(1650 – 1687)
Nell Gwynn stands at – yep – Nell Gwynn House. She greets the residents from above the impressive entrance; her elevated status making a great photo challenging.
But, let’s talk property. A search online reveals plenty of rooms at Nell Gwynn House on Booking.com for around the £300 mark per night. Ouch. The building is art deco in design (in the shape of a ‘w’ to maximise light) built in 1937. In fairness, the accommodation photos online are stunning.
Gwynn was a celebrated comedy actress during the Restoration period and one of the first professional women on stage (before this women were invariably played by boys or young men). By most accounts, hers is a ‘rags to riches’ story. First employed as an orange-girl in Drury Lane Theatre, she is described as spirited, good humoured and an excellent singer and dancer, no doubt helping her transition onto stage in 1665.
Despite this she is probably more famously known as the mistress of King Charles II with their relationship sparking around 1668. From then her life became somewhat more opulent with her choice of partner. They had two children and remained a couple until the King’s passing in 1685 with his deathbed plea to his brother, the future King James II: “Let not poor Nelly starve.” King James kept his word and Nelly survived King Charles by two years.
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