Sir William Portman of Somerset purchased 11 fields in the manor of Lilleston in 1554. His descendant, Henry Portman, began developing these fields in the 1760s into the Marylebone estate you see today. The Estate’s archive charts the transformation through maps, deeds, plans and more.
Our archives cover many historical and cultural themes relating to the Estate, and we showcase some of the rare and fascinating items and information kept by our archive team in our offices from time to time
To find out more or request access to the archive please email our archive team Sarah.Charlton@portmanestate.co.uk and Georgina.Rowley@portmanestate.co.uk
From the creation of the Portman Family’s first coat of arms in 1300 to the very latest commercial developments at Marble Arch, Edgware Road and Baker Street, The Portman Estate has a rich history, spanning over 500 years.
In 2022 the Portman family book, From Somerset to Portman Square was published and is available to buy online here.
In 2018, Portman Square Garden opened its gates for a seven day exhibition titled 'Marylebone Remembered, 1914-1918' to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War.
Using minute books from The Portman Estate and The Howard de Walden Estate, together with local newspapers and other sources, the exhibition provided snapshots of how people living and working in Marylebone responded to the demands of war.
