View of Somerset Place and including the Adelphi &c

View of Somerset House from the Thames, other riverside buildings such as the Adelphi and traffic on the River. Somerset House was a former Tudor and Stuart Royal Palace, which was demolished in 1775. It was then rebuilt by architect Sir William Chambers as it was intended to be used as government offices. It was the home of the Royal Academy of Arts from 1771, the Royal Society from 1780, the Society of Antiquaries from 1781, and also the Royal Navy and Stamp Office. The riverside wing belonged to the Royal Navy. The Adelphi was a development of 24 imposing terrace houses, built between the Strand and the River. Their architects, the Adams brothers built the houses on top of an embankment of arches. This idea was copied by Sir William Chambers who gave Somerset House a raised riverside terrace.