{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Spade House | image = Spade House (1).jpg | caption = | type = Country house | locmapin = Kent | map_relief = yes | coordinates = {{coord|51.0747 |1.1525|display=inline,title}} | location = Sandgate, Kent | area = | built = 1899-1903 | architect = C. F. A. Voysey | architecture = Arts & Crafts | governing_body = Privately owned | designation1 = Grade II* | designation1_offname = Spade House | designation1_date = 11 March 1975 | designation1_number = 1061164 }} '''Spade House''', (now Wells House), is a large mansion overlooking Sandgate, near Folkestone, in southeast England. It was the home of the science fiction writer H. G. Wells from 1901 to 1909. Designed by C. F. A. Voysey, it is a Grade II* listed building.
==History== The house was designed by C. F. A. Voysey, and extended in 1903.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pevsner |first1=Nikolaus |last2=Newman |first2=John |title=Spade House, Sandgate, Kent |url=https://www.voyseysociety.org/voysey/buildings/spadehouse.html |website=voyseysociety.org |publisher=The C. F. A. Voysey Society |access-date=13 March 2021 |date=2013 |quote=Extract from Kent: North & East}}</ref> Voysey included a signature heart shape on the door of every home he designed, but Wells rejected this in favour of a spade.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Glazzard |first1=Andrew |title=Edwardian Encounters: Spade House |url=https://edwardianculture.com/2013/09/17/edwardian-encounters-spade-house/ |website=edwardianculture.com |publisher=Edwardian Culture Network |access-date=13 March 2021 |date=17 September 2013}}</ref> H.G. and Catherine Wells' two sons were born here, and while living at Spade House Wells wrote books including ''Kipps'', ''Tono-Bungay'' and ''Ann Veronica''.<ref name="Kent Online 12 November 2020" >{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Sam |title=War of the Worlds author HG Wells and his love for Sandgate, near Folkestone |url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/folkestone/news/the-father-of-science-fictions-love-for-kent-237252/ |access-date=13 March 2021 |work=Kent Online |date=12 November 2020}}</ref>
The house has been Grade II* listed on the National Heritage List for England since March 1975.<ref name=NHLE>{{NHLE|num=1061164|desc=Spade House|access-date=14 October 2017|mode=cs2}}</ref> It is now occupied by the "Wells House" nursing home.<ref name="Kent Online 12 November 2020" /> At the entrance is an ornate nameplate and a blue plaque from the Sandgate Society, commemorating the link to Wells.<ref>{{cite web |title=House of H. G. Wells |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/house-of-hg-wells |website=atlasobscura.com |publisher=Atlas Obscura |access-date=13 March 2021 |date=2021}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery widths="180px" heights="180px"> Spade House drawings (2a).JPG|Vosey design H G Wells - Sandgate - Project Gutenberg eText 13715.png|Wells at Spade House, 1907 Spade House.jpg|Blue plaque commemorating Wells </gallery>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category-inline|Spade House}}
* {{cite web |title=Archive ref. 5cfe4221a2650 |url=http://archive.sandgatesociety.com/uploads/document/5cfe4221a2650.pdf |website=archive.sandgatesociety |publisher=Sandgate Society |access-date=13 March 2021}} * [http://www.gutenberg.org/author/wells Complete H. G. Wells texts at Gutenberg] * {{cite book |last1=Boerst |first1=William |title=Time Machine: The Story of H. G. Wells |date=2000 |publisher=Morgan Reynolds |isbn=9781883846404 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mlfBFSrzgxUC |access-date=13 March 2021 |quote=Juvenile non-fiction}}
Category:Arts and Crafts architecture in England Category:Buildings by C.F.A. Voysey Category:Country houses in Kent Category:Grade II* listed houses Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Kent Category:H. G. Wells Category:Houses completed in 1903 Category:Folkestone and Hythe District