Strawberry Hill, "Formation of Modernism"
STRAWBERRY HILL
Overview
In 1747 Horace Walpole acquired one of the few remaining properties left on the Thames River. Previously known as Chopp’d Straw Hall was merely a few small houses, but Walpole transformed it into a gothic castle still known today as Strawberry Hill. It is the place that inspired Walpole’s first, the world’s first, gothic novel The Castle of Otranto, after he awoke suddenly and imagined a huge armored fist in his room.
The castle was filled with artifacts and art ranging from ancient pieces to anything that he found interesting and worth collecting. He always had something on display and allowed tours of Strawberry Hill every day. Even in its younger years Strawberry Hill fascinated its visitors, its long dark meandering hallways opened up into large ornate galleries.
Walpole’s love for the Gothic became personified by his castle and its content. Because Walpole allowed tours of his grounds and collection it reintroduced the Gothic style back into eighteenth century England as well influencing the creation of the Gothic novel.
In 1747 Horace Walpole acquired one of the few remaining properties left on the Thames River. Previously known as Chopp’d Straw Hall was merely a few small houses, but Walpole transformed it into a gothic castle still known today as Strawberry Hill. It is the place that inspired Walpole’s first, the world’s first, gothic novel The Castle of Otranto, after he awoke suddenly and imagined a huge armored fist in his room.
The castle was filled with artifacts and art ranging from ancient pieces to anything that he found interesting and worth collecting. He always had something on display and allowed tours of Strawberry Hill every day. Even in its younger years Strawberry Hill fascinated its visitors, its long dark meandering hallways opened up into large ornate galleries.
Walpole’s love for the Gothic became personified by his castle and its content. Because Walpole allowed tours of his grounds and collection it reintroduced the Gothic style back into eighteenth century England as well influencing the creation of the Gothic novel.
Otranto, Antiquarianism and Strawberry Hill
Walpole's fascination with objects bled heavily into The Castle of Otranto. And because Walpole is the father of the Gothic novel, antiquarianism and the importance of objects became a major theme in Gothic Literature. Strawberry Hill is no exception, Walpole filled his real Gothic castle with all of his possessions and gave Strawberry Hill character and life. He does the very same to the castle in Otranto. In The Castle of Otranto the castle is its own entity, it and the objects inside have their own agency and look to reveal the truth. Walpole gave the castle and objects agency because of his belief that objects held value, history and experience.
Works Cited
"Horace Walpole." Strawberry Hill. Strawberry Hill Trust, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2014.
"Strawberry Hill." STRAWBERRY HILL. World Monuments Fund, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
Cover image: http://mwbeliever.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/the-formation-of-modernism/
"Strawberry Hill." STRAWBERRY HILL. World Monuments Fund, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
Cover image: http://mwbeliever.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/the-formation-of-modernism/