When you think of a rock star’s home, your mind probably jumps to modern sprawling mansions in the Hollywood Hills or penthouses in New York city. However, Jimmy Page’s house is something entirely different. It is not just a home; it is a piece of living history, a gothic fantasy, and a fortress of rock ‘n’ roll mythology. Located at 29 Melbury Road in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, this property is known officially as The Tower House.
For fans of Led Zeppelin, this house is a holy grail. It perfectly matches the mystical, heavy, and intricate vibe of the music Jimmy Page created. But why is there so much fascination surrounding this specific property? It isn’t just about the man who lives there; it is about the house itself. It is a Victorian masterpiece that has survived wars, decades of neglect, and the changing tides of London’s skyline.
History of Tower House: A Victorian Masterpiece
To truly appreciate Jimmy Page’s house, we have to go back much further than the 1970s. We need to travel back to the late 19th century. This house wasn’t built for a musician, but an artist certainly built it. The Tower House was the brainchild of William Burges, one of the most eccentric and brilliant architects of the Victorian era.
The Vision of William Burges
Built between 1875 and 1881, the house was Burges’s personal residence. He designed it as a showcase of his skills and his obsession with the French Gothic Revival style. Burges didn’t just want a place to sleep; he wanted a fantasy world. He wanted to live inside a medieval dream. Burges himself meticulously designed every brick, every tile, and every stained-glass window.
Sadly, Burges didn’t get to enjoy his masterpiece for long. He passed away in the house in 1881, shortly after its completion. However, he left behind a structure that was unlike anything else in London. It stood out then, and it stands out even more now. It is a red-brick declaration of artistic independence in a sea of standard townhouses.
The Richard Harris Connection
Before it became the Led Zeppelin mansion, the house had another very famous owner: the legendary actor Richard Harris. Harris, known for his roles in Camelot and later as Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films, bought the house in the 1960s.
Harris loved the house, famously stating that he bought it because he wanted to live in a “monument.” During his time there, the house saw its fair share of wild parties and bohemian living. Harris claimed that the house was haunted, often telling stories of a young boy’s ghost that roamed the nursery. Whether these stories were true or just typical Harris storytelling, they added to the property’s mystique.
The Battle for Ownership: Page vs. Bowie
By 1972, Richard Harris was ready to move on. This is where the story gets incredibly interesting for music fans. When the house went on the market, it attracted the attention of two of the biggest names in British music history: Jimmy Page and David Bowie.
Both artists were drawn to the Tower House‘s unique, otherworldly vibe. It is easy to see why Bowie, with his chameleonic style and love for the theatrical, wanted it. However, it was Jimmy Page who secured the property. He purchased the home for £350,000—a significant sum in 1972, though it seems like pocket change compared to today’s property values.
Jimmy Page wasn’t just buying a house; he was buying a responsibility. He understood from the very beginning that Tower House was a work of art that needed to be protected. This purchase marked the beginning of a lifelong dedication to preserving William Burges’s legacy.
Architectural Marvels of the Tower House
So, what makes Jimmy Page’s house look so distinct? If you walk down Melbury Road today, you can’t miss it. It looks like a miniature castle dropped into the middle of a wealthy London suburb. The architecture is a stunning example of French Gothic Revival, a style that emphasizes vertical lines, pointed arches, and intricate decoration.
The Exterior: A Red Brick Fortress
The first thing you notice is the red brick. While many London homes use yellow stock brick or white stucco, Burges chose a deep, rich red that commands attention. The house is dominated by a cylindrical tower with a conical slate roof—hence the name, Tower House.
This tower isn’t just for show; it houses a spiral staircase that connects the home’s different levels. The exterior is adorned with carved stone ornaments, gargoyles, and mythical beasts. These details give the house a foreboding yet whimsical appearance. It looks like something out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.
The Gothic Details
Burges was obsessed with the 13th century and tried to recreate it using modern (for the 1870s) materials. The windows are a mix of lancet shapes and complex tracery. From the street, you can see the heavy wooden doors and the ironwork that guards the entrance.
It is important to note that this house is a Grade I listed building. In the UK, this is the highest level of protection a building can have. It means the structure is of “exceptional interest.” To put it in perspective, Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament are also Grade I listed. This designation limits what can be done to the exterior, ensuring that Jimmy Page’s London home remains exactly as Burges intended.
