Mayfair

A London mansion that was once home to poet Lord Byron and banking heiress Baroness Catherine d’Erlanger has hit the market.

Listed for a cool £29.5 million (or roughly $37.7 million), the palatial townhouse at 139 Piccadilly most recently served as an office building. However, the historic property is being sold with full planning permission to convert it back into a single-family house—one that listing brokerage Wetherell estimates would be worth a whopping £70 million (or about $87.9 million).

“The provenance of this Piccadilly mansion building overlooking Green Park is outstanding,” Peter Wetherell, founder and chairman of Wetherell, said in a press statement. “It was once the London home of poet Lord Byron, and during the 1920s and 1930s, it was the Mayfair private palace of French heiress Baroness Catherine d’Erlanger, one of the richest women in Europe at the time. Now a buyer has the opportunity to close the circle and bring this landmark building back to life.”

An 18th-century London mansion formerly owned by Lord Byron is up for sale.

Casa E Progetti/Tony Murray

The Grade II-listed building offers up an impressive 15,339 square feet of living space and still retains tons of period details. Think tall sash windows, ornate ceilings, original fireplaces, and stone staircases.

As a single-family residence, the mansion would include a stately entrance hall, seven grand reception rooms, and eight ensuite bedrooms. There’s also an elevator and a brand-new rooftop garden. Down below, the double basement could accommodate a recreation complex equipped with a movie theater, game room, swimming pool, and a wellness center that sports a sauna, steam room, and gym.

Dating back to the 18th century, the abode was originally built sometime between 1760 and 1764. After it was renovated in 1815, it became the home of the British poet Lord Byron and his wife. According to the listing, Byron wrote Parsinia and The Seige of Corinth in the study of this home. However, he was forced to leave the home in April 1816 after his divorce, which involved an alleged infidelity scandal. The property was later scooped up in 1910 by the Baron and Baroness d’Erlanger.

The British poet penned two poems inside the home’s library.

Casa E Progetti/Tony Murray

“This magnificent period building is one of the few surviving private palaces in Mayfair providing a discerning buyer with the opportunity to regenerate and transform it into a single palatial family home, an Embassy, private member’s club, new offices or a flagship retail boutique,” says Robert Britten, sales Director at Wetherell. “Buildings of this scale and importance and in such an ultra-prime Green Park location rarely come up for sale in Mayfair.”

Click here to see all the photos of 139 Piccadilly.

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The late and famously prolific English author Dame Barbara Cartland, whose 720-plus novels sold upwards of 750 million copies, was the so-called “Queen of Romance,” so don’t be surprised if you fall in love with her sumptuous former London home. Located in Mayfair, one of the most affluent areas of the British capital, the novelist’s lavish five-story mansion is newly listed for a hefty £35 million (or roughly $44.2 million).

Originally built in 1902 for Liberal politician and stockbroker Sir Cuthbert Quilter, the Edwardian-style abode has played host to its fair share of high-profile residents. The elegant abode was purchased by Cartland in 1936 and is where she raised her daughter, Countess Raine Spencer, better known as the stepmother to Princess Diana. (Despite the connection, Cartland was not invited to Diana’s wedding to Charles in 1981.) In the century-plus since it was erected, the palatial pad also served as the birthplace of Sir Alec Douglas-Home, who briefly served as Prime Minister in the mid-1960s.

The former London townhouse of British novelist Dame Barbara Cartland just listed for $44.2 million

Christophe Schaillee

“This remarkable property is widely regarded as the quintessential London mansion. It exudes elegance and sophistication, with its exceptional features and prime location just moments away from Park Lane and Grosvenor Square,” notes the listing, which is held by Michael Holt and Nicole Hay of Compass.

Designed by acclaimed architect Detmar Blow, the 8,500-square-foot property features a stately red-brick exterior adorned with neo-classical cornices. Inside, soaring and embellished ceilings, stone fireplaces, and a sweeping wooden staircase are among the home’s original period features.

For all the historic detailing and traditional finery, there are, however, a notable number of modernizations. For example, the basement has been turned into a full-blown spa, where you’ll find an indoor swimming pool, a sauna, a designated relaxation zone, and even a bar.

The lower level has an indoor pool and spa that opens to a patio.

Christophe Schaillee

No stranger to entertaining, Cartland made good use of the grandly proportioned principal reception areas on the ground and first floors, which combined can accommodate over 100 guests. Elsewhere, the deluxe digs comprise six bedrooms, including a swanky primary suite that occupies the entire second floor. The space is decked out with a projector over the bed, an enormous walk-in closet, an ensuite bath, and its own private terrace.

“Undoubtedly, this truly magnificent home stands as the epitome of luxury living in London,” crows the listing. We concur.

Click here to see all the photos of 28 South Street. 

Christophe Schaillee More