Museums in London - Somerset House

Explore the Splendour of Somerset House in London

Jun 9, 2009

There are many grand museums with fascinating histories to visit in London and amongst them is the remarkable Somerset House.

Situated at the opposite end of Strand to Tranfalgar Square and overlooking the Thames on the other side, the spectaculr neo-classical building of Somerset House is steeped in history and has a wealth of splendour. It has a longstanding association with London's art and culture and is still actively invloved in organinsing cultural events such as concerts and open air cinema. In the winter the courtyard where 55 fountains usually dance is turned into an ice-rink .

Entrance into Somerst House is free of charge and every first and third Saturday of the month visitors can enjoy a free guided tour into hidden spaces the public are not ususally privy to. Walk in the footsteps of royalty such as Elizabeth I and George III together with British heroes such as Lord Admiral Nelson and with the help of a 3D animated video footage learn about the fascinating history and development of the site.

The guided tour will take visitor's down into the lower grounds of the House and into the 'Dead Rooms' where tombstones of royal servants are cemented into the walls and the set of the 2008 film 'The Oxford Murders.'

Brief History of Somerset House

The original design was a Tudor Palace commissioned by Edward Seymour following the death of his brother-in-law, Henry VIII in 1547. As Henry's son and heir, the future Edward IV, was considered to young to ascend to the throne, his ambitious uncle took the opportunity to claim himself Lord Protector and set about building a palace sandwiched between the Strand and the banks of the Thames. Somerset House was completed in 1551 for the sum of £10,000.

Edward Seymour however, barely had time to settle in to his new quarters. In 1552, he was executed for treason at executed at Tower Hill. The palace was passed to the crown and became the home of the future Queen Elizabeth I before becoming a dower house for Queens. Anne of Denmark, wife of James I was the first to reside there and her lavish parties made Somerset House the centre of English social and artistic life.

The Roman Catholic wife of Charles I, Henrietta Maria, commissioned further reconstruction which was to cause major provocation in political circles and eventually aid in her husband's downfall. Including in the building work was a Roman Catholic chapel which, being built in a royal palace, caused controversy with the Protestants and strengthened Cromwell's arm to oust the King.

In deed, Somerset House has undergone several facelifts and has been home to some of the finest British architects such as Inigo Jones, Sir Christopher Wren and Sir William Chambers, whose groundbreaking engineering is responsible for the remarkable building that still stands today. The building was completed in 1801, some 25 years after the foundations were laid and amounted to almost £500,000, twice the cost Chambers had originally estimated.

It was in the 18th Century when Somerset House fell into disrepair which called for George III to have the building torn down and rebuilt as public offices. The Royal Academy of Arts was originally situated here in the halls of the present day, Courtauld Galleries, together with The Society of Antiquaries and The Royal Society and was the location for William Herschel to announce in 1781 the discovery of a new planet: Uranus.

Over the years, Somerset House has had a number of uses such as Stamp office, the registered office of births, deaths and marriages, and most importantly the Navy Board. Lord Nelson had offices here his frail frame was often seen hobbling across the cobbled forecourt.

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