A Pre-Raphaelite Fantasy
The architectural style aligns closely with the Pre-Raphaelite movement, which romanticized the medieval period. The house is a rejection of the ugliness of the Industrial Revolution. It prioritizes beauty, craftsmanship, and nature. For a musician like Page, whose music often blended hard rock with folk and fantasy themes (think “The Battle of Evermore”), the architecture must have felt like a physical manifestation of his sound.
Interior Design and Decor: Inside the Sanctum
While the exterior is public knowledge, the interior of Jimmy Page’s Tower House is a subject of intense curiosity. Very few people have been inside since Page took ownership, as he is notoriously private. However, thanks to historical records and rare interviews, we can paint a vivid picture of what lies within.
The Zodiac Room
One of the most famous rooms in the house is the Library, often referred to as the Zodiac Room. The ceiling of this room is painted with the signs of the zodiac and the positions of the stars at the time of the house’s completion. It is a stunning display of color and celestial imagery.
Imagine sitting in this room, surrounded by leather-bound books, looking up at a painted universe. It is said that this room resonates with a quiet, magical energy. For a man interested in the occult and esotericism, as Page is known to be, this room is the spiritual center of the home.
The Entrance Hall and Staircase
The entrance hall is designed to overwhelm the visitor. It features a mosaic floor depicting a maze, with the center featuring a scene of Theseus slaying the Minotaur. This sets the tone immediately: you are entering a place of myth.
The grand spiral staircase within the tower is lined with stone carvings. As you ascend, the decoration becomes more elaborate. Burges believed that the higher you went in the house, the closer you were to heaven, so the decor shifts from heavy and earthly on the ground floor to airy and celestial at the top.
The Butterfly Room and Guest Bedrooms
There are themed bedrooms, including the Butterfly Room. The walls are hand-painted with intricate designs. Every surface in the house is decorated. There are no plain white walls here. We are talking about gold leaf, carved wood, stained glass, and marble fireplaces.
The fireplaces are massive, architectural features in their own right, often resembling miniature cathedrals. Inside Jimmy Page’s Tower House, the furniture is largely period-appropriate. Page has spent decades collecting pieces that fit the Burges aesthetic, including original furniture designed by Burges himself that had been sold off over the years. He has effectively reunited the house with its original soul.
Musical Legacy Inside the Walls
While the house is a visual masterpiece, we cannot forget that it is the home of a guitar god. The musical legacy contained within these walls is palpable. Although Led Zeppelin recorded much of their music in professional studios or at Headley Grange, the Tower House served as Page’s creative hub during the band’s peak years.
The Birthplace of Riffs
From 1972 to 1975, Led Zeppelin was the biggest band in the world. During this time, Page lived at the Tower House. It is easy to imagine him sitting in the Zodiac Room, acoustic guitar in hand, working out the intricate fingerpicking patterns for songs on Physical Graffiti or Presence.
The acoustics of the house, with its high ceilings and stone surfaces, would provide a natural reverb that Page, a master of production, would undoubtedly appreciate. The house offered a sanctuary away from the chaos of touring. It was a place where he could decompress and let his creativity flow without interruption.
A Repository for Gear
For years, the house also served as a storage space for Page’s extensive collection of instruments and memorabilia. Imagine a room filled with vintage Les Pauls, double-neck Gibsons, and stage outfits. The house itself became a vault for rock history.
However, Page treats the house with such reverence that he no longer uses it as a casual party pad or a loud recording studio. He views himself as the custodian. He has said in interviews that playing loud music could damage the delicate gold leaf and plasterwork. This shows a transition from the “wild rock star” phase to the “preservationist” phase of his life.
Jimmy Page’s Lifestyle: The Custodian
Today, Jimmy Page’s lifestyle revolves heavily around the maintenance and protection of the Tower House. At over 80 years old, Page is less concerned with the charts and more concerned with heritage.
Living in a Museum
Living in a Grade I listed building isn’t easy. You can’t just call a handyperson to fix a leak. Everything requires specialist restoration. Page has spent millions of his own money restoring the house to its original glory. He has hired experts to clean the soot from the brickwork and restore the paintings.
He lives a relatively quiet life in Kensington. While he owns other properties, the Tower House remains his primary passion project. It is his pride and joy. He is often seen in the neighborhood, a recognizable figure with his silver ponytail, but he keeps a low profile.
The Robbie Williams Dispute
You cannot talk about where Jimmy Page lives now without mentioning the infamous feud with his neighbor, pop star Robbie Williams. In 2013, Williams bought the Woodland House next door (another historical mansion) and planned extensive renovations, including a massive underground basement complex.
