"Alexander Pope bought a villa next to the Thames in Twickenham in 1719 and, at some point shortly afterwards, decided to dig a grotto underneath the house. Atmospheric grottos were a popular folly for the rich to build, but while most are little more than small shallow spaces, Pope dug a long tunnel and two rooms deep under his house."
"When visiting, there's a video to tell the history of the grotto ,and you're free to wander around for as long as you want. It's not huge, and maybe half an hour would be enough, but it's a remarkably atmospheric space to visit. Getting to Pope's Grotto Pope's Grotto is about a 10-15 minute walk from Strawberry Hill or Twickenham stations, both served by SWR trains. There's also a lot to see locally, so you can easily make a day of it."
Alexander Pope bought a villa on the Thames in Twickenham in 1719 and dug a long subterranean grotto and two deep rooms beneath the house in the 1720s. The house was later sold and demolished, but the grotto survived beneath what is now a school. The grotto opens to the public a few times a year, roughly twice a month on open days, with tickets released every few months. The first 2026 tickets covering February–March are available. Tickets cost £10 per adult and children enter free. Visitors view a history video and may explore the atmospheric space at leisure.
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