English Heritage

1843House Improvements

Darwin starts work on improving the 'old and ugly' house, adding a full-height bay and dropping the lane down in front of the house for greater privacy.

1843-56Growing Family

Emma has ten children, the last at the age of 48. Darwin's health declines.

1850Tragedy

The Darwins' eldest daughter, Annie, dies, probably from tuberculosis.

1850sBotanical Experiments

Darwin takes over a corner of the kitchen garden for his ‘experimental beds’, where his investigations into plant evolution lead to key discoveries.

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1858Year of Upheaval

With Charles Lyell, Darwin submits a paper on natural selection to the Linnaean Society. His youngest child, Charles Waring, dies from scarlet fever. The house undergoes extensive construction.

1859Natural Selection

Darwin completes and publishes On the Origin of Species, providing an explanation for the 'preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life'.

1860A Year of Debate

While the world reacts fiercely to Darwin's theories, he remains at Down House, now transformed into a self-sufficient country retreat. It has comfortable rooms, a kitchen garden, greenhouses and an orchard.

1861-8Survival of the Fittest

Darwin becomes increasingly ill. He publishes The Variation of Animals and Plants under Domestication, which uses the phrase 'survival of the fittest'.

1871-6Publications and Renovations

Darwin publishes extensively, including The Descent of Man. A two-storey wing and glass-roofed veranda are added to the house, nearly doubling its size.

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1882Darwin's Death

Darwin dies from an angina attack. The family permits him to be buried at Westminster Abbey. The funeral is attended by many distinguished guests.

1896-1921A Place for Learning

Emma dies at Down. The house later becomes Downe School for Girls. Another school eventually takes its place but then closes. Down House is left empty.

1927-9Darwinian Restoration

Eminent surgeon Sir George Browne buys Down. He restores it, with the help of Leonard Darwin's photographs and memories, and opens it to the public.

1929-83Resident Caretakers

Curators take up residence at Down on behalf of the Royal College of Surgeons. There are major repairs. Responsibility eventually passes to the Natural History Museum.

1996-PresentRestored to Darwin's Designs

English Heritage buys Down House. Structural repairs are carried out, rooms recreated and an exhibition added interpreting Darwin's thoughts as a naturalist. The gardens are also restored.

See highlights from the collection at Down House