Page objected fiercely. He wasn’t just being a grumpy neighbor; he was genuinely terrified that the vibrations from the excavation would destroy the fragile interior of the Tower House. The plasterwork and mosaics are over 140 years old and extremely brittle.
This battle went on for five years. Page attended council meetings, arguing that his house was a piece of national heritage that needed protection. It highlighted just how deeply he cares about the property. In the end, Williams was allowed to build, but with strict monitoring regarding vibration levels. It was a clash of titans—Classic Rock vs. Modern Pop—played out through planning permissions.
Visitor Insights and Access
So, the big question: Can you visit Jimmy Page’s house?
The short answer is no.
The Tower House is a private residence. It is not a public museum, and Page values his privacy highly. There are no ticket booths, guided tours, or gift shops.
What You Can See
However, that doesn’t stop fans from making a pilgrimage to 29 Melbury Road. If you visit, you can see the magnificent exterior from the street. The red tower rises above the garden wall, and you can admire the intricate detailing of the architecture from the sidewalk.
It is a popular stop for rock ‘n’ roll walking tours of London. Guides will stop outside, point up at the tower, and tell the stories of Led Zeppelin and the ghost of the nursery. For many fans, just being physically close to the legend is enough.
Virtual Options
For those craving a look inside Jimmy Page’s Tower House, your best bet is the internet. There are architectural documentaries and YouTube videos that feature photos from before Page’s time or rare glimpses from architectural journals. Occasionally, Page has allowed select photographers in for high-end architectural magazines, so scouring the web for “Tower House interior photos” can yield some stunning results.
Modern Value and Cultural Impact
What is a house like this worth? It is almost impossible to put a price tag on it. In terms of real estate, a detached mansion in Kensington with a large garden is worth tens of millions of pounds.
Estimating the Price
Real estate experts estimate the value of Jimmy Page’s Tower House to be well over £20 million (approx. $25 million+). However, its value as a cultural artifact pushes that number much higher. If it were ever to go on the market (which seems unlikely while Page is alive), it would spark a bidding war not just among the wealthy but among heritage trusts and museums.
A Cultural Landmark
The house stands as a symbol of the intersection between high art and pop culture. It bridges the gap between the Victorian Gothic revivalists and the 1970s rock gods. Both Burges and Page were visionaries in their fields, and the house is the physical link between them.
It reminds us that rock stars are often deeply appreciative of history and art. Page didn’t buy a modern glass box; he bought a piece of the past to protect it for the future.
Comparisons to Other Rock Homes
To understand the Tower House’s uniqueness, it helps to compare it to the homes of other music legends.
FeatureJimmy Page’s Tower House, David Bowie’s Various Homes, John Lennon’s Tittenhurst
Architectural Style Victorian, French Gothic, Revival , Varied (Modern, Swiss, Art Deco) , Georgian, Country House
Purchase Price £350,000 (1972) Millions (Throughout career) £145,000 (1969)
Current Status : Private Residence (Grade I Listed) , Sold / Private / Museums , Private Residence (Sold)
Vibe Mystical, Medieval, Fortress Eclectic, Stylish, Changing Pastoral, White, Dreamy
Primary Use : Preservation & Sanctuary , Living & Creative Studio , Recording (Imagine Studio)
As you can see, while Lennon had his white room and massive grounds, and Bowie moved from style to style, Page has remained steadfast in his Gothic fortress. His home is less of a “crib” and more of a cathedral.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can you visit Jimmy Page’s house? A: No, the Tower House is a private residence and is not open to the public for tours. You can only view the exterior from the street on Melbury Road.
Q: Where does Jimmy Page live now? A: Jimmy Page still resides at the Tower House in Kensington, London. He considers it his primary home and spends much of his time maintaining its condition.
Q: How much is Jimmy Page’s Tower House worth? A: While exact figures are private, real estate experts estimate the value to be over £20 million due to its location, size, and Grade I historical listing.
Q: Did David Bowie try to buy Jimmy Page’s house? A: Yes, in 1972, David Bowie was also interested in purchasing the Tower House. However, Jimmy Page outbid him and secured the property.
Q: Is Jimmy Page’s house haunted? A: Previous owner Richard Harris claimed a ghost haunted the house. While Page is interested in the occult, he has rarely spoken publicly about specific hauntings, focusing instead on the house’s positive creative energy.
Where Does Jimmy Page Currently Live?
Jimmy Page lives primarily at Tower House in London.
Jimmy Page’s house photo
