Inside the £15 million Marylebone mansion that inspired 'My Fair Lady'
Here is the house from the outside, in Marylebone's Upper Wimpole Street. It was originally owned by Professor Horace Hayman Wilson who served as the inspiration for the story's character Henry Higgins — who was played by Rex Harrison in "My Fair Lady."
The hall retains its original features like a stained glass fanlight screen ceiling mouldings and marble flooring. This picture gives an idea of how far back the house extends.
Professor Wilson, the original owner, was a researcher of languages and culture in the Middle East and South East Asia and became prominent at Oxford University. His grand lifestyle and eccentric personality supposedly inspired Shaw's lead character.
The house has four large reception rooms, and this is the largest. The Georgian aesthetics have mostly been kept intact. Notice how high the ceilings are.
Here's the large open plan kitchen, which joins onto a "breakfast room."
There's a den in the basement. It's cosy by the rest of the house's standards, but still large for the average person.
Upstairs there's another reception room with a Georgian fireplace and wall panelling.
On the ground floor is where you'll find the dining room, which can cater for 16 people with a long enough table. Its sash windows overlook Upper Wimpole Street.
The master bedroom has a four-poster bed and is so big, it's larger than some people's flats.
The bathroom has "his and her" sinks, along with a separate walk-in shower and bath.
There's also a huge walk-in wardrobe with more clothing space than anyone could possibly use.
A small garden patio connects the main house to the mews in the back.
Rokstone says that after Professor Wilson’s death in 1860 "the house continued to be used as a grand family home."
"The current vendors have owned the house for over 30 years and this is the first time it has been placed on the market for sale during their ownership," Rokstone adds.
Finding a house of this size is rare in Marylebone. "It will appeal to high-net-worth families from the UK, the Middle East, India and Asia," Rokstone concludes.
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