Political scandal and architectural beauty
Tuesday, 27 March 2012 08:39Where: Chester Terrace, London
What: Nash House
Price: £10.95 million
This week’s luxury property is a stunning villa in the heart of the city mixed with political scandal and intrigue.
Behind the walls of this luxurious property it is believed one of Britain’s greatest political affairs took place, the Profumo Affair.
John Profumo (pictured), Britain’s secretary of state for war in the 1960s, lived in this elegant home at the same time that he found himself in the middle of a controversial affair.
He lived in the home with his wife, actress Valerie Hobson, but unbeknown to her he was having an affair with model and show girl Christine Keeler.
Soon after, he was also accused of having a relationship with a senior member of the embassy for the Soviet in London, known as Yevgeny "Eugene" Ivanov.
This quickly heightened the scandalous nature of Mr Profumo’s affairs as the Cold War was at its most turbulent point.
By June 1963 the politician bowed to the scandal which had become public in the media and resigned from his Cabinet position.
For this reason the Nash House is not only an architectural gem but a piece of political history.
The façade is unique in that it is a villa in the middle of London with a grand columned entrance and original ornate features on the roof top.
The building is grade I listed and is understood to have been designed by John Nash for his wife.
Inside the home the rooms are spread across three floors all with antique furnishings.
One of the most coveted features of this city-centre property is its west facing garden accessed via the formal drawing room.
The garden is very leafy, private and has a lovely courtyard ideal for Sunday brunch or entertaining guests.
Some of the most stunning rooms are the ones with flowing drapes, chandeliers and variations on a peach colour palette.
The dining room has all of these features plus ornate ceilings and traditional carpet.
The staircase is a focal point of the home and leads up to three of the four bedrooms.
These include the spacious principal bedroom with large ensuite bathroom and dressing room.
The further three bedrooms are also generously sized, one of which has been used as a staff bedroom.
The home also has a number of other rooms such as the breakfast area, wine cellar, sitting room and potential cinema room.
But it is the furnishings and architectural style which bring to life a past era of grandeur.
The property is on the market with Aston Chase contact the agent for more details.
