A £2 million appeal has been launched to restore J. M. W. Turner’s Twickenham home where he fished and sketched along the banks of the Thames. Sandycombe Lodge, a pretty Regency villa designed by the artist as a country residence for himself and his elderly father and completed 200 years ago, is now on English Heritage’s Buildings at Risk Register.
It’s in a sad state of decay and urgently needs restoration after last year’s heavy rainfall; conservation of the stair light alone could cost £10,000. The Heritage Lottery Fund has awarded the house’s trustees a first-round pass for seeking funding and a development grant of £134,000. ‘We shall now be in a position to seek the expertise of specialist conservationists,’ explains Catherine Parry-Wingfield, chairman of Turner’s House Trust.
‘Turner’s own choice of wall colours may emerge from paint analysis, which would be extremely valuable.’ The plan is to restore the house to its original design and open it to the public. To donate to the appeal, visit www.turnerintwickenham.org.uk
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