Winfield House is owned by the United States government. It was originally built for American heiress Barbara Hutton in 1936 on the site of the former Hertford Villa, which was damaged by fire. After World War II, Barbara Hutton donated Winfield House to the U.S. government for a token price of one dollar, and since 1955 it has served as the official residence of the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom. The house is a Grade II listed building and is notably the residence of the American ambassador, with private gardens second in size only to Buckingham Palace in London.