Join our very special Members’ visit to Strawberry Hill House and Gardens, one of the most unique and beautiful examples of Gothic Revival architecture

Overview

Strawberry Hill House, an influential Gothic Revival villa, was re-built by Horace Walpole in the 1700s near the banks of the Thames. Horace Walpole, the youngest son of first Prime Minister Robert Walpole, was a writer, art historian, antiquarian, and Whig politician. Like Soane, Walpole was inspired by architecture he saw on his Grand Tour. He revived the Gothic style many decades before his Victorian successors, with his architecture at Strawberry Hill beginning a new architectural trend.

Horace Walpole allowed four visitors a day to have a tour of the Gothic Villa. Like Soane, he had a large collection of ancient artefacts, which created a form of thematised historical display which prefigured modern museums.

Similar to Pitzhanger, Strawberry Hill House underwent a two-year-long restoration, with the House reopening to the public in 2010 and achieving Grade I listed status. In 2013 Strawberry Hill House won the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage.

Join us for a unique opportunity to explore another iconic piece of English architectural and cultural history.