The house was designed and created as a Gothic fantasy between 1747 and 1792 by Horace Walpole, historian, writer, collector and son of Britain's first Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole.
It had been on English Heritage's At Risk Register and was listed on the World Monuments Fund Watch List in 2004, a move which proved a catalyst in starting a campaign for its repair. In 2007 the building and adjoining grounds were leased by the University to the Strawberry Hill Trust, an independent building preservation trust and in October 2010 a two-year long £9m restoration was completed and the property reopened to the public.
The restoration programme has been made possible by a £4.9m grant from the UK's Heritage Lottery Fund and over £1.5m from World Monuments Fund, including a $1.1m donation from the Robert W. Wilson Challenge Fund to Conserve Our Heritage, as well as numerous charitable trusts, local societies and individual patrons.
An education centre is a key focus of the activity and the Trust works with the University on a number of Gothic related collaborations.
For visitor information and opening times please go to Strawberry Hill House's website.
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