About the talk
Alexander Pope’s Grotto is the last remaining part of his famous villa and gardens which he built in 1720 on the banks of the Thames at Twickenham. A mine of minerals gathered from all parts of the world, it is loaded with significance for British culture and for the birth of the English Landscape Garden Movement. For decades it was sadly neglected until serious efforts to preserve the grotto and to make it accessible to future generations began in the 1990s. In March 2024, it was finally reopened to the public. Two Trustees of Pope’s Grotto Preservation Trust, in discussion with Professor Judith Hawley, trace the story of this most unusual project and unveil a special birthday present.
About the speaker
Judith Hawley, Angela Kidner and Robert Youngs are Trustees of both the London Luminaries and Pope’s Grotto Preservation Trust.
Judith Hawley is Professor Emerita of Eighteenth-Century Literature in the Department of English, Royal Holloway, University of London. She has published on various topics in eighteenth century literature. Her Satire: A Very Short Introduction (OUP) will be published on November 2026. She has made numerous appearances on radio and TV and is a frequent contributor to In Our Time (BBC Radio 4).
Angela Kidner is a Designer of Interiors for contemporary and heritage buildings, a lecturer in 3D Design and a Heritage Consultant. She was formerly Chair and Projects Manager of the Environment Trust for Richmond-upon-Thames and is a Trustee of West Horsley Place In Surrey She has led the fundraising for Alexander Pope’s Grotto from 2014 to the present.
Robert Youngs worked for more than 40 years in the IT industry as a systems engineer, IT architect and as a consultant. He was treasurer and chair of the Twickenham Museum and is currently treasurer of Pope’s Grotto Preservation Trust.
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