Walpole's Gothic villa to be restored

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The 18th-century Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham will undergo urgent work on its roof, drainage and parapets, and stained glass damaged by aircraft vibrations will be removed for repair.

The restoration can be completed after English Heritage promised a £100,000 grant to ensure the future of what was once the home of Horace Walpole - the essayist and son of Britain's first prime minister.

Walpole bought Strawberry Hill in 1747 and made it into one of the first and greatest examples of the Georgian Gothic period.

The villa has been on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk Register since 1996 and in 2004 was included on the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites.

Renovation is already in progress on the building, which has towers and arches like a castle and a stairwell based on that of Rouen Cathedral. Conservationists overseeing the work have uncovered original wallpaper from 250 years ago after removing later layers of decoration.

Tim Jones, of English Heritage's London team, said: "If the essential repair of the roof and rainwater systems is not completed soon, the house could be exposed to serious damage."

Alixe Kingston, of the Strawberry Hill Trust, said: "We believe that this is a great step towards the restoration of Strawberry Hill House, and the grants will help maintain the building for generations to come."