Marble Hill House was built in 1724–1729 by Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk, the mistress of King George II, to the designs of the architect Roger Morris (1695–1749) in collaboration with Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke, one of the “architect earls”. Pembroke, then Lord Herbert, based the design of Marble Hill to a large degree on Andrea Palladio’s 1553 Villa Cornaro in Piombino Dese, Italy, and thus incorporated a cubic saloon on the first floor or piano nobile. Villa Cornaro also served as a model for plantation houses in the American colonies, examples being Drayton Hall (1738–1742) in Charleston, South Carolina, and Thomas Jefferson’s initial version of Monticello (1768–1770). It was in other respects an adaptation of a more expansive design by Colen Campbell. It is set in 66 acres (2.67 km²) of parkland known as Marble Hill Park. The Great Room contains lavishly gilded decoration and five capricci paintings by Giovanni Paolo Pannini. Marble Hill House also contains a loaned collection of early Georgian furniture and paintings as well as the Chinoiserie collection of the Lazenby Bequest.
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Listing Details
- Address: Richmond Rd, Twickenham, London, Greater London TW1 2NL
- Phone: 0370 333 1181
- Website: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/marble-hill-house
- Email: info@theabbeville.co.uk
- Get there by bus: 33, 490, H22, R68, R70
- Get there by tube/train: South West Trains
- Wheelchair access: Yes
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Additional information:
Wheelchair Access Wheelchairs access in the house is restricted to the ground floor. North front door with ramp opened for wheelchair users (please ask at ticket office entrance). Two steps at ticket office. Large print transcript of inaccessible floors is available. Introductory film with subtitles available on ground floor.
Entrance/Set Down Set down directly outside the house is permitted for mobility impaired visitors. Please inform the house before arrival.
Disabled Parking Blue badge holders are permitted to park in front of the house.
Stairs Two steps at ticket office. Staircase to first floor; assistance may be required.
Opening Times
- Monday Closed
- Tuesday Closed
- Wednesday Closed
- Thursday Closed
- Friday Closed
- Saturday 10.30- 12pm
- Sunday 10.30am- 3.30pm
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