Residents are being invited to embrace the darker side of local history this month as Strawberry Hill House hosts a special event to mark World Goth Day.

Taking place on Friday 22 May, the event celebrates the legacy of writer Horace Walpole, who created the house and is widely credited with founding the Gothic literary genre through his novel The Castle of Otranto.

Organisers say the day will give visitors the chance to experience Gothic culture as something "living, creative and immersive" in the very place where it began.

The house will be open from 10am to 4pm for general visits, with guests encouraged to dress in black or Gothic-inspired outfits while exploring the dramatic interiors.

Visitors will also be able to have vintage-style portraits taken by Teddington Tintype using a specially built camera, with images developed by hand and available on the day.

Two special guided tours will run alongside general admission, focusing on how Walpole transformed the villa into a theatrical setting that helped shape the Gothic tradition.

In the evening, the venue will reopen for a candlelit "After Dark" experience from 6pm to 8pm, featuring live harp music from Katie Sherratt inspired by artists including My Chemical Romance and Evanescence, as well as the films of Tim Burton.

Director David Gaimster said the event is a way of bringing Strawberry Hill's Gothic heritage to life for modern audiences.

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Tickets and further information are available via the Strawberry Hill House website here.

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