent residence emerged to accommodate Lord Mayors without their own livery hall.
Nearly a century later, George Dance the Elder was chosen to design Mansion House. Construction began in 1739, and Sir Crispin Gascoigne was the first Lord Mayor to reside there in 1758.
The Palladian-style Mansion House features a grand temple portico and steps. The first floor includes a courtyard (later covered to form the Salon) and the Egyptian Hall. The second floor houses a ballroom and private apartments, while the third and fourth floors contain meeting and staff rooms. The cellars, once used as prisoners' cells, now serve as storage.
Over time, Mansion House has seen changes. Unsafe roof pavilions were removed in 1795 and 1846. The main entrance was relocated to the side due to roadworks. Refurbishments occurred in the 1860s, 1930s, and early 1990s.
Accessibility
The building is equipped with a ramp for easy access, disabled toilet facilities, a sound loop in the Egyptian Hall, and lift access to all floors.