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Making Progress - Walpole House
by Karen Kendel-Smith
The University College campus is home to an extraordinary folly – the Grade 1 listed Walpole House. This gothic masterpiece, the former residence of author, Horace Walpole, has been handed over to the Strawberry Hill Trust on a 125 year lease.
The Trust, which is formed of a number of experts in the management of restoration projects, will be masterminding a £8.2 million restoration project. Lottery funding was obtained, along with donations from individuals and other sources. Although the Trust is independent from St Mary’s, it will work closely with the University College during the restoration programme.
Walpole House was the home of the Vincentian priests who taught at the University College from the 1920s until the mid 1990s. “If the house had not been lived in for so many years, the original features of the building might have been destroyed,” said Principal, Dr Arthur Naylor. “Over the years, St Mary's prioritised maintaining the exterior of the building by protecting it from the elements, which has made the restoration project possible.”
The house was registered as a building at risk by English Heritage in 1996, and in 2004 was included on the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. In 2004 it was featured on the BBC2 programme, Restoration. “Other buildings on the programme were in ruins, and I feel that viewers didn’t vote for the house to be restored because it looked in good order,” said Dr Naylor. “The time is now right to restore the house and make it more accessible to the public.”
The restoration programme includes necessary structural repairs and renewal of services, the conserva-tion of the remarkable historic fabric, including a unique collection of renaissance glass, and the restoration of exterior features. The garden will also be restored to something reminiscent of Walpole’s original design.
The lease was transferred to the Strawberry Hill Trust in September 2007 and work has begun on separating the services to the House and to the University College’s buildings which adjoin it. The main stage of restoration will then begin and Walpole House will fully reopen in 2010. The interior of the house will be open to the public and to specialist groups.
“Walpole House will be a heritage centre with a strong educational dimension”, said Dr Naylor, “Space will be leased to create an Education Room and discussions are taking place as to how we, as a University College, can bring a stronger educational dimension.”
“One third of our students are on teacher training programmes and the School of Education will work with the Trust’s Education Officer, and with local primary schools, to develop teaching and learning initiatives.”
The University College also plans to develop specialist courses, conferences and degree programmes which are related to the house. A new history module, which studies the life and work of Horace Walpole and the creation of the house, is currently being developed. Due to be taught for the first time in 2009, the module begins with a survey of the life of Horace Walpole, his family, education, circle of friends and the origins of his interest in Enlightenment thought.
“The module is one of several ways we are planning to allow the history students at St Mary’s to use the resources of the then renovated house to enhance their learning,” said Dr Glenn Richardson, Deputy Head of the School of Theology, Philosophy, and History.
Tours of Walpole House will run from April until September this year, and then the house will be closed until 2010.
For more information, or to arrange a private tour, please call 0870 626 0402
or email strawberrytour@btinternet.com
