Kenwood House, estimated to have been originally built in 1616 and was home to the Earls of Mansfeild. It was later demolished and rebuilt by the Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, William Bridges and sold in 1704 and shifted many owners until the Earl of Mansfield, William Murray,  purchased it in 1754. In 1764, Murray commissioned Robert Adam to remodel the house for him. He added the most iconic and well-known area of the house: the library.  It was donated to the London City Council and opened to the public in 1927 as a museum of sorts. 

In mid-1790, the house was ransacked as part of the Gordon Riots. While most of the rioters just stole food, many items such as mirrors and paintings were ransacked as well. Murray and his wife fled the house during this time, which allowed the ransacking of the space. The Gordon Riots took place in London over several days to protest anti-catholic sentiments. The riots were a response to the Popery Act of 1698 which enforced stricter laws onto the British people. Kenwood was just one of the casualties of the Riots, as British Banks and Prisons were targeted too. 

After Murray’s death in 1793, Kenwood was inherited by his son, David Murray the 2nd Earl of Mansfeild. It was passed down for generations until the 6th Earl of Mansfielddecided to sell it in 1906 and leased it to the exiled Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia. It was finally bought in 1922 by the Kenwood Preservation council and opened to the public as it contains many historical and art pieces. 

Today, Kenwood still contains paintings like Self Portrait with Two Circles, by Rembrandt, along with many other classical pieces. It is currently under the ownership of the Friends of Kenwood and The English Heritage Trust. 

Work Cited

“Friends of Kenwood Archive .” Friends_of_Kenwood, 20 Oct. 2019, https://web.archive.org/web/20191020115019/http://www.friendsofkenwood.o.... Accessed 18 Feb. 2023.

“Kenwood.” English Heritage, https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/kenwood/?utm_source=awi.... Accessed 18 Feb. 2023. 

“Kenwood House front with extensions.” 27 Nov. 2005 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kenwood_House_front_with_extensions_2005.jpg Accessed 18 Feb. 2023.

“Kenwood House (Iveagh Bequest), Non Civil Parish - 1379242: Historic England.” , Non Civil Parish - 1379242 | Historic England, https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1379242. Accessed 18 Feb 2023.