Printed admission ticket to Strawberry Hill

Horace Walpole had his own press at Strawberry Hill from 1757. The first book to be printed was two odes by his school friend Thomas Gray. In 1774 the press produced Walpole's own account of the house, entitled A Description of the Villa of Mr Horace Walpole at Stawberry Hill. In the same year an abbreviated version was printed for the use of his servants in showing visitors round. Ten years later far too many people were interested. He described himself in 1787 as being 'tormented by visitors'.