Strawberry Hill is about 40 minutes out of Waterloo, towards Twickenham.
Here is the summer villa of Horace Walpole (1717-97) son of Sir Robert Walpole, the “first British Prime Minister” according to the leaflet.
Amazing what you find, and this was still only in Zone 5. This is “Gothic Revival” style. Out of the picture, to the right, was a hospitality tent, where an event was bring held. The tent was 21st Century basic style, not at all Gothic.
Here is a picture I drew after we had toured the house, which is like a stage set of rooms leading off rooms, and pictures which look at you from ornate frames. It would make a good set for an episode of “the Avengers”*. It was very stuffy indoors, and the rooms were surprisingly small, or perhaps surprisingly crowded. I came outside and found a bench in the garden. There was birdsong, and a distinct smell of marijuana.
Pictures took about 40 min each.
*The Avengers: British TV series, 1961-69, espionage and thriller, featuring John Steed played by Patrick McNee and a series of his assistants, notably Emma Peel played by Diana Rigg (1965). A formative part of my education.
Jane Sketching 