St James's Palace survive, but most were remodelled in the 19th century. The palace was commissioned by Henry VIII, on the site of a former leper hospital dedicated to Saint James the Less. The new palace, secondary in the king's interest to Henry's Whitehall Palace, was constructed between 1531 and 1536 as a smaller residence to escape formal court life. Much smaller than the nearby Whitehall, St James's was arranged around a number of courtyards, including the Colour Court, the Ambassador's Court and the Friary Court. The most recognisable feature is the north gatehouse; constructed with four storeys, the gatehouse has two crenellated
James Johnston (British Army officer, died 1795) James Johnston (British Army officer, died 1795) James Johnston (21 May 1721 – 26 November 1795) was a general of the British Army, colonel of the Royal Horse Guards (the Blues) and colonel of the Scots Greys. He was the only surviving son of James Johnston (Secretary of State) and his wife, Lucy née Claxton. Johnston lived at Overstone, Northamptonshire and in retirement at Weston House near Bath and with a house in St James's Place, Middlesex. Johnston was first commissioned into the Royal Horse Guards and was present with the regiment at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743 and