A £4.6m grant has been awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to secure the future of a Gothic castle created by Horace Walpole in the 18th century. Strawberry Hill, called the ‘little castle’ is located in London along the Thames between Chiswick and Hampton.

It will also receive £370,000 of development funding to help finance a planned £8.2m restoration project.

The property, which is Grade I listed, inspired designs for the Palace of Westminster more than 100 years later and is regarded as one of the most important buildings of the early gothic revival in the UK.

HLF director, Carole Souter said: “The importance of Strawberry Hill to our architectural heritage cannot be over-emphasised. Without this project, its future was looking extremely bleak.” Details: www.hlf.org.uk