10 and 12 Palace Court

Numbers 10 and 12 Palace Court form a single, striking architectural pair that stands out even in a neighborhood famous for its late Victorian designs. Completed in 1890, these houses were commissioned by the wealthy shipowner Sir Donald Currie. He had them built specifically as homes for two of his married daughters, ensuring the sisters remained close to one another in this then-fashionable corner of London. The architect James MacLaren designed the pair in the Arts and Crafts style, which favored artisanal detail over mass-produced uniformity. As you look at the exterior, notice the elaborate stone frieze and the unusual bow windows that are divided by rounded shafts. These features deviate from the standard terrace houses of the era, reflecting the artistic ambitions of the people who settled in Palace Court during the late nineteenth century. The building is officially recognized as a Grade II* listed site, a designation reserved for structures of particularly significant interest.