Two Temple Place — Attraction in London

An amazing neo-gothic building (Lord Astor’s baronial London offices) near the Law Courts, free to explore (when it’s open - do check in advance online) with beautiful stained glass windows, an imposing central staircase, superb decoration & carvings. Friendly & knowledgeable guides were on hand in every room, which added to the experience. The shop sells more detailed guides to the house, it’s history & contents, alongside an interesting range of lovely & unusual artisan-themed gifts - & there are occasional bookable tours. I especially liked the unusual Nigerian pottery exhibition on at the moment, surprisingly showcased with very good explanatory boards, scattered about the opulent wood panelled rooms. Having walked past this striking building for decades I was thrilled to be finally visiting the capital at a time it was open - it’s well...

This is one of the great secret treasures of London. Rarely open to the public, except on the Open House London Weekends.

This is stunning Victorian home of Lord Astor, a wealthy tycoon, who famously perished in the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

The home itself boasts several lavishly decorated room, especially on the upstairs hall, and possibly the grandest staircase in the world, with a gall ceiling, carvings of the four musketeers, and two beautiful stained glass windows in the upper hall. The floor at the bottom of the staircase is a masterpiece of inlaid marble of different colours, similar to Italian Cosmati pavements.

This is now an events venue for hire, having spent several...

Finally got to see the interior of this beautiful building via a whisky promotion event - which is apt as the scotch whisky is aged in European oak and the interior of this venue is mostly oak panels, beams, bannister - much of which was beautifully engraved. The stained glass ceiling is extraordinary when it's still light outside and the layout is like a mini maze with doors that look like another oak panel. From what I can tell the main venue is two floors but there's also a basement. There's also a small lawn outside and then your are on Victoria Embankment. This would make a great venue for private parties, weddings and promotional events in a setting that requires minimal...