Hogarth’s House

Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court


Home between 1749 and 1764 to artist and social commentator William Hogarth, this small house displays his caricatures and engravings, with such works as the haunting Gin Lane (and the less well-known, more affirmative Beer Street), Marriage-à-la-mode and copies of A Rake’s Progress and The Four Stages of Cruelty.

The low ceiling of the narrow staircase is a head-bumping reminder that the Sergeant Painter to the King was under 5ft tall at full stretch. The house was bombed by the Luftwaffe in 1940, but the artist's mulberry tree survived and still flourishes in the garden (which would be a quiet retreat were it not for the roaring dual carriageway beyond the wall), accompanied by daffodils in spring. Prints and postcards are available from the downstairs shop. At the time of writing, the grounds were closed for building works, but the house itself remains open.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Richmond, Kew & Hampton Court attractions

1. Chiswick House

0.21 MILES

Designed by the third Earl of Burlington (1694–1753) – fired up with passion for all things Roman after his grand tour of Italy – this stunner of a neo…

2. Fuller’s Griffin Brewery

0.22 MILES

If you’re a beer fiend, hop (excuse the pun) on a tour to see it being brewed up and join in a good-old tasting session (over-18s only). Informative one…

3. William Morris Society

0.9 MILES

Tucked away in the coach house and basement of Kelmscott House (William Morris' former home), this small riverside museum stages temporary exhibitions on…

4. Russian Orthodox Church

0.91 MILES

The star-speckled blue dome of this Russian Orthodox church, soaring above a quiet, residential street in Chiswick, is a slightly surreal reminder of the…

5. London Wetland Centre

1.19 MILES

One of Europe’s largest inland wetland projects, this 42-hectare centre run by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust was transformed from four Victorian…

6. Barnes Old Cemetery

1.4 MILES

When it comes to atmospheric graveyards in the capital, Highgate in north London tends to dominate the headlines. But venture to Barnes Common in…

7. Princess of Wales Conservatory

1.59 MILES

The angular Princess of Wales Conservatory in Kew Gardens houses plants in 10 different climatic zones – everything from a desert to a mangrove swamp…

8. Orangery

1.61 MILES

Designed by Sir William Chambers, this elegant Grade I listed plant house in Kew Gardens is home to a cafe.