If you’re a fan of the Gothic and love nothing more than wandering around houses you’ll never actually be able to afford, you’ll want to head straight to South West London. Nestled away in Twickenham is the secret gothic castle of your dreams: Strawberry Hill House & Garden.
It’s certainly not your average house. Dating back to 1747, the site (a Grade I listed building) was originally named ‘Chopp’d Straw Hall’ and consisted of a few simple cottages. Horace Walpole discovered it (one of the last remaining free locations on the banks of the Thames) and decided to purchase the land and create a Gothic masterpiece – battlements, towers and all. You know, as you do…
The castle’s architecture was influenced by Gothic cathedrals around Europe. Drawing from their elaborate vaulted ceilings, intricate carvings, medieval tombs and rose windows, the level of detail is eye-watering. It now stands as “one of the most important and influential examples of Gothic revival architecture”.
Visitors to Strawberry Hill House
The castle drew so much attention from both locals and architectural enthusiasts that Walpole began conducting guided tours of his own residence. Led by his housekeeper, 4 visitors a day were permitted through its doors (strictly no children, naturally). The tours were so popular and well-received that Walpole also began entertaining ambassadors, English aristocracy, and even royalty!
Walpole, it seems, also held a special interest in oddities. Compiling a collection of weird and wonderful historical items including James I’s gloves, Cardinal Wolsey’s hat and a lock of Edward IV’s hair (supposedly ‘cut from his corpse in St George’s Chapel at Windsor’), his taste can only be described as… erm… eclectic.
The collection was dispersed following the Great Sale of 1842 but was later gifted to Yale University. So, if you fancy feasting your eyes on some strange antiquities and 18th-century artefacts, book yourself a plane ticket to the States and head to Connecticut’s Lewis Walpole Library. But there’s still plenty to see in the house – so don’t head to Yale just yet!
The house underwent a £10 million restoration in 2010 assisted by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Countless original documents were used to restore the place to its former glory. And now, the riverside spot is a feast for the eyes (particularly when the English weather holds out).
The house was also recently awarded a grant from Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the Museum Estate and Development Fund (MEND). This grant will build on the 2010 restoration, with essential external repairs and upkeep of the iconic architectural elements. They will also update Strawberry Hill House’s infrastructure to improve the site’s energy efficiency and visitor accessibility.
The garden
Now, every Gothic castle needs a complementary garden, doesn’t it? And Walpole had plenty of inspiration for the five acres that surround the property. He was influenced, in particular, by William Kent and the ideas behind the English Landscape Movement. Kent believed that landscape gardens should resemble classical paintings, and he was well regarded for his ‘picturesque’ and ‘natural’ gardening style.
These ideas fed into the design of a garden where “[formal] borders mixed with groves of trees and shrubs crossed by winding paths, and flowers and fragrance were all important. There was also a fine lawn, an open terrace and meadows that led straight to the River Thames.”
Over the years, various modifications were made, pushing the garden away from Walpole’s vision. However, restoration works have brought the Grade II* listed garden back to an approximation of its original appearance.
What’s on at Strawberry Hill House?
Currently, the Gothic site is playing host to a special exhibition exploring Strawberry Hill House’s history after Walpole. This dives into the story of what happened to the property after his death, exploring the legacies of Lady Waldegrave and the Stern family.
Strawberry Hill House also runs tours of the house and garden, live music, dramatic performances, and evenings that explore the house’s history and collections. Rather more intriguingly, but very fittingly, Strawberry Hill House also hosts a Gothic book club. It makes sense because Strawberry Hill House inspired the first-ever Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto. Can you guess who wrote it? Why, none other than Horace Walpole (of course)!
Keep an eye on their website to find out more about special upcoming events, exhibitions, and showcases.
The question now is: when can we move in?