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35 THE View

Writer's picture: Dave GobleDave Goble

Updated: Feb 25, 2024

Looking south-west from Richmond Hill as the River Thames snakes off into the distance. Beautiful. But very different to what some excellent paintings show us from over 250 years ago.



Artists have been attracted to this elevated position looking over the only English landscape view protected by an Act of Parliament since the late 17th Century. Their paintings offer a record of changes to the landscape, notably the growth of trees and the introduction of new buildings such as Marble Hill House and Orleans House (they’re in there somewhere!)


To catch a view of said buildings from here I expect you’d find a time machine helpful. Failing that, your prospects may improve in autumn and winter.


Same view, albeit with younger trees and Orleans House still in existence, by Antonio Joli, c.1750


Marble Hill House, built in the 1720s and home to Henrietta Howard at the time, is clearly visible in Joli’s painting, set across the river to the right of the canvas. The large building to the left of Marble Hill House, with a distinctive octagonal pavilion, was home to MP George Pitt, and has been known since 1815 as Orleans House after its famous resident Louis Philippe, duc d’Orleans (1773–1850). In the distance lies the village of Twickenham.


In the early 20th Century when suburban development threatened Marble Hill House it was prevented by a strong campaign centred on preserving this celebrated viewpoint.


See Marble Hill House (Post 92), and Orleans House (Post 64) for more.


I feel another blue plaque coming on tomorrow.


The red arrow shows where the photograph was taken, and the direction of the shot

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