Strawberry Hill House

It was supposed to rain all Saturday, which didn't help our motivation to get out and do stuff, so we had a nice easy morning and lounged around until after naps. Then we headed over to the Strawberry Hill House here in Twickenham. It's an 18th century home that had been bought and remodeled in an eccentric Gothic revival style by Horace Walpole. Walpole had done the Grand Tour of Europe and had collected many pieces of  art and furnishing, so Strawberry Hill acted as his summer home and gallery for all of his collections. Sadly, it's mostly unfurnished because some years after his death the family held an estate sale and sold every piece that was movable in the house. Slowly, restoration work is being done to return the original items or copies back to the house.

 The outside of the house is all stark white to make an effect because when you walk into the house it is very dark and Gothic. Most of the rooms also had very dark colors on the walls. From dark green to deep blue to red. These rooms also had very little natural light due to all the stained glass, which made for a very Gothic and moody effect.

 Stained glass was going out of fashion in Walpole's day, so he sent a friend to Flanders to get many pieces of glass that were cast offs. Walpole used those to make up his windows that are all different and not symmetrical at all. He used any piece that would fit the spot he needed it for. So fascinating.

 This cabinet is incredibly detailed in it's wood carvings. I loved it!

 All the fireplaces were very decorative like this one.

 The study/library. Walpole made it so that those facades over the books were on hinges and could be opened to access all the books behind them.

 The ceilings were all incredible.

 

 They had a good dress-up area too

 Grace wanted to try on all the costumes, so on the left, she's dressed as a Georgian boy, then back again to being a girl on the right.

 All of the Henry's of England are portrayed in this window.

 These pictures are terrible, but the fireplace was incredible! So intricately decorated.

 

Tourists

Yesterday we headed out on a touristy adventure hoping to hit a few landmarks to check off our London Bucket List. We started out at 221B Baker Street, the residence of the famous (fictional) Sherlock Holmes.

 It was strange that the girls had no idea what this contraption was!

 Baker St. tube station

Next we headed to Little Venice which we were hoping would be awesome. It was meh. I can't imagine living in those tiny canal boats!

Next up was Abbey Road Studios and the zebra crossing of Beatles fame. There were tons of people shooting photos of themselves being like the Beatles and holding up traffic. It's a really busy street and the drivers weren't too patient, but the tourists were completely obnoxious, including ourselves. In all fairness, we did one "take" of walking across the street when there were lots of people walking many times and stopping for a long time in the middle of the road.

 I think it turned out pretty well! Also, those cars look like they may be parked, but its the long line waiting for all the walkers going one group at a time.

A cool church on Abbey Road...possibly why it was named that? Who knows!

 I thought this wall of Beatles lovers who've signed it was really cool.

We continued our walk along the canal into Regent's Park. I loved this mermaid gate to the canal towpath.

 The kids had a great time playing at the park for a while before we headed home.

 And, just for good measure, what would a Saturday be without a meltdown? Kuddos to Ruby for it not being her this week! Grace was upset that she couldn't ride the paddle boats after throwing a huge fit and being generally rude and nastily behaved toward us.

 It was a long day, but fun to be super touristy!

And isn't this swan-ling sweet? Gosh, I love the Spring!