Mayfair mansion is ultimate project: blue plaque townhouse for sale owned by the London Underground founder

A six-storey townhouse once owned by Lord Ashfield has been put on the market — with potential for a full refurbishment. 
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The blue plaque Mayfair mansion that was the home of the baron who dominated London public transport for 40 years during the Tube’s “golden era” heyday is on the market for £16.5 million.

The six storey townhouse on South Street was the residence of Lord Ashfield from 1918 to 1940, a period when London’s rapidly expanding Underground networks became the envy of the world.

He was appointed as managing director of the Underground Electric Railways Company of London in 1907, became the first chairman of London Transport in 1921 and did not retire until 1947.

The home hosted key meetings in the run up to the Second World War when Lord Ashfield and senior members of Neville Chamberlain’s Government planned the “Underground Downing Street” for the War Cabinet at disused Down Street Tube station.

Historical appeal: there are only 933 blue-plaque properties across London

He personally oversaw the top secret conversion work, walking from South Street where his home’s principal rooms were often filled with complicated floorplans of London’s vast underground rail network.

The subterranean complex was ready in late 1939 and it was used by Chamberlain and later Winston Churchill, and had the codename “The Barn”. It eventually became redundant when the Cabinet War Rooms under Whitehall became fully operational in 1940.

The Grade II listed 6,477 sq ft property was built by J.J Stevenson in Queen Anne revival style between 1896 and 1898.

Colossal: the property has six storeys, with ceiling heights of 3.5 metres in the reception rooms

It has six bedrooms, two rear balconies and ceiling heights of 3.5 metres in the formal reception rooms. The first floor has a huge drawing room and enormous reception room with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Peter Wetherell, chief executive of agents Wetherell, which is handling the sale, said: “We are very excited to bring the Mayfair home of Lord Ashfield, the brilliant founder of London Underground, to the market. It is here during 1939 and 1940 that he worked on top secret plans to turn Down Street Tube Station into a bunker for the Prime Minister and cabinet and build secret passages under the city connecting Royal and government buildings to the underground network.

“Much of what went on during the War years remains classified to this day. There are only 933 blue-plaque houses in the city and it is always hugely attractive to be able to live in the footsteps of great Londoners past and present.”

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