Audio: Thomas Barrett's Study at Lee Priory
Museum number W.48:1-1953
This small room was closet or 'study', designed for Thomas Barrett (1744-1803). He was a keen collector and antiquarian who remodelled his house in the Gothic style, inspired by a friend, the collector Horace Walpole (1717-1797) and his house, Strawberry Hill, at Twickenham.
The room is now furnished with ebony and lacquer furniture from Asia. In the 1870's such ebony furniture was wrongly thought to be British and to date form the 16th century.
Listen below to hear what Horace Walpole thought about Lee Priory.
A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
MoreShop online
Thomas Hope: Designer and Patron in Regency London (Hardcover)
The son of the wealthiest merchant bankers in Europe, Thomas Hope (1769-1831) was a major catalyst in the arts of Regency England. At the age of 18, h…
Buy nowEvent - The Handmade Tube
Thu 12 December 2013 14:00
STUDY DAY: Enjoy a rare opportunity to visit the V&A's new Clothworkers' Centre for Textiles, Fashion Study and Conservation to examine London Underground fabrics and designs.
Book online
