The Royal Society of Arts
THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS, 8, JOHN ADAM STREET WC2
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1216787
- Date first listed:
- 24-Feb-1958
- List Entry Name:
- The Royal Society of Arts
- Statutory Address:
- THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS, 8, JOHN ADAM STREET WC2
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-03-23
- Reference:
- IOE01/15193/08
- Rights:
- © Mr G.W. Garthwaite. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1216787
- Date first listed:
- 24-Feb-1958
- List Entry Name:
- The Royal Society of Arts
- Statutory Address 1:
- THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS, 8, JOHN ADAM STREET WC2
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS, 8, JOHN ADAM STREET WC2
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Greater London Authority
- District:
- City of Westminster (London Borough)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- TQ 30373 80612
Details
TQ 3080 NW CITY OF WESTMINSTER JOHN ADAM STREET, WC2 (north side) 72/132 No. 8: The Royal Society 24.2.58 of Arts G.V. I Learned Society premises and lecture hall. 1772-74 by Robert Adam. Brown brick with stone dressings, slate roof. Chaste Adam temple front. 3 main storeys, attic and basement. 3 widely spaced window bays. Central tripartite doorway of panelled door and side lights framed by pilasters and central projecting porch with "Tower of the Winds" columns and pilasters, fluted frieze with paterae and swags and cornice. Flanking recessed glazing bar sashes under flat gauged arches, but to the centre on 1st floor is a large Adam Venetian window inscribed in a semicircular arched recess with fan decoration to head above the 3 lights, the centre one arched, divided by slender Ionic columns. Above plat band the 3 bays of the upper floors are articulated by a giant engaged order of Ionic columns carrying entablature with triglyph frieze interrupted by inscription "Arts and Commerce Promoted", cornice and dentil pediment. Cast iron area railings with pineapple finials. The rear, exposed through to Strand, also has a monumental elevation with 4 stone fluted Ionic pilasters through blind 1st and 2nd floors, framing figure panels, with entablature and pediment. The interior retains a number of fine original features including the lower part of the staircase, the library with its column screen and chimneypiece and the lecture hall which although redecorated by J.R. Hay in 1846, retains James Barry's great sequence of wall paintings etc. Survey of London; Vol. XVIII.
Listing NGR: TQ3037780611
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 411455
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Survey of London in The Strand The Parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields Part 2: Volume 18 , Vol. 18, (1937)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 25-Jun-2026 at 03:17:15.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.