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| === Downe House School === | === Downe House School === | ||
| A girls' ] was established at the house in 1907 by a Miss Olive Willis (1877- |
A girls' ] was established at the house in 1907 by a Miss Olive Willis (1877-1953)<!-- according to http://www.geocities.com/sharont3/May.html but how many Olive Willises were born in 1877 -->, but was moved away in ]. | ||
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Revision as of 10:08, 15 May 2004
Down House in Downe, Kent, now a suburb sixteen miles from London is the former home of the English naturalist Charles Darwin and his family. It was in the house that Darwin worked on his theories of evolution by natural selection. It is now a museum.
The Evolution of Down House
Down House was originally built as a farmhouse around 1650, and it was extended in 1778. Darwin, moved from London to the suburbs in the midst of labour riots, buying the house for £2,200 from the Rev. James Drummond, who had asked for £2,500. They moved in on the 14th September 1842. The Darwin family then consisted of Charles, his wife Emma and their children William Erasmus Darwin (b. 1839), Anne Darwin (b. 1841). Emma was heavily pregnant with Mary Eleanor Darwin, who was to be born on 23rd September but die less than a month later on 18th October.
The Darwins added to the house in various ways. On 24th March 1843, construction work started on a large bay window at the front of the house. A new drawing room was added in 1858, and at the same time an extension was added to the main entrance. The former drawing room was converted into a new dining room, and the old dining room became a billiard room. In 1872 a verandah was added to the side of the drawing room. In 1877, a new study, entrance hall and Georgian-style porch were added and old study where Darwin wrote The Origin was converted into a smoking room.
Charles Darwin died at the house in 19 April 1882, aged 73.
Downe House School
A girls' boarding school was established at the house in 1907 by a Miss Olive Willis (1877-1953), but was moved away in 1922.
Down House Today
Down House was acquired in 1996 by English Heritage, with a grant from the Wellcome Trust. It was restored with funds raised by the Natural History Museum from many trusts, and from a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is open to the public (see their website for opening times).
See also
- The Mount, Shrewsbury
- Historic houses in England
- English Heritage Properties in England
- Museums in England