Alexander
Pope purchased his house at Twickenham in 1715, moving there with his
parents the same year. He effected many improvements, paying particular
attention to the grounds and gardens, which were his delight. The major
portion of the gardens lay over the main road between Twickenham and
Teddington, and Pope caused a subterranean passage to be built beneath
the road that he might the easier communicate between the two portions
of his garden. He ornamented the sides of the tunnel with "curious
spars and gems, forming it into a grotto".
Pope
died in his house on 30th May 1744. The house then passed to Sir William
Stanhope, who enlarged it yet further. Later owners were careful to
preserve as much of the house and gardens as possible in memory of Pope
until in 1807 Baroness Howe purchased the property and had it completely
demolished. As J Norris Brewer commentated, "It is difficult to
conceive what could be her ladyship's motive for this act of entire
destruction, except the temptation offered by the value of the bricks
and timber, the whole of which might, perhaps, at a good market, produce
some five and forty pounds." (The £45, of course, being only
a minute fraction of the value of the house and gardens as a whole.)
