A palace that stood for 100 years on what is now Wanstead Golf Course before being completely dismantled in 1824 is being brought back to life thanks to a new book.

Dr Hannah Armstrong, who spent her early childhood years in Wanstead, has written 'Wanstead House: East London's Lost Palace'.

She said: "Wanstead House, the home of the Child family, was regarded as one of the most spectacular houses not only in Britain but in the whole of Europe.

"Everything about this Georgian house was designed to impress, from the interior furnishings by the leading designer, William Kent, to the grounds landscaped by, amongst others, Humphry Repton.

"For 100 years, Wanstead House attracted visitors from across Europe but the magnificent house was demolished following a sale of all of its contents in order to settle the significant debts accumulated by the last owners."

Nigel Franceschi, from the Friends of Wanstead Parklands, said: "We are delighted that Hannah has written this book. Thousands of people enjoy spending time in Wanstead Park without quite appreciating its history and the opulence of the grand house that once stood in its centre. The fact that King George III considered purchasing it as his royal palace is testament to the scale and splendour of Wanstead House.

"Whilst none of us will ever be able to step foot in the building itself, this book will provide the next best thing, as Hannah has brought it to life through telling the fascinating story of the palace, its grounds and the people who lived there, with the help of over 80 colour illustrations."

The book will be published next March but anyone keen to purchase a copy is encouraged to make use of a 40 per cent discount offer by pre-ordering direct from the publishers.

"This book will be financed entirely through people ordering it in advance of its publication," Nigel said. "we are confident that many people eager to learn more about Wanstead House, and to see what it really looked like, will want to take advantage of this massively reduced price."

‘Wanstead House: East London’s Lost Palace’ is due to be published by Liverpool University Press on March 1, 2022 at a recommended retail price of £45.

To take advantage of the special pre-order price of £27, visit www.liverpooluniversitypress/books/id/55168 to place your order. Type WANSTEAD40 in the Discount Code box in order to obtain the 40 per cent discount.