Chapel House, Twickenham
Encyclopedia
Chapel House, now No. 15, Montpelier Row, Twickenham
, is a house in Greater London
, England
. The house has also been called Tennyson House and Holyrood House. It was occupied at one time by Alfred Lord Tennyson, and poet Walter de la Mare
lived in the same row nearly a hundred years later. The house was owned for many years by principal songwriter and musician Pete Townshend
of The Who
.
Tennyson negotiated with the landlord and managed to rent the house in 1851, after all. His son Hallam was born in the house in 1852 and baptized at St. Mary’s Church, Twickenham. Tennyson also wrote “Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington”, published in 1852, while living at the house. After the Tennyson family moved to a more secluded location at Farringford in the Isle of Wight
, Alfred's widowed mother Elizabeth moved into Chapel House.
Chapel House was bought in 1985 by Pete Townshend, and sold by his wife Karen Townshend in 2008 after the couple separated in the mid-nineties. The Townshends raised their children in the home, and Pete Townshend maintained a studio in the cottage on the property where he wrote and recorded songs. Townshend also filmed a music video for his album All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes
at the house.
Karen Townshend made slight modifications to the house, removing cloak closets to open up the home and adding modern appliances to the kitchen. The house was seriously damaged by a fire during refurbishment in 2005. Although there was little interior fire damage, the paneling and wattle-and-daub ceilings suffered water damage which required restoration.
Because of its historical significance, the house is commemorated by a Blue Plaque
. The structure is listed as Grade II* by English Heritage
.
.
The poet and writer Walter de la Mare also occupied the row from 1940 until his death in 1956. After the death of his wife, the writer took a flat in the top two stories of South End House, Montpelier Row. De la Mare was officially reprimanded for failing to comply with the blackout during World War II
, and on one occasion, the police rowed across the river to warn that his upper windows were a beacon for the enemy.
Twickenham
Twickenham is a large suburban town southwest of central London. It is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames and one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan...
, is a house in Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The house has also been called Tennyson House and Holyrood House. It was occupied at one time by Alfred Lord Tennyson, and poet Walter de la Mare
Walter de la Mare
Walter John de la Mare , OM CH was an English poet, short story writer and novelist, probably best remembered for his works for children and the poem "The Listeners"....
lived in the same row nearly a hundred years later. The house was owned for many years by principal songwriter and musician Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
.
Description
Chapel House is a three-storey brick house in early Georgian style, built in about 1721 by retired naval officer Captain John Gray. The row features red window dressing and variations in doorways. The interior of No. 15 includes pine-paneled rooms and two carved wooden staircases. It has five thousand square feet of living space in the main house and a 150 feet (45.7 m)-long walled garden with a small cottage at the end. The cottage is thought to have been built around 1921 as an artist's studio.History
Alfred Tennyson and his family occupied Chapel House from 1851 to 1853. Tennyson first viewed the house in 1850, and he was disappointed to find it had already been let. He wrote in a letter:"The most lovely house with a beautiful view in every room at top … A large staircase with great statues and carved and all rooms splendidly papered … and all for 50 guineas! A lady has taken it. I cursed my stars!"
Tennyson negotiated with the landlord and managed to rent the house in 1851, after all. His son Hallam was born in the house in 1852 and baptized at St. Mary’s Church, Twickenham. Tennyson also wrote “Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington”, published in 1852, while living at the house. After the Tennyson family moved to a more secluded location at Farringford in the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, Alfred's widowed mother Elizabeth moved into Chapel House.
Chapel House was bought in 1985 by Pete Townshend, and sold by his wife Karen Townshend in 2008 after the couple separated in the mid-nineties. The Townshends raised their children in the home, and Pete Townshend maintained a studio in the cottage on the property where he wrote and recorded songs. Townshend also filmed a music video for his album All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes
All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes
All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes is the third official solo album by English rock musician and songwriter Pete Townshend. It was produced by Chris Thomas and recorded by Bill Price at Eel Pie, A.I.R. and Wessex studios in London...
at the house.
Karen Townshend made slight modifications to the house, removing cloak closets to open up the home and adding modern appliances to the kitchen. The house was seriously damaged by a fire during refurbishment in 2005. Although there was little interior fire damage, the paneling and wattle-and-daub ceilings suffered water damage which required restoration.
Because of its historical significance, the house is commemorated by a Blue Plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
. The structure is listed as Grade II* by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
Other houses in the row
Joseph Skelton, an antiquarian and engraver, occupied Fotheringay House at No. 14, next door to Chapel House. Skelton published the Oxonia Antiqua Restaurata or Antiquities of Oxfordshire in 1823, containing over 170 engravings of scenes and buildings from OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
The poet and writer Walter de la Mare also occupied the row from 1940 until his death in 1956. After the death of his wife, the writer took a flat in the top two stories of South End House, Montpelier Row. De la Mare was officially reprimanded for failing to comply with the blackout during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and on one occasion, the police rowed across the river to warn that his upper windows were a beacon for the enemy.