Chapel House, Twickenham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 15, Montpelier Row, Twickenham |
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| Former names | Chapel House; Tennyson House; Holyrood House |
| General information | |
| Type | Three-storey house |
| Architectural style | Early Georgian style |
| Location | Twickenham, London, England |
| Construction started | c1721 |
| Client | Retired naval officer Captain John Gray |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Brick |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name | Fotheringay House Tennyson House |
| Designated | 2 September 1952 |
| Reference no. | 1285639 |
Chapel House is a historic home in Twickenham, London, England. It's also known as Tennyson House or Holyrood House. Famous people like the poet Alfred Lord Tennyson once lived here. Another poet, Walter de la Mare, lived nearby later on. For many years, Pete Townshend from the famous band The Who owned this house.
Contents
What is Chapel House?
Chapel House is a three-story brick house. It was built around 1721 for a retired naval officer, Captain John Gray. The house is designed in an early Georgian style. This means it has a classic look from the 1700s.
The houses on Montpelier Row have special red details around their windows. They also have different kinds of doorways. Inside Chapel House, you can find rooms with beautiful pine wood panels. There are also two fancy carved wooden staircases.
The main house has about 5,000 square feet of living space. It also has a 150-foot (46 m) long walled garden. At the end of the garden, there is a small cottage. People think this cottage was built around 1921. It was probably used as an artist's studio.
Who Lived in Chapel House?
Alfred Lord Tennyson's Time
The famous poet Alfred Lord Tennyson and his family lived in Chapel House. They were there from 1851 to 1853. Tennyson first saw the house in 1850. He really liked it but was sad to find it was already rented. He wrote in a letter about how much he wanted it.
Tennyson managed to rent the house in 1851 after all. His son, Hallam, was born in the house in 1852. Hallam was baptized at St Mary's Church, Twickenham. While living here, Tennyson also wrote a famous poem. It was called "Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington," published in 1852.
After the Tennyson family moved to a quieter place, Alfred's mother, Elizabeth, moved into Chapel House. This house is important because of its history. A special blue plaque is on the building to remember Tennyson's time there. The building is also listed as Grade II* by Historic England. This means it's a very important historic building.
Pete Townshend's Ownership
Pete Townshend bought Chapel House in 1985. He is a famous musician from the band The Who. He and his wife, Karen Townshend, raised their children in this home. Pete Townshend even had a studio in the garden cottage. He wrote and recorded songs there. He also filmed a music video for his album All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes at the house.
Karen Townshend made some small changes to the house. She opened up some areas by removing closets. She also added modern appliances to the kitchen. In 2005, the house was damaged by a fire during renovations. The inside didn't burn much, but water used to put out the fire caused damage. The wood panels and ceilings needed to be fixed. Karen Townshend sold the house in 2008.
Other Famous Neighbors
Chapel House is part of a row of interesting homes. Other notable people have lived nearby.
Joseph Skelton
Joseph John Skelton (1783–1871) lived next door at No. 14, Fotheringay House. He was an antiquarian and engraver. This means he studied old things and made detailed pictures. Skelton published a book in 1823 called Oxonia Antiqua Restaurata. It had over 170 engravings of scenes and buildings from Oxford.
Walter de la Mare
The poet and writer Walter de la Mare (1873–1956) also lived in the same row. He lived there from 1940 until he passed away in 1956. After his wife died, he moved into a flat. His flat was on the top two floors of South End House. During World War II, de la Mare was told off for not following blackout rules. Police even rowed across the river to warn him. His upper windows were too bright and could be seen by enemy planes.
