Tart Hall

Tart Hall, also known as Thanet House, was a grand mansion located in London during the 17th century. Situated on the north side of the Strand, near Charing Cross, it gained its nickname due to its perceived ostentatious and extravagant style, a quality that some considered vulgar or in poor taste.

Originally built for Sir John Crofts, it was later purchased by Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet, and for a time was known as Thanet House. The "Tart Hall" moniker, however, stuck, reflecting the building's reputation for lavish decoration and perhaps the social activities that took place within its walls. The term "tart," in this context, implied something gaudy or excessively ornamented, rather than its modern connotations.

Over time, Tart Hall was divided into separate dwellings. Later in its history, it housed a museum. The building was eventually demolished in the 19th century. While the precise details of its internal design are somewhat lost to time, contemporary accounts suggest that it was remarkable for its scale and ornamentation, making it a notable, if controversial, landmark in London's urban landscape.