Writer and collector. Youngest son of Sir Robert Walpole. His gothic novel "The Castle of Otranto"' was published in 1764. But his passion was his gothic creation, his house at Strawberry Hill, which is open to the public and well worth a visit.
His parents separated before his birth and he was brought up in Arlington Street by his much loved mother. Weak and effeminate he became an MP and used politics as an easy way to fund his life of leisure. This involved friendships with many other young men with similar aesthetic interests. His relationship with Thomas Gray was particularly jealous and difficult. He never married but did invent the word 'serendipity'.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Horatio ('Horace') Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford
Commemorated ati
Robert & Horace Walpole
Greater London Council Sir Robert Walpole, 1676 - 1745, Prime Minister, and ...
This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Horatio ('Horace') Walpole, 4th Earl of Orford
Creations i
King of Corsica
The weather-worn stone above this plaque is, we guess, the original graveston...
Other Subjects
Jane Austen
Jane Austen, novelist of 6 major novels including Pride and Prejudice. Born: Steventon, Hampshire. Died: Winchester, Hampshire. For all Austen-related London locations see Londonist. A statue was u...
Radclyffe Hall
Novelist and poet. Â Born as Marguerite Radclyffe Hall in Bournemouth into a wealthy family. From 1917 until her death Hall lived with Una Troubridge but had a number of affairs with other women. Â T...
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The only novel by Oscar Wilde. The eponymous character, after being painted, casually suggests that in order to enjoy a life of hedonism, he would sell his soul if the picture could age instead of ...
Samuel Beckett
Dramatist and author. Born Dublin as Samuel Barclay Beckett. Lived in Paris most of his life. His plays include: Waiting for Godot (1953) and Krapp's Last Tape (1958). Awarded the Nobel Prize in Li...
Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in to see them