Carlyle's House facts for kids
Photograph of Carlyle's House, 2015
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| Location | Cheyne Row London, SW3 United Kingdom |
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| Type | Historic house museum |
| Owner | National Trust |
| Public transit access |  South Kensington  Imperial Wharf Cadogan Pier |
| Nearest parking | Limited metered street parking |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 24 June 1954 |
| Reference no. | 1358142 |
| Building type | Georgian terraced house |
| Open: Yearly | March–October |
| Open: Weekly | Wednesday-Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays |
Carlyle's House is a historic home in Cheyne Row, Chelsea, central London. It was the home of a famous Scottish writer, historian, and thinker named Thomas Carlyle. He lived here with his wife, Jane, from 1834 until he passed away.
This special house was bought by people who admired Carlyle. They raised money to save it in 1895. It was then looked after by the Carlyle's House Memorial Trust. They opened the house to the public. In 1936, the National Trust took over its care. The house became a Grade II listed building in 1954. Today, it is a historic house museum that you can visit.
Contents
The Carlyles' Life in Their Home
In 1834, Thomas Carlyle decided to move from his home in Craigenputtock, Scotland, to London. He arrived in May and looked for a new place to live. He found a promising house very close to his friend Leigh Hunt's home in Chelsea.
The Carlyles moved into 5 Cheyne Row on June 10, 1834. The street number changed to 24 in 1877. Their house quickly became a very important place for thinkers and artists. Famous writers, scientists, religious leaders, and politicians from all over Europe and North America came to visit. Carlyle wrote many of his important books here, including The French Revolution.
About the House
The house was built in 1708. It is a typical Georgian terraced house. It was a comfortable home for the Carlyles, their one servant, and Jane's dog, Nero. The house is kept almost exactly as it was when the Carlyles lived there. It shows what a middle-class Victorian home looked like.
People who admired the Carlyles found many of their original furniture pieces. The house also has some of the Carlyles' books. Many of these books are on loan from the London Library, which Carlyle helped start. You can also see pictures, personal items, and portraits by artists like James Abbott McNeill Whistler.
The house has four floors.
- The kitchen is in the basement.
- The ground floor has the parlour, a formal living room.
- The first floor holds the drawing room, which was also their library, and Jane's bedroom.
- Thomas's bedroom was on the second floor. This floor is now where the house's caretaker lives.
Carlyle's Soundproof Room
Thomas Carlyle was working on his book, History of Frederick the Great. He found the noise from the street and his neighbors too loud. So, in 1854, he had a special "soundproof room" built on the top floor.
The Garden
The house also has a small walled garden. It is kept much like it was when Thomas and Jane lived there. The fig tree in the garden still grows fruit!
The house might have been the inspiration for the Hilberrys' house in Virginia Woolf's novel, Night and Day (1919).
See also
- Writer's home
