Lauderdale House is located in Waterlow Park on Highgate Hill, London. It was built in 1582 for the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Richard Martin, and at that time was a fine country house. At some stage it was sold to the Home family of Coldstream, the Earls of Home. The 2nd Earl of Lauderdale (later the Duke) inherited the house in 1644 from his mother-in-law the Countess of Home but lost it by forfeiture in 1649. He was able to recover it at the Restoration in 1660. He used it as his London home until his marriage to Elizabeth Murray, when he moved to her house at Ham. Whilst at Highgate. Lauderdale was host to both Charles II and Samuel Pepys, and Nell Gwyn was said to have lived there briefly in 1670.
The house is now is an arts and education centre, with few traces of its 16th century origin or 17th century appearance. The Countess of Lauderdale complained to her husband about the weight of books in his library on the upper floor which threatened to damage the house.
