Crowning Hampstead Heath, Kenwood House was remodelled by Robert Adam between 1764 and 1779 for William Murray, first Earl of Mansfield, creating the imposing mansion that greets visitors today. Most striking of all Kenwood’s glories is its suite of magnificent Robert Adam rooms; the Entrance Hall, Great Staircase, Ante-room and his masterpiece the Great Library, lavishly redecorated as they originally appeared over two centuries ago.

The form of the house as we now see it, particularly its external aspect from the North, dates to an extension built in the early 19th century. The extensive service buildings to the east of the main house, numerous buildings in the grounds, and elements of the decoration of other important internal spaces, also date to this period. The landscape in which the house sits; Kenwood’s 112-acre parkland, landscaped by Humphrey Repton, is renowned for its fine views over London, its sculptures, and its meandering woodland paths.