Following a careful restoration completed in 2023, Grade II*-listed Alexander Pope’s Grotto has been removed from Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register and is open to community use.

Described by the Telegraph as a ‘secret, subterranean marvel’, resurrecting Alexander Pope’s creative vision is a tale spanning decades of partnership and collaboration. A restoration project that completed in 2023 successfully removed the Grade II*-listed curiosity from the Historic England ‘Heritage at Risk’ register, opening it up to community use.

The folly is a mine of stones, shells, minerals and metals devised by the Enlightenment Era poet and satirist Alexander Pope. It was built around 1725 to connect Pope’s garden to the new villa he built in 1720 (demolished in 1808) and as an expression of his imagination. It is considered one of the most significant buildings of the English Landscape Garden Movement and is described by English Heritage as ‘of outstanding national importance’.

The challenge was to overcome centuries of deterioration and inappropriate repairs. Works consisted of consolidating and stabilising the rendering that holds together precious and semiprecious stones to the brick substrate as well as the gentle cleaning of stone surfaces.

Removing cementitious materials helped to uncover a variety of historic features, such as a an historic brick floor, a brick arch in the central chamber, a lead pipe indicating a water route and corbels hidden under modern pebble dash.

Interpretation was a key aspect of the project. Visitors can now enjoy atmospheric lighting, which was achieved with achieved with LED candle fittings with Georgian silver backing that reflects the light in an ambient manner. It aims to mimic how the grotto might have been illuminated in the 18th century – and how Pope himself might have seen it. Alongside this an interactive digital reconstruction of the villa and garden has been installed in the lobby, recreating historic views.

"Alexander Pope’s genius and humanity is world renowned, and to have been able to help bring his mysterious and highly personal Grotto from dilapidation to the sparkling interior we see today has been a privilege. It has taken thirteen years of work by Pope’s Grotto Preservation Trust supported by its owners, Radnor House School, but the involvement of Donald Insall Associates goes back much further. Theirs was the research on which we slowly built our case for funding, and Sir Donald’s stalwart support was crucial to the confidence and perseverance that was needed to see it through. We were helped greatly by the commitment of architect Ayaka Takaki, by representatives of Historic England and Richmond’s Conservation Officer, as well as by the extraordinary generosity of Professor Paul Richens who donated several years of work designing a virtual reconstruction of Pope’s Twickenham and gardens that has enriched the experience of virtual and physical visitors. We are very grateful to the NHLF and Arts Council and many smaller Trusts for their funding, for the work of exemplary Project Manager Victoria Northwood who saw the project through, and to our partner organisations in Twickenham and to the many volunteers who have encouraged and supported ’The Genius of the Place’ to become a reality.”
— Angela Kidner, Trustee of Pope's Grotto Preservation Trust