Buckingham Palace forms the architectural core of the palace was built for the first Duke of Buckingham and Normanby in 1703 to the design of William Winde. The style chosen was of a large, three-floored central block with two smaller flanking service wings. Buckingham House was eventually sold by Buckingham's natural son, Sir Charles Sheffield, in 1761 to George III for £21,000. Sheffield's leasehold on the mulberry garden site, the freehold of which was still owned by the royal family, was due to expire in 1774. Under the new Crown ownership, the building was originally intended as a private retreat for King
John Rolls of The Hendre further increased the size of the south wing for John E W Rolls. In 1872, Wyatt took down the old stables for John A Rolls, building larger stables. He not only added a coach house, but also rooms for billiards, smoking, and dining. A fourth enlargement of the mansion was performed in 1896, again for John A Rolls, then Lord Llangattock, with the addition of the library wing. The architect was Aston Webb (1849 – 1930), renowned for his work on Buckingham Palace, including its east facade. The Hendre at Llangattock-Vibon-Avel was grade II* listed on 4 November 1985. The