Essex House (London)

Essex House was a large house that stood on the Strand in London between approximately 1575 and 1674. It occupied the site of the earlier Outer Temple, a property of the Knights Templar. Following the dissolution of the monasteries, the site came into the possession of the Crown and was subsequently granted to William, Lord Paget.

Paget constructed a grand house which, after his death, was acquired by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, from whom it took its name. Essex House became a significant center of political and social life during the late Elizabethan period.

The house is perhaps most notable for its association with the Earl of Essex's failed rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I in 1601. The conspirators gathered at Essex House before marching into the city, an event that ultimately led to Essex's execution for treason.

After the Earl's execution, the property reverted to the Crown. It was later granted to Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, the son of the executed Earl.

In the 1670s, Essex House was demolished to make way for new developments, including Essex Street, Devereux Court, and Milford Lane, which still exist today. No trace of the original Essex House remains above ground.