Strawberry Hill House, Twickenham

Strawberry Hill House

It was too hot walk, so my friend and I decided to visit Strawberry Hill House instead. We would be inside for much of the time. I'd never been here before, and my friend hadn't visited for many years. The house is close to Strawberry Hill station and next door to St Mary's University where my youngest son went. He admitted he'd never been to Strawberry Hill House. The grounds adjoin the university, and I could see the chapel and the athletics track where my son once met Mo Farah, who attended the university and trained years before. Just a little claim to fame...second hand!

At one point part of the buildings belonged to the university.

Strawberry Hill resembles a Gothic castle and was bought by Horace Walpole, the son of Britain's first Prime Minister in 1749, and he rebuilt it to how it looks today. It is an extraordinary place inside and out and reminds me a little of the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.

Walpole was also an extraordinary man and had interests in everything. He wrote books and was perhaps the first person to gather information on different classes of people and how they lived,through interviews and letters, which is of such interest to social historians today. Walpole was also a frequent visitor to Marble Hill House where I went about a month or so ago.

Arranged over three floors, the ground floor houses the most excellent cafe, entrance and gift shop and parlours, and the first and second floors are bedrooms and the fabulous gallery, where Walpole would have entertained.

By the staircase

Even the fireplaces are Gothic!

In the canopied room - a later addition after Walpole

The canopied ceiling - very Morrocan

I was impressed by Walpole's bedroom, which was a light room with a four-poster bed, the drapes of which had a cream background with motifs in blues and pinks. Very much more a woman's bed, we felt, and not as claustrophobic as the usual drapes on a four-poster. I'd be happy in a bed like that!

Walpole's bed

The red bedroom

There is an extensive library - not with his original books, sadly, as most of these went to the USA to a collector of all things Walpole, but books from other houses and museums in keeping with the time. Walpole was interested in the past and gathering information on his ancestors. Having found out that one had been part of the crusades, his was entitled to display the emblem of the griffin, and this appears throughout the house.

The library

Original wallpaper

Srawberry Hill Printing Press

The gallery is stunning! Everything is gold leaf and there are canopied niches down one side. I loved the windows in the house in particular with their stained or painted glass. There is also one room where Walpole kept his most treasured possessions. The door was locked back in the day, though visitors at the time could look through a barred gate into it. These days it is open for visitors to see.

The gallery with masses of gold leaf

canopied niches

In the room treasures

Anothe room full of gold leaf

Although we hadn't opted for a guided tour, the room guides were very informative and answered any questions we had. We really enjoyed our visit, and after a cuppa in the gardens we wandered around the grounds, which would have been extensive back in the day.

If you hold an Art Fund Pass, this house is free to visit. As I have a Freedom Pass for travel, I only had to pay for lunch and a cuppa (oh, and my purchases from the gift shop!). This is an easy trip from London by train and is on what is known as the Loop Line from Waterloo.