Marble Hill in Twickenham is a riverside Georgian villa reborn

On the banks of the Thames in Twickenham stands an elegant white villa that offers a window into Georgian London. Marble Hill is described by English Heritage as "the last complete survivor of the elegant villas and gardens" that once lined the river between Richmond and Hampton Court.

The house was built between 1724 and 1729 for Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk, by the architect Roger Morris working with Lord Herbert, later the 9th Earl of Pembroke. Its neo Palladian design was based largely on Palladio's Villa Cornaro, and it is now Grade I listed. English Heritage took it on in 1986, and the house has been described as "one of the forgotten gems of Georgian London".

Marble Hill has been given a new lease of life in recent years. A National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, won in 2015, supported seven years of work, and the house and grounds reopened after restoration. Visitors can now see conserved Georgian interiors and displays about Henrietta Howard, while the 66 acre park has restored gardens, reinvigorated woods, a nine pin bowling alley and a playground.

It is a wonderful place for families. There is a family trail featuring Fop the dog, dressing up in Henrietta's dressing room and Georgian garden games, and the café has been refurbished. Marble Hill has also received a Platinum Green Impact Award.

This season's programme includes pumpkin hunts and painting on 28, 30 and 31 October, and a Halloween tour on 30 October. Christmas wreath making runs from 30 November to 3 December, and Father Christmas visits on weekends from 5 to 20 December.

Regular events include monthly landscape tours on the first Friday of each month, a weekly knitting group and a kitchen garden sale on Thursdays.

The park and café open daily, and the house opens from Wednesday to Sunday. Booking is not required, though booking online guarantees entry, and English Heritage members go free.

Marble Hill is on Richmond Road, Twickenham, TW1 2NL. For opening times and events, visit the English Heritage website.