Turner's villa 'at risk'
September 9 2013
Picture: Tate
Did you know that Turner was a frustrated architect? And that his only surviving building (for which the above drawing is a design by him) is in Twickenham, and is suffering from severe damp? I had no idea, and for some years I used to live near Twickenham. Behold my ignorance.
Anyway, news that the house - Sandycombe Lodge - has passed the first hurdle in its pursuit of a Heritage Lottery Grant (they need £2m to fix the place) leads me to this interesting website. I hope you'll visit it too. Looks like a good cause.
Update - Thomas Ward from the Soane Museum sends this fascinating note:
Interesting footnote about the villa. It was long speculated that John Soane had a hand in the design of the house
- some elements are unmistakeably Soanean. A sketch recently came to light at Sir John Soanes museum (where I work) which more or less confirms his involvement. Makes for a very interesting collaboration. It's a very odd building indeed.
Turner and Soane were close friends, they spent weekends at that house fishing and entertaining.
