Description of the Villa at Strawberry Hill
This depiction of Horace Walpole's famous villa, where he wrote the world's first Gothic horror novel, includes essays explaining the importance of such a portrayal
Strawberry Hill, Horace Walpole's "little castle" southwest of London, is the finest building in the Gothick style--the playful antiquarianism that flourished at the end of the 18th century. Here Walpole established his "Committee of Taste," collected furiously, and wrote the first Gothic horror novel, The Castle of Otranto. Although the villa was popular with tourists from its inception, Walpole published this Description not so much as a guide to the building as a record of its design and of its bewilderingly rich contents. Only 30 copies were printed in Walpole's lifetime, and many of these were kept for friends. This facsimile contains the final version of the text and the 26 engravings commissioned by Walpole as the definitive images of his paper castle: views of the house, the garden, the principal rooms, individual details of the decoration, and plans. In this second edition of the facsimile, a new introduction by Stephen Clarke, the leading scholar of Walpole's writings about his house, illuminates the history and importance of the Description; and its relevance to restoration work today is highlighted in the foreword by Michael Snodin, Chairman of The Strawberry Hill Trust.
Strawberry Hill, Horace Walpole's "little castle" southwest of London, is the finest building in the Gothick style--the playful antiquarianism that flourished at the end of the 18th century. Here Walpole established his "Committee of Taste," collected furiously, and wrote the first Gothic horror novel, The Castle of Otranto. Although the villa was popular with tourists from its inception, Walpole published this Description not so much as a guide to the building as a record of its design and of its bewilderingly rich contents. Only 30 copies were printed in Walpole's lifetime, and many of these were kept for friends. This facsimile contains the final version of the text and the 26 engravings commissioned by Walpole as the definitive images of his paper castle: views of the house, the garden, the principal rooms, individual details of the decoration, and plans. In this second edition of the facsimile, a new introduction by Stephen Clarke, the leading scholar of Walpole's writings about his house, illuminates the history and importance of the Description; and its relevance to restoration work today is highlighted in the foreword by Michael Snodin, Chairman of The Strawberry Hill Trust.
ArchitectureBuildingsResidentialHistoryInterior DesignRegional
RELEASED2015
PUBLISHERPallas Athene
LENGTH121
LANGUAGEEN
Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), also known as Horace Walpole, was an English writer, art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and Whig politician. He had Strawberry Hill House built in Twickenham, south-west London, reviving the Gothic style some decades before his Victorian successors. His literary reputation rests on the first Gothic novel, *The Castle of Otranto* (1764), and his Letters, which are of significant social and political interest. They have been published by Yale University Press in 48 volumes. He was the son of the first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. As Horace Walpole was childless, on his death his barony of Walpole descended to his cousin of the same surname, who was created the new Earl of Orford. **Source**: [Horace Walpole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Walpole) on Wikipedia.
Description of the Villa at Strawberry Hill
This depiction of Horace Walpole's famous villa, where he wrote the world's first Gothic horror novel, includes essays explaining the importance of such a portrayal
Strawberry Hill, Horace Walpole's "little castle" southwest of London, is the finest building in the Gothick style--the playful antiquarianism that flourished at the end of the 18th century. Here Walpole established his "Committee of Taste," collected furiously, and wrote the first Gothic horror novel, The Castle of Otranto. Although the villa was popular with tourists from its inception, Walpole published this Description not so much as a guide to the building as a record of its design and of its bewilderingly rich contents. Only 30 copies were printed in Walpole's lifetime, and many of these were kept for friends. This facsimile contains the final version of the text and the 26 engravings commissioned by Walpole as the definitive images of his paper castle: views of the house, the garden, the principal rooms, individual details of the decoration, and plans. In this second edition of the facsimile, a new introduction by Stephen Clarke, the leading scholar of Walpole's writings about his house, illuminates the history and importance of the Description; and its relevance to restoration work today is highlighted in the foreword by Michael Snodin, Chairman of The Strawberry Hill Trust.
Strawberry Hill, Horace Walpole's "little castle" southwest of London, is the finest building in the Gothick style--the playful antiquarianism that flourished at the end of the 18th century. Here Walpole established his "Committee of Taste," collected furiously, and wrote the first Gothic horror novel, The Castle of Otranto. Although the villa was popular with tourists from its inception, Walpole published this Description not so much as a guide to the building as a record of its design and of its bewilderingly rich contents. Only 30 copies were printed in Walpole's lifetime, and many of these were kept for friends. This facsimile contains the final version of the text and the 26 engravings commissioned by Walpole as the definitive images of his paper castle: views of the house, the garden, the principal rooms, individual details of the decoration, and plans. In this second edition of the facsimile, a new introduction by Stephen Clarke, the leading scholar of Walpole's writings about his house, illuminates the history and importance of the Description; and its relevance to restoration work today is highlighted in the foreword by Michael Snodin, Chairman of The Strawberry Hill Trust.
ArchitectureBuildingsResidentialHistoryInterior DesignRegionalBiography & AutobiographyLiterary Figures
RELEASED2015
PUBLISHERPallas Athene
LENGTH121
LANGUAGEEN
Horatio Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford (24 September 1717 – 2 March 1797), also known as Horace Walpole, was an English writer, art historian, man of letters, antiquarian and Whig politician. He had Strawberry Hill House built in Twickenham, south-west London, reviving the Gothic style some decades before his Victorian successors. His literary reputation rests on the first Gothic novel, *The Castle of Otranto* (1764), and his Letters, which are of significant social and political interest. They have been published by Yale University Press in 48 volumes. He was the son of the first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole. As Horace Walpole was childless, on his death his barony of Walpole descended to his cousin of the same surname, who was created the new Earl of Orford. **Source**: [Horace Walpole](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_Walpole) on Wikipedia.
![The castle of Otranto. With a memoir of the author [signed G.M.B.].](https://images.isbndb.com/covers/15577663482672.jpg)
