West Front, Somerset House

The West Front of Somerset House, Lancaster Place, Westminster, c. 1890. Construction of Somerset House began in the 1770s but was not completed until about 1819. It was designed by Sir William Chambers to provide accomodation for several government offices, including the Tax Office, on an appropriately grand scale. The Tax office, which became the Inland Revenue in 1849 and HM Revenue & Customs in 2005, continued to occupy the building until early 2009. The Courtauld Institute and Gallery relocated to the North Front in 1989 and shortly afterwards the main courtyard and riverside terrace were opened up to the public.