History of Douglas House

Douglas House, Lower Petersham Road, Richmond, Surrey. Built in 1680 for Lord Carlton on the land of the old manor house of the Cole family who had given up their property in Petersham Park to Charles l. when he was creating his new Richmond Park. It is an attractive brick building with fine stables (1690) set at right angles on the east side and an unusual semicircular front wall with wooden rails. The house has a steep sloping roof and a pediment in the centre of the window aspect.

In 1725 it was inherited by Kitty Hyde, wife of Charles Douglas, 3rd. Duke of Queensberry. The Duchess became famous as a patron of writers and in particular of John Gay, whom she virtually adopted. He wrote many of his plays and poems here using her summerhouse as his study. Later in the Century the house was enlarged by her nieces who continued in her tradition by having the Berry sisters and Walter Scott as friends. In 1969 Douglas House was bought by the Federal Republic Of Germany for use as a German School. New buildings for 600 pupils were erected in the grounds, but the originalhouse and stables are intact and will be preserved.