Above ground Somerset House boasts one of London's most famous courtyards, a neo-classical gem used for film sets, fashion shows and as a winter skating venue.
Beneath the spectacular square are little-known underground passageways called the Deadhouse, which recently opened to the public for its first exhibition of paintings.
Somerset House's resident artist Paul Benney is exhibiting his paintings in a free show running until Dec. 9. In the dingy subterranean chambers, they hang alongside the headstones of French courtiers buried there in the 17th century.
The Deadhouse has been used before as a party venue and for a sound installation, but damp conditions, and the fact that it is a service tunnel used by the venue, limit its potential as a permanent art space.
