Durham House, on the Strand, was the London residence of the Bishops of Durham. The buildings, started in the fourteenth century, were entered by a gatehouse from the street and comprised two courtyards.
The outer courtyard contained lodgings and service rooms (as was normal) and the inner court faced onto the river. On the waterfront was the imposing great hall with aisles supported by marble columns. To the east were the chambers and chapel.
The building fell into the possession of Thomas Wolsey when he became the Bishop of Durham in 1523. He knew the house well having already stayed there in 1516 and 1518, but now it was an important base, as he moved there while York Place was being rebuilt for him.
The bishopric was forced to give up the house in 1536 when Henry VIII swapped it for Coldharbour, a much older and less convenient London property. Durham Place was probably the largest of all the mansions on the Strand and it was irresistible to the king. It is possible that he too wanted it as a temporary base while, what was now Whitehall, was under scaffolding. But Henry ushered in what was to be its Tudor purpose – as a high status guest house for lodging ambassadors, members of the royal family and ministers.
This use continued under James I though the house had been restored to the bishops.
In 1640 the bishop sold out to the earl of Pembroke who built an new house on the site clearing away the medieval mansion. Later Robert Adam and his brother redeveloped the site as The Adelphi sweeping away anything that remained.