On his restoration to the throne in 1660, four of King Charles II's supporters were provided with plots of land in London, on which to build their extravagant town palaces. The only one to survive--built for poet and courtier Sir John Denham--became the home of the Royal Academy of Arts. This study charts the history of the estate through its many owners. Nicholas Savage's research examines 350 years of social and architectural history, as well as revealing the next phase in the life of the estate, as the Royal Academy opens up Burlington House with an exciting redevelopment led by David Chipperfield to celebrate its 250th anniversary.