Marble Hill House, Palladian villa in Richmond upon Thames, England
Marble Hill House is a white Portland stone villa on the Thames riverbank in Richmond upon Thames, designed in the Palladian style. The front shows a central staircase leading to a portico with four Ionic columns, while the interior rooms circle around a central entrance hall.
Roger Morris designed the villa for Henrietta Howard between 1724 and 1729, while she lived as mistress to King George II. The property changed hands several times over the centuries before restoration work began in the 20th century to open it to visitors.
Henrietta Howard welcomed writers and thinkers to gatherings here during the 18th century, creating a space for intellectual exchange outside the royal court. The name reflects her social ambition and her determination to build a home independent from the king.
The nearest train stations are St Margarets and Twickenham, both a short walk from the grounds. The park around the villa offers level paths along the Thames that work well for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Henrietta Howard arranged the grounds as open parkland so she could see all the way to the Thames from her windows. The design later inspired builders in the American colonies who recreated its proportions and layout for plantation houses.
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