▁ ▁g ym , ▁ ▁dance ▁studio , ▁and ▁sp a ▁. ▁ ▁History ▁Though ▁mention ▁of ▁buildings ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁goes ▁back ▁to ▁ 1 6 0 4 , ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁developed ▁as ▁a ▁country ▁house ▁until ▁the ▁master ▁m ason ▁Edward ▁Str ong ▁built ▁his ▁home ▁here ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century . ▁Str ong ' s ▁career ▁included ▁work ▁on ▁St ▁Paul ' s ▁C athedral ▁and ▁B len heim ▁Palace . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 th ▁century ▁S op well ▁House ▁known ▁then ▁as ▁New ▁Bar nes ▁( or ▁New ▁Bar ns ) ▁was ▁the ▁seat ▁of ▁the ▁phil anth rop ist ▁Mrs . ▁Isabel la ▁Wor ley . ▁Among st ▁the ▁many ▁don ations ▁to ▁St ▁Alb ans ▁from ▁this ▁benef actor ▁were ▁Christ ▁Church ▁on ▁Ver ul am ▁Road ▁and ▁the ▁Wood en ▁Room ▁in ▁L att imore ▁Road . ▁ ▁The ▁house ▁was ▁extended ▁in ▁Victor ian ▁times ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁was ▁le ased ▁to ▁Prince ▁Louis ▁of ▁B atten berg , ▁an ▁Admir al ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁who ▁made ▁it ▁his ▁family ▁home . ▁His ▁ 4 ▁children ▁grew ▁up ▁here , ▁Alice ▁Mount b atten , ▁Louise ▁Mount b atten , ▁George ▁Mount b atten ▁and ▁Louis ▁Mount b atten . ▁They ▁all ▁had ▁notable ▁lives . ▁ ▁The ▁young ▁Louis , ▁like ▁his ▁father , ▁had ▁a ▁distinguished ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁career ▁and ▁was ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁last ▁British ▁Vic ero y ▁of