A London Duplex With Ties to Early 20th-Century Royalty Comes with a Secret Garden

A duplex unit with access to a secret garden in the heart of London’s Mayfair neighborhood is now available for £8.25 million (US$10.67 million).

Like most homes in Mayfair, this one has a long and royal history punctuated by war. The three-story unit is located on Park Avenue on the ground-level of a grand Edwardian mansion that was once the home of the wealthy Earls of Lindsay.

One of several units in the brick rowhouse, it spans 3,394 square feet and features three en-suite bedrooms, 10-foot ceilings, a guest cloakroom beside the reception hall and French doors that lead to the private Green Street Gardens.

The “secret” gardens are the highlight of the property, said Peter Wetherell of the brokerage Wetherell, which is representing the seller, who could not be identified.

“If you just walk the streets of Mayfair you’d never know that the garden exists,” he said.

The residence is part of a nearly rectangular complex of townhouses that borders the interior Green Street Gardens, which are therefore largely undetectable from the outside. The gardens are accessible to about 30 homeowners, according to Wetherwell.

Located just a block away from Hyde Park, the site originally held a 1778 Georgian building, which was demolished during a rebuilding of the Grosvenor Estate in the late 19th century, according to information from Wetherwell. The current Edwardian mansion was on track to be built in 1913, but the interruption of World War I delayed its completion until 1925.

In the 1930s, it was purchased by Scottish nobleman Reginald Lindesay-Bethune, the 12th Earl of Lindsay, who was known to host cocktail parties for his prestigious neighbors.

The Earl died just before the beginning of World War II, at which point the home was shuttered.

Afterward the whole complex was converted to office space under a temporary provision that expired in 1990—at which point it was returned to its original residential use.

The gardens have their own backstory. They were designed by Grosvenor Estate architect Edmund Wimperis prior to World War I on the grounds that had once been the Royal Stables. The garden was meant to enhance the value of the properties that bordered it, which has apparently worked.

One of the neighboring properties, which was once the Cypriot embassy, sold for £25 million (US$32.5 million) last year. That home spans 8,435 square feet and also has access to the secret garden.

The spring property market is shaping up as the most active in recent memory, according to property experts Two Red Shoes.

Mortgage brokers Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton and Brett Sutton point to a potent mix of pent-up buyer demand, robust seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme as catalysts for a sustained run.

“We’re seeing an unprecedented level of activity, with high auction numbers already a clear indicator of the market’s trajectory,” said Sutton. “Last week, Sydney saw its second-highest number of auctions for the year. This kind of volume, even before the new First Home Guarantee Scheme (FHGS) changes take effect, signals a powerful market run.”

Rebecca Jarrett-Dalton added a note of caution. “While inquiries are at an all-time high, the big question is whether we will have enough stock to meet this demand. The market is incredibly hot, and this could lead to a highly competitive environment for buyers, with many homes selling for hundreds of thousands above their reserve.”

“With listings not keeping pace with buyer demand, buyers are needing to compromise faster and bid harder.”

Two Red Shoes identifies several spring trends. The First Home Guarantee Scheme is expected to unlock a wave of first-time buyers by enabling eligible purchasers to enter with deposits as low as 5 per cent. The firm notes this supports entry and reduces rent leakage, but it is a demand-side fix that risks pushing prices higher around the relevant caps.

Buyer behaviour is shifting toward flexibility. With competition intense, purchasers are prioritising what they can afford over ideal suburb or land size. Two Red Shoes expects the common first-home target price to rise to between $1 and $1.2 million over the next six months.

Affordable corridors are drawing attention. The team highlights Hawkesbury, Claremont Meadows and growth areas such as Austral, with Glenbrook in the Lower Blue Mountains posting standout results. Preliminary Sydney auction clearance rates are holding above 70 per cent despite increased listings, underscoring the depth of demand.

The heat is not without friction. Reports of gazumping have risen, including instances where contract statements were withheld while agents continued to receive offers, reflecting the pressure on buyers in fast-moving campaigns.

Rates are steady, yet some banks are quietly trimming variable and fixed products. Many borrowers are maintaining higher repayments to accelerate principal reduction. “We’re also seeing a strong trend in rent-vesting, where owner-occupiers are investing in a property with the eventual goal of moving into it,” said Jarrett-Dalton.

“This is a smart strategy for safeguarding one’s future in this competitive market, where all signs point to an exceptionally busy and action-packed season.”

Two Red Shoes expects momentum to carry through the holiday period and into the new year, with competition remaining elevated while stock lags demand.

A London Duplex With Ties to Early 20th-Century Royalty Comes with a Secret Garden

The Mayfair home, listed for £8.25 million, once belonged to the Earls of Lindsay.

Buyer demand, seller confidence and the First Home Guarantee Scheme are setting up a frantic spring, with activity likely to run through Christmas.