In the heart of East End London sits the Malplaquet House, exuding a mysterious grandeur that would make anyone do a double-take as they strolled past its wrought iron gates. Dating back to 1741, the atmospheric building is one of London’s forgotten mansions which, until very recently, stood decrepit and destined for demolition. However, in the ’90s, the monument was purchased by the Spitalfields Trust and eventually sold to Tim Knox, a British historian, and director of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, for £250,000 (approximately $355,200). Alongside renowned landscaper Todd Longstaffe-Gowan a passionate restoration project was begun that sought to renew the historic building.
The mansion was last occupied in 1895, and before this, it had been subdivided into smaller apartments with commercial shops set up in the front garden. Knox and Longstaffe-Gowan took it upon themselves to restore the ambiance of the old mansion prior to this. By following historic blueprints and surviving evidence, they were able to rebuild the original gardens and architectural design of the labyrinthian home.
The Malplaquet House is now being listed for sale for £2,950,000 (roughly $4.2 million). Brimming with unusual antiquities, such as stag heads, Latin busts, and other carefully preserved relics, the four-story mansion offers a prime opportunity to explore historical, religious, and architectural artifacts. Its revamped eighteenth-century bricks now protect an unsealed treasury of historical goodies to be explored by new owners.
Images via Philippe Debeerst and Fyfe McDade.
