 Arundel House was originally the town house of the Bishops of Bath and Wells . It was owned by William <unk> , 1st Earl of Southampton between <unk> and his death in 1542 , with ownership passing to Thomas Seymour in 1545 . After Seymour was executed in 1549 , the property was sold to Henry <unk> , Earl of Arundel , and was owned by the <unk> for much of the 16th and 17th century . In 1666 , it became the meeting place of the Royal Society following the destruction of the previous venue due to the Great Fire of London . The house was demolished in <unk> and Arundel Street , adjoining the Strand , was built on the site . 
