Horace Walpole Collected editions

Horace Walpole (1717 – 1797) was an English writer, art historian, and politician whose 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto is widely regarded as the first Gothic novel. Combining medieval settings, supernatural elements, and themes of love and betrayal, Walpole established many of the conventions that would define the genre.

A man of eclectic interests, Walpole built the Gothic Revival mansion Strawberry Hill, which became a physical embodiment of his artistic vision. His fascination with architecture, antiquarianism, and the theatrical shaped both his life and his literature.

Through The Castle of Otranto, Horace Walpole introduced a literary style that continues to influence writers, filmmakers, and readers drawn to the blend of romance and the uncanny.