• 1772

St James's Square was developed by Henry Jermyn, Earl of St Albans following the Restoration in 1660. St Albans leased plots for speculative builders to erect individual houses. It was a convenient location for aristocrats with duties at St James's Palace, and soon became the most fashionable address in town. Most of the houses were rebuilt during the eighteenth century, but it became less fashionable during the nineteenth century when the square was populated by wealthy tradesmen and clubs rather than aristocrats. None of the houses in the square remain residential, and are mainly used as offices.

These drawings show designs for a ceiling and frieze for an unknown house on St James's Square. They are not known to have been executed, and the patron, Mr Hamilton, is also unknown. Arthur Bolton has suggested that he may have been John Hamilton of Bargeny who was a subscriber to Adam's publication The ruins of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalatro in Dalmatia.

See also: St Martin's Lane, number unknown designs for mirrors for Mr Hamilton

Literature:
A.T. Bolton, The architecture of Robert and James Adam, 1922, Volume II, Index pp. 49, 74; B. Weinreb, and C. Hibbert, The London encyclopaedia, 1983, p. 740; D. King, The complete works of Robert & James Adam and unbuilt Adam, 2001, Volume II, p. 181

Frances Sands, 2013

Scheme

Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation

If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk