Chapel House, Twickenham

House at 15 Montpelier Row, Twickenham, London

15, Montpelier Row, Twickenham

Former names| Chapel House; Tennyson House; Holyrood House
General information
Type| Three-storey house
Architectural style| Early Georgian style
Location| Twickenham, London, England
Construction started| c. 1721 (c. 1721)
Client| Retired naval officer Captain John Gray
Technical details
Material| Brick

Listed Building – Grade II*

Official name| Fotheringay House Tennyson House
Designated| 2 September 1952
Reference no.| 1285639

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.[1] It was occupied at one time by Alfred 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 musician Pete Townshend, principal songwriter of The Who.

## Description

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Chapel House is a three-storey brick house in early Georgian style, built in about 1721 for retired naval officer Captain John Gray. It takes its name from the private Montpelier Chapel built for Gray in about 1727. The chapel building was demolished after collapsing in 1941.[2] The row features red window dressing and variations in doorways. The interior of No. 15 includes pine-panelled rooms and two carved wooden staircases. It has five thousand square feet of living space in the main house and a 150-foot (46 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.[3][4]

## History

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Tennyson plaque at 15 Montpelier Row

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!"[5]

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.[6] 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.[1]

Chapel House was bought in 1985[7] by Pete Townshend, and sold by his wife Karen Townshend in 2008 after the couple separated in the mid-1990s. 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.[8] 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 panelling and wattle-and-daub ceilings suffered water damage which required restoration.[3]

Because of its historical significance, Tennyson's residence at the house is commemorated by a blue plaque.[1] The building is listed as Grade II* by Historic England.[9]

## Other houses in the row

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Joseph Skelton (1783–1871), 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 Oxford.[10]

The poet and writer Walter de la Mare (1873–1956) also occupied a house in 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.[6]

## References

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1. ^ a b c "Alfred Lord Tennyson Comes to live in Montpelier Row". The Twickenham Museum. Archived from the original on 16 March 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
2. ^ "Twickenham: Churches Pages 157-161 A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3, Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington". British History Online. Victoria County History, 1962. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
3. ^ a b Millard, Rosie (24 August 2008). "Pete Townshend's old London home is for sale". The Times. Retrieved 10 June 2010.[dead link‍]
4. ^ "Tennyson House" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
5. ^ Lang & Shannon (ed.), The Letters of Alfred Lord Tennyson, vol. 2. Oxford: Clarendon, 1987, quoted from Telling Trails, Twickenham.
6. ^ a b "Telling Trails, Twickenham". Terri McCargar. 14 September 2008. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
7. ^ Slade, Jane (7 July 2010). "Pete Townshend's palace fit for a king (of rock)". Retrieved 25 October 2011.
8. ^ Miller, Compton. "Pete's house goes to another generation". Homes and Property. Archived from the original on 9 December 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
9. ^ Historic England (2 September 1952). "Fotheringay House Tennyson House (1285639)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
10. ^ Skelton, Joseph (1823). Skelton's engraved illustrations of ... Oxfordshire. Retrieved 28 October 2011.

## External links

[edit]

* Interior photos and floor plans of Chapel House
* Music video for All the Best Cowboys have Chinese Eyes filmed at Chapel House

* v
* t
* e

Pete Townshend

Discography

Studio albums|

* Who Came First
* Rough Mix (w/ Ronnie Lane)
* Empty Glass
* All the Best Cowboys Have Chinese Eyes
* White City: A Novel
* The Iron Man: A Musical
* Psychoderelict

Live albums|

* Deep End Live! (w/ Deep End)
* A Benefit for Maryville Academy
* Live: The Empire
* Live: Sadler's Wells
* Live: The Fillmore
* The Oceanic Concerts (w/ Raphael Rudd)
* Live: La Jolla Playhouse 2001
* Pete Townshend Live BAM 1993
* Live: Brixton Academy '85

Compilations|

* Scoop
* Another Scoop
* The Best of Pete Townshend
* Scoop 3
* Scooped
* Jai Baba
* Lifehouse Chronicles
* Lifehouse Elements
* Anthology
* Truancy: The Very Best of Pete Townshend

Singles|

* "Rough Boys"
* "Let My Love Open the Door"
* "A Little Is Enough"
* "Keep On Working"
* "Face Dances, Pt. 2"
* "Face the Face"
* "Give Blood"
* "English Boy"

Other songs|

* "Somebody Saved Me"
* "Slit Skirts"
* "White City Fighting"
* "Fire"

DVDs|

* Lifehouse Chronicles (video)
* Live In New York Feat. Psychoderelict
* O' Parvardigar

