Guide to London's Thomas Caryle's House
When you are in West London a wonderful place to visit is Carlyle’s House. This famous writer was one of George Eliot’s favourites and he also influenced Ruskin and Dickens significantly and had a major impact on author Victorian authors. Today everyone can visit the home of Thomas Carlyle where he lived from 1834 to 1881. During this time frame many literary minds crossed the threshold including Browning and Tennyson. In fact, Thomas Carlyle was not the only literary mind to call the 1708 Queen Anne terraced house home. His wife Jane was actually a wonderful writer as well and she is now considered to have been one of the 19th century’s best women authors. So, when you visit this home you can feel an aura of great minds and can only imagine all the debates, conversations, and the like that took place in this historical home.
This particular shrine to Carlyle was opened in 1895 and you can see lots of the writer’s original belongings including his pictures, furniture, books, personal belongings, and other items like memorabilia and portraits his fans have left for him. The basic architectural features remain as they were when Carlyle inhabited the home however the way the home is decorated has been changed somewhat to what it might have looked like simply because so many years have passed. The garden has a nice little wall and once it is crossed you will find many literary associations abound in the streets close to Carlyle’s home. So, if you are a fan of Carlyle or are simply on a journey to learn a little more about the history of London’s literary circle then this is a wonderful place to visit. In fact, there are other homes you may visit in the area that were home to other famous writers.
If you hang out in the garden for a while you can check out the shrubs, plants, and flowers the Carlyles so loved although they aren’t the original plants. However, both writers detailed what types of plants they loved and how their garden appeared so recreating it in a similar fashion has not been so very difficult. In fact, in some of Jane’s letters she noted that she filled her garden with flowers to remind her of Scotland and that she even transplanted a nettle and a gooseberry plant in her garden. With these types of details one can see how easy it is to recreate the Carlyle’s garden!
If you are interested in checking out the home and beautiful garden it is located at 24 Cheyne Row, Chelsea, London SW3 5HL. The phone number you may call for more information is 020 7353 7087. The home is opened to visitors from the months of March to October on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 – 5 and on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 2-5. The home is also open BH Mondays 11-5 and the last admission is allowed until 30 minutes before closing time.
Admission is £4.50 per person and each child costs £2.30. A family may enter for £11.30. There are also guided tours that may be scheduled outside of the normal working hours. For NT members entrance is £1 and entrance for non-members is £5.50.
This is a great experience for school groups, families, or anyone who wants a cultural and historical experience. Booked school groups with a max of 15 students are welcome on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays between the hours of 10 and 1.
There is no parking on site so it is a good idea to take the tube or bus. There is some street parking nearby at pay and display meters but that is very limited and you may not find a parking space.
The home is located between Albert and Battersea Bridges off Chelsea Embankment. There is a NT sign on the corner of Cheyne Row. Or, take Kings Road and Oakly Street and look for the NT sign on the Upper Cheyne Row corner. Bus services include 11, 19, 22, 49, and 239.
