 In around 1815 a thatched "cottage" in the "cottage ornée" style of Horace Walpole's (1717–1797) Thames-side villa, Strawberry Hill, was built here by Captain James Spratt of the Royal Navy.Walpole built his villa at Twickenham in around 1747 and set a fashion for rural romantic Gothic-style retreats.A number were built by retired colonial administrators and military men who liked verandahs, spacious lawns and the sunny climes of Devon.