Schomberg House is a mansion on the south side of Pall Mall in central London which has a colourful history. Only the street facade survives today. It was built for Meinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of Schomberg, a Huguenot general in the service of the British crown. It was adapted from Portland House, which in turn has been created by the Countess of Portland by converting two houses into a single residence. Work began in 1694, the year after the duke inherited his title. Pall mall illustrated in Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs, published 1891 Pall mall (pronounced pal-mal or pell-mell) or palle maille was a game played in the 16th and 17th centuries, and a precursor to croquet. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... Meinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of Schomberg, 1st Duke of Leinster (30 June 1641 - 5 July 1719) was an Irish general, whose father was also a famous military officer. ... Jump to: navigation, search In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France, or historically as the French Calvinists. ... The title of Earl of Portland has been created twice in the Peerage of England, most recently for Hans Willem Bentinck, the favorite of King William III in 1689. ...

The street facade of Schomberg House is striking and rather unusual for a London mansion. It is of red brick, with four main storeys above the basement. It is nine windows wide, with the central three bays projecting slightly and topped by a pediment, and the two end bays projecting boldly so that they form projections somewhat like small towers. The windows are narrow and six bold bands of quoins frame the three projections, giving the facade an energetic verticality. Jump to: navigation, search A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of a triangular section or gable found above the horizontal superstructure (entablature) which lies immediately upon the columns. ... Generally, a quoin is a wedge, used to support or anchor other items. ...

Meinhardt Schomberg's dukedom became extinct on his death in 1719 and the house was subsequently let. In 1769 it was divided into three (No, 80 Pall Mall to the east, No, 81 in the centre and No. 82 to the west) by the artist John Astley. Astley lived at No. 81 himself, and constructed a studio on the roof. In 1781 Astley was succeeded by a Scottish quack doctor called James Graham, who turned the establishment into a "Temple of Health and Hymen". The "Temple" featured a huge "celestial bed" fitted with early electrical devices, which was alleged to cure infertility, and was let to desperate and wealthy couples for £50 a night (about two years wages for a labourer). The Temple also served as a high class brothel and gambling den, and was eventually raided by the police and closed down. Dr. Graham was ultimately confined to a lunatic asylum. Meanwhile Thomas Gainsborough, who was at the height of his career as one of the two most fashionable portrait painters in England, lived next door at No. 82 from 1774 until his death in 1788. The artist Richard Cosway also lived at No. 81 for a time. Self-portrait, painted 1759 Blue boy, painted 1770 This article is about the artist Thomas Gainsborough. ... Richard Cosway (5 November 1742 - 4 July 1821) was a leading English portrait painter – more accurately a miniaturist - of the Regency era. ...

In the first half of the 19th century Schomberg House was neither aristocratic nor artistic. The central house was a bookshop from 1804 to 1850, and other tenants of the three houses included a picture dealer, an auctioneer and a haberdasher. In 1850 No. 80 was demolished and replaced as part of an abortive redevelopment of the whole site. Then in 1859 Nos. 80-82 were all acquired by the government for use by the War Office, which also occupied several other mansions in Pall Mall. In 1956 the building was largely demolished to make way for offices. However, not only were the surviving facades of Nos. 81 and 82 retained, but that of No. 80 was rebuilt in its original form. There have been further alterations since, and the interiors are now modern open plan offices, but the striking frontage remains. Old War Office Building, Whitehall, London - the former location of the War Office The War Office was a former department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1963, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. ...