The present Dover House was originally built for Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh (see also Uppark) by James Paine between 1755 and 1758.

In December 1787, on payment of £12,600 to Sir Harry Fetherstonhaugh (Sir Matthew’s only child), the premises were, by deed, assigned to Prince Frederick Augustus, Duke of York and Albany. In 1791, Prince Frederick abandoned Dover House and took up residence in Melbourne House (see also Albany).

The house was much altered for the Duke by the architect Henry Holland.  A rotunda and staircase were built within the courtyard, fronted towards Whitehall by a portico and screen wall, and on the west elevation, facing St James’s Park; two of the three Venetian windows were replaced by pairs of rectangular openings.  Little of Paine’s interior decoration remains but it is possible that some of the original chimneypieces were moved to Featherstonhaugh’s country house, Uppark in Sussex (where I have also worked).   Holland also created the enfilade of rooms on the west side of the ground floor by enlarging existing rooms.

Since July 1999 it has been the Headquarters of the Scotland Office.

I was commissioned to carry out the paint analysis in four areas on the ground floor.


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