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From that room, you enter the inner hallway, which was built in 1876. The hallway walls are covered with wood and wallpaper. There is an entrance to the garden from the hallway and a stairway leading to the upper floor. Walking a bit further, on the left, you come upon Charles Darwin's study. Forgive, but I must dwell upon this for a moment!

His study is large and impressive. It is resplendent with science books, miscellaneous bottles, skeletons, and hand written notes.


This is a picture of the corner of his study. You can see his chair, lamp and a few of his books that are on the shelves. Near his desk is a center table that contains numerous bottles and some of his writings.

The picture at the bottom left shows a large window that opens up to the front of the house. The view from this window allows one to see the dirt road that passes in front of Down House. In this room is a fireplace, 2 tables, and a wall of book shelves. I took a close up picture of the bookshelves. That picture shows many copies of "On The Origin of Species".







And of course, here is yours truly, in Charles Darwin's study! Some of the background material on this page was taken from a booklet purchased at the Down House, called appropriately "Down House, The Home of Charles Darwin". From the booklet: "Perhaps the feature that most attracted Darwin to Down House was the 'capital study'. It was to provide a sanctuary for his work for most of the rest of his life.

The room faces north-east and is sheltered from direct sunlight except for a few shafts which may penetrate the windows in the early morning. Darwin always worked here from around 8 o'clock until half past nine when he would retire to the Drawing Room to listen to Emma reading the family letters or passages from a current novel.

Darwin's habit was to work sitting in the high-back arm chair which he had raised up on an iron frame fitted with wheels. Here he wrote On the Origin of Species and several of his other works. He would sit with his feet raised on a foot cushion and with a cloth-covered board across the two arms of the chair to serve as a writing surface. The chair is situated in the north corner of the room in front of one of the cupboards on which stands his multi-shelf files and small chest of drawers containing various papers, letters or books. Darwin fixed a small mirror to the outside of the building between the two windows so that if he looked up he could see any visitors approaching before they reached the front door."

Doug Lundberg

Video of the resting spot of Charles Darwin