Tucked away on Mile End Road is one of London’s most fascinating mansion houses. Completed in 1741 by naval architect Thomas Andrews, the site was first inhabited by Elizabeth Brandon whose husband sold military salvage during the Wars of the Spanish Succession. The Battle of Malplaquet in 1709 inspired the property’s name.
After decades of use by householders and commercial businesses, the last records of domestic residency were in 1895. Malplaquet House then lay empty for a century, derelict and on its way for demolition before being rescued by The Spitalfields Historic Buildings Trust in the 1990s. A sensitive restoration project was conducted by British historian Tim Knox and landscape gardener Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, returning the mysterious Grade II-listed site to its former magnificent grandeur.
The 21st century melts away as you step inside; Malplaquet House is a soulful record of the passage of time. An assembly of original and reclaimed features showcase the forms, textures and colours of history, each room bearing witness to those that have lived and worked there throughout the years.
Composed of eye-catching stock brick, the home is four storeys tall and five bays wide — set back from the street by a private front garden. The cast iron entry gate was commissioned by a traditional blacksmith and is framed by a blooming canopy of wisteria, ivy, jasmine and roses: privacy and a sense of bucolic charm is guaranteed from the outset. Making a striking first impression, the central doorcase from 1800 sees a Soaninan niche paired with a broad frieze in a Grecian key pattern.
Lying on either side of the entrance hallway are two 30-feet deep reception rooms, each with distinct characters and tremendous proportions. In the west-facing room, exposed lime plaster walls set the stage for an arresting 12-foot-high chimneypiece. Rescued from Lord Rosebery’s townhouse in Berkeley Square, the green Florentine marble bolection fireplace was masterfully reworked by film designer Christopher Hobbs — an expert in decorative plasterwork. The figurine mouldings symbolise Africa, the West Indies and South America, the places where Knox and Longstaffe-Gowan grew up. In the east-facing room, original aged pine floorboards run throughout while the walls have been handpainted in a vivid shade of ‘arsenical green’, mimicking the original pigment that once covered the walls. Gather friends for a games night, courtesy of the pool table.
On the basement level, the feel of a traditional English country cottage is conjured in the kitchen with its low-slung ceiling, muted tones and reclaimed materials. Original stone floors run throughout, while the chimney embrasure is home to an early 19th-century iron range and salvaged overmantel. The counters are supported with Victorian table legs, topped with Swedish green marble that once clad the foyer of a 1950s office block. Rescued from a skip, the stoneware sink is carved with a Vitruvian scroll paired with antique chrome taps. There’s a separate scullery which contains a 19th century ice-box fridge from Brazil, skifully renovated to run on electricity.
Also on the lower-ground level is the home’s original dining room, which has been reimagined as a guest bedroom. The bed is crafted from old weaving frames, surrounded by beautifully distressed panelling, hat moulds and an 18th century fireplace sourced from the notorious Tom King’s Coffee House in Covent Garden.
The private rear garden is a peaceful oasis to make the most of London’s warmer months. Historic brickwork is an engaging backdrop for the romantic tangle of greenery that climbs up the walls, as well as the tropical Trachycarpus fortunei and mature ferns supplied by local nurseryman, Lydon Osborn.
A staircase wrapped in dark wood panelling and lime plaster walls leads up to the first floor, opening into the spacious sitting room. Three sash windows filter soft light across the original panelling and carved Asiatic antique fireplace. It’s a meditative spot for intimate gatherings, with patterned sofas and an ottoman. To the east side of this storey is an additional living room, connected to a bedroom by two wedding doors that remain from Malplaquet House’s conception in 1741. In the sleeping area, the original green decor was uncovered beneath layers of wallpaper — a handsome backdrop to the ancient marble chimneypiece sourced from a Norfolk farmhouse.
Honouring the printing business that ran in Malplaquet House from 1870 to 1910, the principal bedroom features a bed crafted from a historic bookpress and paired with antique typewriters as bedside tables. Also found on the second storey are two additional guest bedrooms, one of which features original panelling, reclaimed wall lights from a 1920s French circus and a bed made from 18th-century woodwork benches. The bathroom is wrapped in beautifully textured lime plaster, with two cast-iron baths at its centre. Completing this level is a dedicated home office.
Bedrooms: 5 
Bathrooms: 2 
Capacity: 10 
Garden 