Related articles|

* Peter Meaden
* The Who
* Deep End
* Happy Birthday
* I Am
* With Love
* O' Parvardigar
* Tommy (1975 film)
* The Who's Tommy
* Tommy (soundtrack)
* Quadrophenia (film)
* Horse's Neck
* The Boy Who Heard Music
* The Lifehouse Method
* Who I Am
* Classic Quadrophenia
* Eel Pie Publishing
* Eel Pie Studios
* Double O
* Cliff Townshend
* Emma Townshend
* Simon Townshend
* The Wick
* Ashdown House, Oxfordshire
* The Boathouse, Twickenham
* Chapel House, Twickenham

* v
* t
* e

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson

Early poetry|

* Poems, Chiefly Lyrical (1830)
* "The Deserted House"
* "The Kraken"
* "The Lady of Shalott"
* "The Lotos-Eaters"
* "Mariana"
* "Oenone"
* "Mariana in the South"
* The Miller's Daughter
* "Claribel"
* "The Ballad of Oriana"

Poetry|

* "Break, Break, Break"
* "The Charge of the Light Brigade"
* "The Day-Dream"
* "A Dream of Fair Women"
* "Godiva"
* "St. Agnes"
* Lady Clare
* Idylls of the King
* "In Memoriam A.H.H."
* "Lady Clara Vere de Vere"
* "Locksley Hall"
* "Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal"
* Poems (1842)
* "The Palace of Art"
* The Princess
* "Sir Galahad"
* "St. Simeon Stylites"
* "Sweet and Low"
* "Tears, Idle Tears"
* "The Two Voices"
* "Ulysses"

Late poetry|

* "Crossing the Bar"
* "The Eagle"
* Enoch Arden
* "Flower in the Crannied Wall"
* "The Higher Pantheism"
* Maud
* "Ring Out, Wild Bells"
* "Tithonus"

Other works|

* The Foresters (play)
* The Window (song cycle)

Related|

* Chapel House, Twickenham
* Farringford House
* Tennyson Down
* Blackdown, West Sussex

People|

* Emily Tennyson (wife)
* Hallam Tennyson (son)
* Lionel Tennyson (grandson)
* Charles Tennyson (grandson)
* Emilia Tennyson (sister)
* Charles Tennyson Turner (brother)
* Frederick Tennyson (brother)
* Arthur Hallam (friend)

* v
* t
* e

London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Districts|

* Barnes
* East Sheen
* Fulwell
* Ham
* Hampton
* Hampton Hill
* Hampton Wick
* Kew
* Mortlake
* Petersham
* Richmond
* St Margarets
* Strawberry Hill
* Teddington
* Twickenham
* Whitton

Railway stations|

* Barnes
* Barnes Bridge
* Fulwell
* Hampton
* Hampton Wick
* Kew Gardens
* Mortlake
* North Sheen
* Richmond
* St Margarets
* Strawberry Hill
* Teddington
* Twickenham
* Whitton

Streets and roads|

* A205 road (South Circular Road)
* A307 road
* A308 road
* A309 road
* A316 road
* Barnes High Street
* Castelnau, Barnes
* Church Road, Barnes
* George Street, Richmond
* Kew Green
* Mill Hill, Barnes
* Mortlake High Street
* Old Palace Lane
* Old Palace Yard
* Queen's Road
* Ringway 2
* The Green, Richmond
* The Terrace, Barnes
* The Vineyard, Richmond

River Thames bridges, islands
and river services|

* Bridges
* Ash Island
* Benn's Island
* Corporation Island
* Eel Pie Island
* Glover's Island
* Platt's Eyot
* Swan Island
* Tagg's Island
* Trowlock Island
* Hammerton's Ferry
* Hampton Ferry
* Kew Pier
* Richmond Lock
* Teddington Lifeboat Station
* Teddington Lock
* former Twickenham Ferry

Other rivers and streams|

* Beverley Brook
* River Crane
* Duke of Northumberland's River
* Longford River
* Sudbrook and Latchmere stream
* River Thames

Sports venues|

* Athletic Ground, Richmond
* Barn Elms playing fields
* The Championship Course
* Cricket clubs and grounds
* Golf clubs and courses
* Hampton Pool
* The Lensbury
* Pools on the Park
* Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court
* Teddington Pools and Fitness Centre
* Thames Young Mariners
* Twickenham Stadium
* Twickenham Stoop
* former Ranelagh Club
* former Richmond Ice Rink

Events|

* Annual sports events
* Hampton Court Garden Festival
* Hampton Court Palace Festival

