Built / Designed For: John Wallop, Viscount Lymington, later 1st Earl of Portsmouth.

House & Family History: Marlow Place is a house of seven by six bays built for John Wallop, Viscount Lymington, later 1st Earl of Portsmouth. There is evidence to suggest that the prince of Wales, later King George II, lived briefly at Marlow Place in the 1720s. The red and brown brick house with stone dressings was very likely built to the designs of Thomas Archer. Both Nikolaus Pevsner and Howard Colvin convincingly attributed Marlow Place to Archer, an architect with a small oeuvre of work (even smaller when one examines how little can be absolutely attributed to him). Marlow has odd details on its façade (typical of the work of Archer) similar to that on Chettle House, which Archer almost certainly designed for Wallop's associate, George Chaffin. At Hale House, Wiltshire, Thomas Archer's home, and where he is buried, the design of the Chapel door is very similar to the south doorway of Marlow Place. Marlow's interiors contain the original fireplaces and paneling; the Entrance Hall is very impressive, with giant Doric pilasters and a metope frieze. In the early 19th century Marlow Place housed the junior department of the Royal Military College; in the 1860s it served as a boarding school. In the 1950s the House was a girl's finishing school.

Country Life: XXXIII, 54, 1913.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Not Listed

Past Seat / Home of: John Wallop, Viscount Lymington, later 1st Earl of Portsmouth, 18th century. Prince of Wales, later George II, 1720s. William Clayton, 18th century. Thomas Williams, late 18th century; Williams family here until the 20th century.

Current Ownership Type: Unknown

Primary Current Ownership Use: Offices

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No