The Wick
Encyclopedia
The Wick is a house in Richmond, Greater London
, located at the corner of Nightingale Lane and Richmond Hill
in Surrey
. The house was at one time owned by actor Sir John Mills who used it as his family home for many years. Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones
bought the house from Mills. The house is currently owned by principal songwriter and musician Pete Townshend
of The Who
.
, the largest urban park in the United Kingdom
. The house is built of plum brick and stone. It was designed by architect Robert Mylne
in 1775 on the site of the Bull's Head Tavern for Lady St. Aubyn, and includes oval dining and drawing rooms, three storeys and a basement with modillion cornice
and balustrading above. The porch is built with entablature and Tower of the Winds piers with a fanlight above, and a line of medallions embellishes the front of the house. It faces Richmond Hill and features a garden wall that borders Nightingale Lane, with a coach house in the garden. The back of the house features bow windows that overlook the river.
The Wick and Wick Cottage are listed as Grade I structures by English Heritage
.
was part of the Royal Manor of Richmond since Domesday
. Richmond Park
was enclosed by King Charles I
around 1635. The countryside was mostly agricultural land in the early 18th century, but Terrace Walk was laid out at the top of Richmond Hill in the later 18th century, followed by construction of a number of fine homes including The Wick on the hill.
The sound of the wind around the house reportedly inspired Mary Hayley Bell
, actress, writer and wife of Sir John Mills, to write the novel Whistle Down The Wind which was made into both a film and an Andrew Lloyd Webber
musical.
The guitarist of the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards
, reportedly lived in the coach house for several months during 1973-1974 when Ronnie Wood owned the home. Wood recorded his first solo album I've Got My Own Album to Do
, released in 1974, in a studio he built in the basement of the house. The Rolling Stones song, "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)," also released in 1974, was written at the house, emerging out of a jam between Keith Richards and Mick Jagger
, who both appeared on Wood's album. Pete Townshend
bought the house from Ronnie Wood in the late 1970s.
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
, located at the corner of Nightingale Lane and Richmond Hill
Richmond Hill
-Canada:* Richmond Hill, Ontario** Richmond Hill GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the town** Richmond Hill -New Zealand:* Richmond Hill, Christchurch, Canterbury, a suburb of Christchurch on the Banks Peninsula...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. The house was at one time owned by actor Sir John Mills who used it as his family home for many years. Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
bought the house from Mills. The house is currently owned by principal songwriter and musician Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
.
Description
The Georgian-style house overlooks the Thames River and is near Richmond ParkRichmond Park
Richmond Park is a 2,360 acre park within London. It is the largest of the Royal Parks in London and Britain's second largest urban walled park after Sutton Park, Birmingham. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen...
, the largest urban park in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The house is built of plum brick and stone. It was designed by architect Robert Mylne
Robert Mylne
Robert Mylne was a Scottish architect and civil engineer, particularly remembered for his design for Blackfriars Bridge in London. Born and raised in Edinburgh, he travelled to Europe as a young man, studying architecture in Rome under Piranesi...
in 1775 on the site of the Bull's Head Tavern for Lady St. Aubyn, and includes oval dining and drawing rooms, three storeys and a basement with modillion cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
and balustrading above. The porch is built with entablature and Tower of the Winds piers with a fanlight above, and a line of medallions embellishes the front of the house. It faces Richmond Hill and features a garden wall that borders Nightingale Lane, with a coach house in the garden. The back of the house features bow windows that overlook the river.
The Wick and Wick Cottage are listed as Grade I structures by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
History
Richmond HillRichmond Hill, London
Richmond Hill in Richmond, London is a hill that rises gently on its northern side from the ancient Thames meadowlands around the site of Richmond Palace up to and slightly beyond the Richmond Gate entrance to Richmond Park, the former royal hunting grounds enclosed by Charles I...
was part of the Royal Manor of Richmond since Domesday
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. Richmond Park
Richmond Park
Richmond Park is a 2,360 acre park within London. It is the largest of the Royal Parks in London and Britain's second largest urban walled park after Sutton Park, Birmingham. It is close to Richmond, Ham, Kingston upon Thames, Wimbledon, Roehampton and East Sheen...
was enclosed by King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
around 1635. The countryside was mostly agricultural land in the early 18th century, but Terrace Walk was laid out at the top of Richmond Hill in the later 18th century, followed by construction of a number of fine homes including The Wick on the hill.
The sound of the wind around the house reportedly inspired Mary Hayley Bell
Mary Hayley Bell
Mary Hayley Bell, Lady Mills was an English actress, writer and dramatist.Mary Hayley Bell was born in Shanghai, China, where her father served in the Chinese Maritime Customs Service, and the family later moved to Tianjin . It was there that she first met John Mills, although exactly when is not...
, actress, writer and wife of Sir John Mills, to write the novel Whistle Down The Wind which was made into both a film and an Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
musical.
The guitarist of the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards
Keith Richards
Keith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, reportedly lived in the coach house for several months during 1973-1974 when Ronnie Wood owned the home. Wood recorded his first solo album I've Got My Own Album to Do
I've Got My Own Album to Do
I've Got My Own Album to Do is the first solo album of Ronnie Wood. It reached #27 on UK's New Musical Express chart. The title was a dig at Rod Stewart as he was more focused with his solo albums than with The Faces.-Track listing:...
, released in 1974, in a studio he built in the basement of the house. The Rolling Stones song, "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll (But I Like It)," also released in 1974, was written at the house, emerging out of a jam between Keith Richards and Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Sir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, who both appeared on Wood's album. Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend
Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" Townshend is an English rock guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and author, known principally as the guitarist and songwriter for the rock group The Who, as well as for his own solo career...
bought the house from Ronnie Wood in the late 1970s.