by
Aubrey de Vere, twentieth Earl of Oxford. The Dukes of Roxburgh were in
possession from 1796 to 1812, and at the latter date the famous Roxburgh
Library was sold. The last private occupier was J. W. Spencer Churchill,
seventh Duke of Marlborough. After this the house was used successively
by the Salisbury Club, the Nimrod Club, and the Pall Mall Club, the last
of which remains here at present.

No. 13, the corner house, has passed through many hands, and is now in
the occupation of the Windham Club. The London Library is well known to
all book-lovers.

Wheatley states that Philip Francis lived at No. 14 until his death in
1818, but the houses have been renumbered since then, and his 14 is now
16.

No. 15 is known as Lichfield House from its former owner. It was built
by Stuart (known as "Athenian Stuart") in 1763-65. In 1855 it was the
home of the Junior United Service Club. In 1856 it was bought by the
Clerical, Medical, and General Life Assurance Society. The chief event
in its history took place on June 28, 1815, when the Prince Regent
displayed the trophies and banners just brought from Waterloo to the
crowd below.

No. 16, which is now amalgamated with 17, is occupied by the East India
United Service Club.

Nos. 17 and 18 formed old Halifax House. Many political intrigues and
meetings must have taken place here, for Lord Halifax gained the name of
always being on the winning side. In 1725 Halifax House was demolished
and the present buildings erected. In 1820 Queen Caroline stayed in No.
17 during her trial. The house was afterwards used by the Colonial Club.

No. 18 boasts such names among its tenants as the fourth Earl of
Chesterfield, the first Lord Thurlow, and Viscount Castlereagh,
afterwards second Marquis of Londonderry. It was used by the Oxford and
Cambridge Club and the Army and Navy Club.

At the south-east corner of King Street, in the square, was Cleveland
House, which has been demolished and replaced by "mansions."

Apsley and Winchester Houses follow. The former was rebuilt by Robert
Adam in 1772-74, and follows the well-known lines of his work, with
fluted pilasters rising from above the basement to an entablature. The
entrance has the fan-shaped glass above the door so characteristic of
Adam's work.

Winchester House was from 1826 to 1875 occupied by the Bishops of that
see, and was later a branch of the War Office, several departments of
which are still here. The next magnificent bu