Strawberry Hill House is one of those gloriously weird and wonderful spots in the city you should really visit if you haven’t already.
Looking like someone nabbed it off a wedding cake, it’s certainly one of the more unusual buildings in the city — and it has a long and storied history to boot.
Want to know more? Of course you do…
Why Visit?
Of all the reasons why you should visit Strawberry Hill House & Garden, the fact that it’s internationally famous as Britain’s finest example of Georgian Gothic revival architecture should be enough to pique your interest.
Hold up. How did Strawberry Hill House even come into being. The famous writer and 4th Earl of Orford Horace Walpole had Strawberry Hill House built in the 18th century.
Given that this was a man whose best-known work, The Castle of Otranto, is a Gothic romp with more than a little of the bizarre (read: straight up weird in the best way possible), it shouldn’t really be a surprise that the home he commissioned was more than a little unusual too.
The decor and architecture are like nothing you’ll have seen before. Strawberry Hill House is filled with rare paintings, furniture and sculptures, plus masterpieces by Walpole himself.
The History of Strawberry Hill House
Horace Walpole discovered and purchased Chopp’d Straw Hall in 1747.
The hall was one of the last remaining sites on the banks of the river Thames in the highly fashionable Twickenham. Walpole then began transforming the remaining cottages into a little Gothic castle complete with pinnacles, battlements and a round tower.
Public Fascination
It was so eye-catching that Strawberry Hill House became something of an attraction as soon as it was constructed, and still is today.
Strawberry Hill House was intended to be Walpole’s summer residence, but because it was so magnificent it drew in lots of local visitors. In light of this Walpole decided to allow up to four visitors to take tours led by his house-keeper – tours were strictly adults only.
Gothic Revival Architecture
Strawberry Hill House paved the way for the Gothic Revival Architecture that swept across the country in the 18th and 19th centuries. The movement was influenced by Gothic cathedrals around Europe.
Most of these new Gothic Revival buildings were designed by Walpole’s friends who were otherwise known as the Committee of Taste: comprised of John Chute and Richard Bentley.
Strawberry Hill After Walpole
After Walpole’s death, Strawberry Hill House was passed on to his cousin’s daughter and renowned sculptor, Anne Seymour Damer.
The house subsequently passed to Walpole’s great niece, Elizabeth Waldegrade in 1811 followed by her grandson John Waldegrave and John passed the house to his brother George Waldegrave when he died prematurely.
George had been imprisoned for riotous behaviour and took action against Twickenham voicing that he would let Strawberry Hill House go to ruin. In 1842, he arranged what was to become known as The Great Sale and sold most of Walpole’s collection over the space of a week.
Further Expansion
After George’s death in 1846, his widow, Lady Frances Waldegrave was left with a substantial amount of income and in 1856, after her marriage to Granville Harcourt, she sought to secure Strawberry Hill House’s future.
She began expanding Walpole’s Gothic castle, in line with his original wishes. She expanded the hallway, pushing back the main road to create a horseshoe entrance.
Waldegrave then went on to build her own grand Drawing Room, Billiard Room and Dining Room — rooms that are no longer part of Strawberry Hill House. She raised the Round Tower another storey and gave Strawberry Hill Tudor pots in the style of Hampton Court.
Lady Waldegrave held grand parties and the house became well known in the liberal establishment.
Following Lady Waldegrave’s death, the house was sold to the De Stern family in 1879 and then again in 1923 to St Mary’s University College, who still own the site today. Following an £8.9 million restoration with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the house is now open to the public as an extraordinary fairytale experience.
The Sandman
In 2025, Strawberry Hill House featured as a filming location for Season 2 of Netflix’s The Sandman. The acclaimed fantasy series, based on Neil Gaiman’s graphic novels, used the house to stand in as the magical realm of Faerie. You can spot it in Episodes 9 and 10, The Kindly Ones and Long Live the King. Quite possibly the most fitting casting of a building in television history.
Visiting Today
Guided Tours
Strawberry Hill House has plenty to see and do, but if there’s one thing you have to do, it’s book a guided tour. The tours give you the chance to delve into the house’s history, art and architecture whilst wandering around the magnificent structure, and give you lots of insider information about the history and evolution of the house as we see it today. Private guided tours are available for groups of 15 or more, and landscape tours of the surrounding gardens run on the third Sunday of every month from April to October.
Stained Glass Tours
Strawberry Hill House also features a beautiful collection of stained glass windows, and it’s actually one of the highlights of visiting. Walpole assembled a large collection of more than 450 pieces of painted glass to decorate his summer house.
Photography Tours
If you’re into photography, supervised photography sessions give you exclusive access to the house and its magical interiors. Check the website for current availability as dates vary.
Twilight Tour
For something completely different, the twilight tour offers an out-of-hours exploration of Strawberry Hill House lit up after closing time, kicked off with a glass of fizz. Check the website for current dates and availability as the programme changes seasonally.
Shop & Cafe
During your visit, there’s a gift shop on site offering a selection of books and souvenirs relevant to Strawberry Hill House. In spring and summer you can find garden products including pots, vases and other accessories.
There’s also a Garden Cafe run by Grounded, which occupies the Great Cloister of Strawberry Hill House and overlooks Walpole’s naturalistic garden. Lunches, home-baked cakes and cookies are on the menu, with hot food served until 3pm.
Practical Information for Visiting
- The nearest railway station is Strawberry Hill, with direct services from London Waterloo running four times an hour Monday to Saturday and twice an hour on Sundays. It’s a five to ten minute walk from the station to the house, as signposted at the end of each platform.
- If you’re visiting via public transport from further afield, you can also take the District line to Richmond and catch the R68 bus towards Hampton Court, alighting at Michelham Gardens.
- If you’re visiting by car, Strawberry Hill House has a free car park for visitors, though spaces are limited and not available to reserve. Note that Strawberry Hill is in a ULEZ zone, so check whether your vehicle is affected before driving.
- Book tickets online before you visit to guarantee entry and get the best price. Tickets start from £16.50 for adults when booked online; tickets purchased on arrival cost more and are subject to availability. Children under 16 visit free.
- House & Shop: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm (last entry 4pm) Cafe & Garden: Wednesday to Friday 9.30am to 5pm; Saturday to Sunday 9am to 5pm (hot food until 3pm) Open 7 days a week during the summer school holidays
- Address: 268 Waldegrave Road, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, TW1 4ST
