Person    | Male  Born 1717  Died 1797

Horatio ('Horace') Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford

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'.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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 ...

Read More

Horace Walpole

Horace Walpole, 1717-1797, man of letters, lived here.

Read More

Robert & Horace Walpole

Greater London Council Sir Robert Walpole, 1676 - 1745, Prime Minister, and ...

Read More

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...

Read More

Other Subjects

Michael Bond

Michael Bond

Writer. Born Newbury. His first book 'A Bear Called Paddington' was published in 1958. There have been 23 Paddington books. Also wrote for adults.

Person, Children, Literature

4 memorials
Eric Newton

Eric Newton

Artist, writer, broadcaster and art critic. He produced several books in addition to his newspaper and radio work. His radio broadcasts made him well known to the British public in the 1930s. Art c...

Person, Art, Literature

2 memorials
Thomas Adolphus Trollope

Thomas Adolphus Trollope

Author.  Born 16 Keppel Street, younger brother to Anthony.

Person, Literature

1 memorial
James Hanley

James Hanley

Novelist and playwright.  The ODNB says he was born Dublin 1901.  Wikipedia says that's wrong; it was Liverpool in 1897.  Left school aged 12 and educated himself thereafter.  In WW1 he served in t...

Person, Literature, Ireland, Wales

1 memorial
Edmund Clerihew Bentley

Edmund Clerihew Bentley

Humourist and writer. Born in Shepherd's Bush, he invented the verse form which took his middle name (his mother's maiden name), and is a four-line nonsense poem about a famous person; an example b...

Person, Journalism / Publishing, Literature, Poetry

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Philip Bentham
1 memorial
James McMullan

James McMullan

James Alexander Meregillano McMullan from Hackney was killed trying to help Sara Zelenak, another victim, during the 2017 attack at London Bridge. A Filipino-British citizen, he was the only Britis...

Person, Tragedy, Philippines

2 memorials
Ken Campbell

Ken Campbell

Writer, actor, director and comedian. Born in Ilford, Essex. Described as one of the strangest people in Britain. He trained at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art), but never fitted into any conve...

Person, Cinema, Theatre, TV & Radio

1 memorial
Ian Rank-Broadley

Ian Rank-Broadley

Sculptor. Born in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. Personally selected by both Prince William and Prince Harry to create the memorial statue of Diana. He had previously depicted, the Queen, Prince Philip,...

Person, Sculpture

1 memorial
Whinney, Son and Austen Hall

Whinney, Son and Austen Hall

Architects active at least 1929 - 1977. 30 Cannon Street being their modernist masterpiece.

Group, Architecture

2 memorials