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📍 Two Temple Place
Two Temple Place was commissioned in 1895 by William Waldorf Astor (William Waldorf Astor), an American and British lawyer, politician, businessman, and philanthropist. I volunteered for two exhibitions here from January to April before I discovered this hidden gem of London. So today I'm going to introduce you to this neo-gothic building!
Architect: Viscount Astor
Viscount Astor is a descendant of the very wealthy Astor family in New York, USA. He moved to England in 1891 and was named Viscount Astor in 1917 for his contributions to war charities. Economists generally agree that after inheriting his family's wealth, he became the second-richest man in the US at the time.
Reception
Most of the furniture in the reception area dates from the 1960s, when chairs from the Russian Empire were made of deer skin. The inscription on the wall commemorates the reopening of this building after being sold by the Astor family in 1929 and acquired by a private company. On weekdays, this is the first space visitors visit to learn about the history of architecture and the subject of the exhibition from our volunteers.
Lower Gallery
The lower gallery used to be the office at the time, and was divided into smaller spaces to accommodate the Astor Manor staff. Depending on the exhibition in progress at the time, this may be the first or last room!
Stairs
Viscount Astor is very passionate about European literature, so he specially let craftsmen make engravings inspired by literature. The staircase is made of mahogany from South America, and the carvings on it are figures from the classic French novel “The Three Musketeers” (Three Musketeers), considered by Viscount Astor as the best novel ever written. The floor of the stairwell is made of marble, porphyry, agate, and jasper, which are combined into complex geometric Roman-style patterns.
Upper Gallery
The most interesting part of the upper gallery is the stained glass ceiling, and the date “1895” of the completion of the building is written in the center. The gallery is surrounded by solid ebony columns that have been irreplaceable. Apart from not being able to confirm where it came from, it is currently impossible to find ebony wood of this length. The literary carvings above the pillar include characters from novels by three American writers, as well as characters from Shakespeare's “Henry VIII” (Henry VIII), “Othello” (Othello), “Antony and Cleopatra” (Antony and Cleopatra), and “Macbeth” (Macbeth).
LibraryLibrary
The library is Viscount Astor's private relaxation space, where he can read and write on his own. The finely carved figures on the bookshelves represent art and science, and each one carries a different musical instrument and scientific supplies. In front of the fireplace is a secret entrance to the lobby (the doorknob is hidden in the mahogany wall), allowing Viscount Astor to go to the reception room and library. The space was severely damaged by a bomb during the war, so the original white marble fireplace no longer exists.
Great Hall
The lobby is Viscount Astor's private office, and he uses it for meetings, lectures, and entertainment. The open frame on the roof is made of Spanish mahogany, imitating the tradition of the Dudao dynasty's lobby. The two sections of the wall are deliberately left without any decoration to strongly adjust the decoration of the rest of the room.
There are 50 gold-plated portraits at the top of the lobby, some of which were destroyed during the war and lost. In addition to historical figures (including writers, artists, supporters of literature and art, politicians, explorers, etc.), these portraits also include literary fictional figures that Viscount Astor likes. Among them, Astor even bought Hough Castle for Anne Boleyn (Anne Boleyn), the second queen of Henry VIII, and the rosary she allegedly brought with her when executed.
Additionally, there are 12 gold-plated statues on the supports supporting the roof, which represent characters from “The Legend of Saxon Heroes” (Ivanhoe) by Scottish historical novelist Sir Walter Scott (Walter Scott). These statues were gold-plated at the request of Viscount Astor, as it was very difficult for him to see these statues due to his myopia. The inside of the central mahogany door also has 9 silver-plated reliefs depicting the heroines of “Arthurian Legend” (Arthurian Legend), and their names are engraved.
Finally, the stained glass on the east and west sides of the hall depicts rural scenery at sunrise and sunset. The scene on the east side is considered Switzerland (because the Swiss flag is on the boat), while the western side is considered Italian (because people's clothing, vineyards, and dome architecture are all Italian styles of the time). However, since there is no known documentation, we can only speculate on these windows.
How do I get to Two Temple Place?
💡 Address: 2 Temple Pl, Temple, London WC2R 3BD (Click here for map direction)
💡 Driving in the UK: Apply for Enterprise Car Club with【CHEUKYINLAI】and get £20 off!
💡 Within the UK: 1/3 off UK trains and London Underground all year round when you buy a transport card
💡 Train Booking / Europe Cross-Border Travel: Use Omio to book train or bus tickets to London【New Users Get Instant €10 Off】
💡 Flight Booking: Use Skyscanner to compare airfares to London and find the best date and time!
💡 Website: https://twotempleplace.org/
*All information is based on the integration of my official website, local information, and staff references. If you find any errors in the information, please contact me by email. thank you!
