{{Short description|Mansion in Regent's Park, London, England}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|300px|The Holme in 2009
'''The Holme''' (Saxon: "river island") is a mansion located on Inner Circle by Regent's Park in the City of Westminster, London, England. It was designed by Decimus Burton, as a residence for the Burton family, and built in 1818, by the company of James Burton, who subsequently lived there.<ref name=ODNB>{{cite web|url=http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/50182?rskey=dTXFr9&result=1|title=''James Burton [Haliburton]'', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|access-date=21 January 2019|archive-date=29 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329120443/http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/50182?rskey=dTXFr9&result=1|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Allinson2012">{{cite book|last=Allinson|first=Kenneth|title=Architects and Architecture of London|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RAQBHs4BWXQC&pg=PA134|accessdate=21 November 2012|date=21 August 2012|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-7506-8337-1|pages=134–}}</ref> It has been described as "one of the most desirable private homes in London" by architectural scholar Guy Williams.<ref name="Williams p.133">{{cite book |last=Williams |first=Guy |title=Augustus Pugin Versus Decimus Burton: A Victorian Architectural Duel|year=1990|publisher=Cassell Publishers Ltd.|location=London|isbn=0-304-31561-3|page=133}}</ref> Architectural critic Ian Nairn wrote of the house, "If you want a definition of western civilization in a single view, then here it is".<ref name=Nairn>{{cite book|last1=Nairn|first1=Ian|title=Nairn's London|date=1966|isbn=978-0141396156|edition=first|page=87}}</ref>
== History == The Holme was the second villa to be built in Regent's Park, and the first of those to be designed or constructed by the Burton family. The house consists of two storeys above ground, as well as offices contained in a basement. The entrance is under an Ionic-style portico and pediments. It has a bow or rotunda decorated by four columns; the bow is surmounted by an attic, and is covered with a well-proportioned cupola.<ref name="park1829">{{cite book|author=London Regent's park|title=A picturesque guide to the Regent's park; with accurate descriptions of the Colosseum, the diorama, and the zoological gardens|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_q4HAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA29|accessdate=21 November 2012|edition=Public domain|year=1829|pages=29–}}</ref> Renovations occurred in 1911 with the addition of wings by Bertie Crewe and again in 1935 when a balustrade replaced an existing dome.<ref name="Allinson2012" />
[[File:The Holme, Regent's Park - Shepherd, Metropolitan Improvements (1828), p223.jpg|thumb|The Holme in 1827, drawn by Thomas H. Shepherd]]
Prior to 1984, The Holme was owned by the Crown Estate. The freehold of the land remains with the Crown.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Byers |first=David |date=2025-01-24 |title=US tech billionaire buys ‘London White House’ for £139m |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/society/article/us-tech-billionaire-buys-london-white-house-for-139m-vt937hvph |access-date=2025-01-25 |website=The Times |language=en}}</ref> It was owned by the children of former Saudi defence minister, Prince Khaled bin Sultan al-Saud, through the Guernsey-based company, Quendon Ltd, and was bought for £34 million in 1991.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Al-Atrush |first=Samer |last2=Smith |first2=Robert |last3=England |first3=Andrew |last4=Oliver |first4=Joshua |date=2023-03-03 |title=Saudi owner of London’s most expensive house sued over alleged unpaid private jet bills |url=https://www.ft.com/content/6e99b67e-74d5-4b31-bf91-8dcc8829fb2f |access-date=2025-01-24 |work=Financial Times}}</ref>
It was later seized by creditors reportedly after defaulting on a loan for a private jet. The jet was leased by Yuntian 10 Leasing Company, an Irish subsidiary of China Minsheng Bank, through a corporation in Bermuda. It was alleged the property was kept to manage arrears from loans whilst concealing the ultimate beneficiary of the property.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Al-Atrush |first=Samer |last2=Smith |first2=Robert |last3=Oliver |first3=Joshua |last4=Hammond |first4=George |date=2023-03-07 |title=How a Saudi prince lost a £250mn ‘London palace’ |url=https://www.ft.com/content/047965f0-61ab-447d-877b-3636ea3c1655 |access-date=2025-01-24 |work=Financial Times}}</ref>
As of March 2023, the mansion was put up for sale by its then owner for a reported price of £250m, making it the most expensive private residence in the UK.<ref>{{cite web |title=It’s a mega-mansion gold rush! As the UK’s most expensive £250m palace hits the market, Tatler sizes up the rest |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/uk-most-expensive-house-the-holme-for-sale-regents-park-mega-mansion-boom-london |website=Tatler |access-date=1 April 2023}}</ref>
It was later sold for £139 million by Abdullah bin Khalid Al Saud, Saudi Arabia's permanent representative to the United Nations in Vienna and ambassador to Austria, to Zedra, a Luxembourgish corporate services firm that manages investments for wealthy people, in a deal with estate agent, Knight Frank, on 13 December 2024. The identity of the buyer is unknown, although reports suggest it was an US based "tech billionaire" and bought as a London base.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sidders |first=Jack |date=24 January 2025 |title=London Mansion Seized From Saudi Royals Sold for £139 Million |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-24/london-mansion-seized-from-saudi-royals-sold-for-139-million |work=Bloomberg News}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> The sale was enforced, due to arrears from a £160 million loan secured against the property, resulting in the property being put into receivership.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Sources== :{{Source-attribution|London Regent's park's ''A picturesque guide to the Regent's park; with accurate descriptions of the Colosseum, the diorama, and the zoological gardens'' (1829)}}
==Bibliography== * {{cite book | last = Stourton | first = James | title = Great Houses of London | location = London | publisher = Frances Lincoln | year = 2012| isbn = 978-0-7112-3366-9}} * {{cite web | title = The Holme | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090104172357/http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/Catherine_Slater/Holme.htm | archive-date = 4 January 2009 | url = http://members.lycos.co.uk/Catherine_Slater/Holme.htm | website = members.lycos.co.uk/Catherine_Slater | publisher = Catherine Slater }}
{{Coord |51|31|39|N|0|9|23|W|type:landmark_region:GB-WSM|display=title}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holme}} Category:Buildings and structures in Regent's Park Category:Decimus Burton buildings Category:Grade II* listed buildings in the City of Westminster Category:Grade II* listed houses in London Category:Houses completed in 1818 Category:Houses in the City of Westminster Category:James Burton (property developer) buildings Category:Regent's Park