A house built in c.1704, originally without the third and fourth mansard storeys. Early residents included the 6th Viscount Falkland, an ardent Jacobite; and Sir William Gordon, who was a government commissioner and member of the Squadrone, a Scottish political party.
From the mid-19th century the property became a commercial address. It housed the St. John's House Training Institution for Nurses from 1852, six of whom went out to the Crimea with Florence Nightingale. It was later the scene of a protest when two members of the so-called 'Progressive Party' locked themselves into the offices of the Women's Liberal Federation here.
For much of the 20th century it was used by the Armed Forces charity, The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association. A secret internal passageway was constructed in 1926, linking the headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Service at Broadway Buildings with the neighbouring property to this one. It is believed that both houses were used by SIS and that some of the rooms were interconnected.