Strawberry Hill is a world-famous house that changed the course of architectural history and which is listed by the World Heritage Fund as one of the 100 most endangered sites.

So, who was Horace Walpole?

Walpole was the younger son of Prime Minister, Sir Robert, and at the young age of 30 had already established himself as 'a man of letters', an MP and a collector.

At the time he bought the house in 1747, Twickenham was a popular area, occupying a point half way between two royal residences - Richmond Lodge and Hampton Court.

The town had also attracted artisans including Henry Fielding, Jonathan Swift, Alexander Pope and actresses like Kitty Clive and Hannah Pritchard.

Walpole described the town as London's 'Tivoli'.

During his 50 years at Strawberry Hill (until Walpole's death in 1797) he was one of the most notable figures of his generation.

Horace Walpole

He was a great letter writer, providing future historians with a rich picture of 18th century life, and he also became renowned as one of the century's greatest collectors and antiquaries.

Walpole created the first private printing press (the Strawberry Hill Press) and he was the author of the first gothic novel The Castle of Otranto.

He was also an accomplished essayist, historian, painter and gardener.

However, most of all, he became known as the man who created the first significant house of the Gothic Revival - Strawberry Hill.

Watch: BBC London's Gillian Joseph takes a look around Strawberry Hill House

Take a Thames Tour of Rotherhithe including the home of London's whaling and timber trades

Today's weather for London

Sunday Max 24 °C Min 14 °C

For all other forecasts, enter a town, city, country name, or a UK postcode    View National Forecast