Marble Hill House is a Neo-Palladian villa located in Twickenham, London.
Built between 1724 and 1729, it was designed by the architect Roger Morris in collaboration with Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke.
The house was inspired by Andrea Palladio's Villa Cornaro in Italy and became a model for Georgian English villas and plantation houses in the American colonies.
The estate is set within 66 acres of parkland known as Marble Hill Park, offering scenic views along the River Thames.
The house was originally built for Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk, who was the mistress of King George II.
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| Henrietta Howard |
She lived there until her death, and the property became known for its association with literary and artistic figures of the time, including Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift. Marble Hill House was located near Kendal House, another Palladian property built for Melusine von der Schulenburg, Duchess of Kendal, the long-term lover of King George I.
Over the years, the estate changed ownership and eventually came under the care of the London County Council in 1903, making it the first eighteenth-century house in England to be preserved by a public body. Restoration efforts began in 1965 under the Greater London Council, and after its dissolution, the freehold of the house and estate passed to English Heritage, which continues to maintain the property today.
Some photos from inside.
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| Dining room Marble Hill house 2025 Geoffrey Sutton |
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| Bedroom of Henrietta’s second husband |
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| Breakfast room Marble Hill |
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| Original screen ordered by Henrietta from China |
King George II did not have children with Henrietta Howard. Although she was his long-term mistress, their relationship did not result in any offspring. Henrietta had one son, Henry Howard, 10th Earl of Suffolk, from her marriage to Charles Howard, 9th Earl of Suffolk. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrietta_Howard,_Countess_of_Suffolk?
Their marriage was reportedly unhappy, and she later became the mistress of George II while serving as a Lady of the Bedchamber to his wife, Queen Caroline. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/
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I left Marble house and walked toward the ferry to cross the Thames to the impressive Ham House built in 1610.
Reference
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/marble-hill/?
Post Author
Geoffrey W. Sutton has a PhD in psychology and writes about psychology and culture.
Website: https://www.suttong.com/
Amazon Author: https://author.amazon.com/home
ResearchGate page: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Geoffrey-Sutton-2
Academia Page: https://evangel.academia.edu/GeoffSutton
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