Carlyle House - London

Intro to Thomas Carlyle, Scottish author who lived in London.
Audio: 7:15 minutes

Frommer's Review

From 1834 to 1881, Thomas Carlyle, author of The French Revolution, and Jane Baillie Welsh Carlyle, his noted letter-writing wife, resided in this modest 1708 terraced house. Furnished essentially as it was in Carlyle's day, the house is located about half a block from the Thames, near the Chelsea Embankment, along King's Road. It was described by his wife as being "of most antique physiognomy, quite to our humour; all wainscoted, carved, and queer-looking, roomy, substantial, commodious, with closets to satisfy any Bluebeard." The second floor contains Mrs. Carlyle's drawing room, but the most interesting chamber is the not-so-soundproof "soundproof" study in the skylit attic. Filled with Carlyle memorabilia -- his books, a letter from Disraeli, personal effects, a writing chair, even his death mask -- this is where the author did his work.