John Soane was probably the most innovative British architect of his generation. A visit to his home and office — Nos 12, 13 and 14 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, now the Sir John Soane Museum — is an assault on the senses (in the best way) and proof of his genius. From the ingenious picture room, whose hinged walls reveal hidden paintings, to the Sepulchre Chamber of Pharaoh Seti I and the Monument Court crowded with ancient sculptures and casts, the whole building is part cabinet of curiosities, part life-sized lesson in architecture and part magician’s sleight of hand.
But this was not his only home. In 1800, eight years after buying his London house, Soane acquired Pitzhanger Manor in Ealing. Already successful, he wanted a country retreat where he could develop his ideas and create a legacy with his sons.