Breweries and pubs|

* Britannia, Richmond
* The Bull's Head, Barnes
* The Crown, Twickenham
* Dysart Arms, Petersham
* The Fox, Twickenham
* The George, Twickenham
* Hare and Hounds, East Sheen
* Jolly Coopers, Hampton
* Old Ship, Richmond
* Park Hotel, Teddington
* Richmond Brewery Stores
* Sun Inn, Barnes
* Twickenham Fine Ales
* Watney Combe & Reid
* White Cross, Richmond
* The White Swan, Twickenham

Theatres, cinemas
and music venues|

* The Bull's Head
* Crawdaddy Club
* The Exchange
* Olympic Studios
* Orange Tree Theatre
* OSO Arts Centre
* Puppet Theatre Barge
* Richmond Theatre
* TwickFolk
* Wathen Hall
* former Eel Pie Island Hotel
* former Richmond Theatre (1765–1884)

Film and recording studios|

* Astoria
* The Boathouse, Twickenham
* Eel Pie Studios
* Olympic Studios
* Twickenham Studios
* former Teddington Studios

Media and publishing|

* Richmond and Twickenham Times
* former Gaydar Radio
* former Hogarth Press

Public art|

* Public art
* Diana Fountain, Bushy Park
* King's Beasts, Hampton Court Palace
* The Naked Ladies
* Pope's Urn
* The Queen's Beasts

Historical royal palaces|

* Hampton Court Palace
* Hampton Court astronomical clock
* Hampton Court Maze
* Kew Palace
* Richmond Palace

Other places
of interest|

* 123 Mortlake High Street
* 14 The Terrace, Barnes
* 18 Station Road, Barnes
* 70 Barnes High Street
* Asgill House
* Barnes power station
* Brinsworth House
* Bushy House
* Cambridge Cottage
* Chapel House
* Chapel in the Wood
* Clarence House
* Doughty House
* Douglas House
* Downe House
* East Sheen Filling Station
* Fulwell bus garage
* Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare
* Garrick's Villa
* Great Pagoda, Kew Gardens
* Grove Gardens Chapel
* Grove House, Hampton
* Halford House
* Ham House
* Hampton Water Treatment Works
* Hampton Youth Project
* Harrods Furniture Depository
* Hogarth House
* The Homestead
* Hotham House
* Kew Gardens
* Kew Mortuary
* King's Observatory
* Kneller Hall
* Langham House
* Langham House Close
* Latchmere House
* Lichfield Court
* Marble Hill House
* Montrose House
* National Physical Laboratory
* Normansfield Theatre
* The Old Court House
* Old Town Hall, Richmond
* Ormeley Lodge
* Parkleys
* Park Lane Stables Teddington
* The Pavilion
* Pembroke Lodge
* Pope's Grotto
* Poppy Factory
* Royal Military School of Music
* Royal Star and Garter Home, Richmond
* St Leonard's Court
* Strawberry Hill House
* Stud House
* Sudbrook House and Park
* Thatched House Lodge
* Trumpeters' House
* University Boat Race Stones
* Victoria Working Men's Club
* West Hall
* White Lodge
* The Wick
* Wick House
* Yelverton Lodge
* York House
* former Admiralty Research Laboratory
* former Alcott House
* former Camp Griffiss
* former Cardigan House
* former Cross Deep House
* former The Karsino
* former Mortlake Tapestry Works
* former Mount Ararat
* former Pope's villa
* former Radnor House
* former Richmond House
* former Richmond Lodge
* former Richmond Theological College
* former Sheen Priory
* former Star and Garter Hotel
* former Twickenham Park

Tragedy and disaster|

* Barnes child murder
* Barnes rail crash
* Ham bank murder
* Murder of Amélie Delagrange
* Murder of Julia Martha Thomas
* Richmond child murder
* Towpath murders

Other history topics|

* Adana Printing Machines
* Ashe baronets
* Cook baronets of Doughty House
* Darell baronets, of Richmond Hill
* GHQ Liaison Regiment (Phantom)
* Hampton Court Conference (1604)
* Kew Letters (1795)
* Petersham Hole
* Pocock baronets
* Richmond Flyers
* Richmond, Petersham and Ham Open Spaces Act 1902
* Treaty of Hampton Court (1562)
* Vandeput baronets
* Warren-Lambert Engineering
* Wigan baronets

Parliamentary constituencies|

* Richmond Park
* Twickenham
* former Richmond and Barnes
* former Richmond (Surrey)

Other topics|

* Almshouses
* Archives, museums and art galleries
* Cemeteries, crematoria and memorials
* Churches
* Synagogue
* Grade I listed buildings
* Grade II* listed buildings
* Hospitals
* Local government
* Local council elections
* People
* Schools, colleges and universities
* Sports clubs

Parks, open spaces and nature reserves in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

51°27′02″N 0°19′03″W﻿ / ﻿51.450631°N 0.317402°W﻿ / 51.450631; -0.317402
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