Philip Somervail on 8 Jan 2003  •  Link

The history of Exeter House and the later street of the same name is summarised at: http://www.coventgarden.uk.com/ex…

in Aqua Scripto on 1 Jan 2006  •  Link

noted as French house [sept 30 '61]

TerryF on 28 Jun 2006  •  Link

Exeter Street runs parallel to the Strand, between Burleigh and Catherine Streets, Exeter Court running off the Strand north toward Exeter Street, toward the SE corner of this segment of the 1742 map. http://www.motco.com/map/81002/Se…

Jesse on 20 Jan 2008  •  Link

The original coventgarden link is 404. Here's a paragraph from its update:

The street name was taken from Exeter House which once stood on the junction with Wellington Street (the site of today's Lyceum theatre). Also known at times as Burghley House and Cecil House, it was built for Sir Thomas Palmer during the reign of Edward VI and later passed from Elizabeth I to William Cecil, Lord Burghley, and on to his son Thomas. Eighteen years on, Henrietta Maria lodged here before her marriage to Prince Charles. Fire severely damaged the House in 1627 but it was later repaired. Henrietta Maria returned here 33 years later as a widow to worship in the chapel especially set aside for her. After the great fire, the Admiralty Court, the prerogative Courts and the Court of Arches relocated here until the Doctors' Commons was rebuilt. Anthony Ashley Cooper, 2nd Earl of Shaftesbury, husband of Frances, also lived here for a time. The house was eventually demolished in the 1670s and Exeter Street, Burleigh Street (which is still here today) and Exeter Change were built on its site.

http://www.coventgarden.uk.com/fe…

Geoff on 23 Jan 2010  •  Link

Exeter House is depicted on this 1658 map. It is on the north side of the Strand, opposite the Savoy, and backs onto the Piatzo (Covent Garden).
http://www.oldlondonmaps.com/newc…

Bill on 7 Aug 2013  •  Link

From 1667 till 1676, when the first Earl of Shaftesbury removed into the City, and the house was pulled down, Exeter House was the home of John Locke, who resided with Lord Ashley at this time as "family physician, tutor, and private friend," and for a while as secretary. Many of Locke's extant letters are dated from Exeter House, and it was whilst here that he was occupied with the Essay on the Human Understanding.
---London, Past and Present. H.B. Wheatley, 1891.

San Diego Sarah on 24 Dec 2016  •  Link

Jesse copied the exact text from http://www.coventgarden.uk.com/fe…... BUT although it's not part of the Diary, I take issue with: "Eighteen years on, Henrietta Maria lodged here [EXETER HOUSE] before her marriage to Prince Charles."

With the aid of a special dispensation from the Pope, a marriage was arranged by French King Louis XIII with the English sovereign, King James I, to the match of Princess Henrietta Maria to Charles, Prince of Wales on the condition that some measure of toleration would be afforded to Roman Catholics in England.

The couple were married by proxy on 11 May, 1625, in Paris. They were married in person at St. Augustine's Church, Canterbury, Kent, on 5 June, 1625. Princess Henrietta was 15 years old and Prince Charles was 24.

So far as I know, they married in person minutes after they met for the first time in Canterbury, and cohabited as best they could from then on. The House later associated with Queen Henrietta Maria is Somerset House.

For more information see http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/…

San Diego Sarah on 26 Mar 2020  •  Link

And I got that annotation wrong too ... yes, James I did organize the marriage, but he died on March 27, 1625.

The now King Charles decided not to delay the marriage: Princess Henrietta Maria married him by proxy on 11 May, 1625. The official marriage was celebrated in the church of St. Augustine in Canterbury on 5/13 June the same year, on the road to London right after her arrival in England. Charles was crowned the next year, but because it was an Anglican ceremony, Henrietta Maria did not participate.

So there's no way she stayed in Exeter House before their wedding.

%%%
Aqua Scripto's correct: During the Diary years, Exeter House was used as the official residance of the French Ambassador(s) when there were any.

L&M tell us that in September 1661 York House (the Spanish residence) and Exeter House (French Ambassador d'Estrades' residence) were on the south and north sides of the Strand respectively.

Queen Mother Henrietta Maria lived across the street and used the French Ambassadors' chapel as her own.

In December 1665 the onset of war and the plague drove the three Ambassadors back to France.

After the Great Fire, the Admiralty Court and others moved here until better quarters were built, and Lord Ashley decided to live there. Essex House was demolished in 1676,