Since 1867 Burlington House, in the heart of Piccadilly, has been the home of the Royal Academy and is one of the few surviving great private houses in central London.

Started in 1666, it was bought as an unfinished shell by Richard Boyle, first Earl of Burlington, who bought Chiswick House a few years later. The domed saloon there was designed by Lord Burlington in 1728 to house his fine art collection and to entertain friends, family and high society.

Architectural historian Caroline Knight, who has had a long-standing involvement with Chiswick House, runs a course at the V&A in high renaissance and baroque, and is a freelance lecturer and author.

This lecture will look at the history of Burlington House, its owners and, briefly, its subsequent public use. Profits raised will help support Chiswick House and Gardens Trust.