Writer and collector. Youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole. His gothic novel "The Castle of Otranto"' was published in 1764. But his passion was his gothic creation, his house at Strawberry Hill, which is open to the public and well worth a visit.
His parents separated before his birth and he was brought up in Arlington Street by his much loved mother. Weak and effeminate he became an MP and used politics as an easy way to fund his life of leisure. This involved friendships with many other young men with similar aesthetic interests. His relationship with Thomas Gray was particularly jealous and difficult. He never married but did invent the word 'serendipity'.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Horatio ('Horace') Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford
Commemorated ati
George Pub
The George The George was founded in 1723 as a coffee house, became Georges ...
Robert & Horace Walpole
Greater London Council Sir Robert Walpole, 1676 - 1745, Prime Minister, and ...
This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Horatio ('Horace') Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford
Creations i
King of Corsica
The weather-worn stone above this plaque is, we guess, the original graveston...
Other Subjects
Lord John Russell
Author, Prime Minister. Born Hertford Street, Mayfair, the 3rd son of the Duke of Bedford. First Earl Russell. One of the Commissioners for the Great Exhibition, 1851. Prime Minister: 1846-52, 18...
4 memorials
Booker Prize
Literary award. Originally known as the Booker–McConnell Prize, after the company Booker, McConnell Ltd who first sponsored the event. When administration of the prize was transferred to the Booker...
1 memorial
Moby Dick
Written by Herman Melville. First published, in London, in 1851.
1 memorial
George Gissing
Goerge Robert Gissing. Novelist, best known for ‘New Grub Street’ about the hack writers who were concentrated in Grub Street, EC2. In 1830 Grub Street was renamed Milton Street; in WW2 it was badl...
3 memorials
Helene Hanff
Born Philadelphia. Wrote 84 Charing Cross Road in 1970. Later made into a play and film. Died New York City. The apartment building where she lived at 305 E. 72nd Street has been named "Charing ...
1 memorial
Previously viewed
Isabella Beeton - Hatch End
HA5, Uxbridge Road, 513
From Hidden London we learn that 2 Chandos Villas was one of a newly-built pair of red-brick houses which were destroyed by a direct ...
2 subjects commemorated,
1 creator
Bennet Woodcroft keystone
WC2, Southampton Buildings, Old Patent Office
Damaged in WW2 this building was restored in 2007 to the original design for the facade overlooking Staple Inn garden, at least. We know ...
1 subject commemorated
Guildhall Yard fountain
EC4, St Paul's Churchyard
The inscription text is taken from a modern (and indeed rather nasty) plaque attached to the east side of the plinth. For our close-up s...
1 subject commemorated,
2 creators
Wallingford House
In 1560 Sir Francis Knollys leased the land where the Old Admiralty Building now stands to build a house which later became known as Wallingford House. In 1622 George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, ...
1 memorial
Hyde Park bomb
A large nail bomb hidden in a car parked on South Carriage Drive exploded as the Queen's Life Guard passed. It was set by the IRA and probably controlled remotely. Four members of The Blues and R...
2 memorials