How Old Is Somerset House In London?

The current Somerset House of London dates back to the 18th century hence it is easily more than two hundred years old. The older Somerset house was about 2 centuries older i.e., was built in the 16th century. Today's Somerset House is located on the south side of the Strand in central London. It is adjacent to the River Thames, and also close to the Waterloo Bridge. Sir William Chambers got the appointment to design and build the new Somerset House. He spent almost 20 years of his life building the present Somerset House. After his death in 1796 the building was completed by James Wyatt. There is some evidence that points to the fact that the Somerset House was not complete till around 1819.

During World War II, parts of the South wing which included sixteen rooms and the Nelson Stair were completely destroyed. Also 27 rooms were damaged in the West Wing in October 1940 which was subsequently repaired in the following years. Sir Albert Richardson was the chief architect responsible for completing this task which required skilled masons. The Nelson Room and Nelson Stair were both re-built. This renovation work was completed in 1952 and cost about £84,000 in those days.