The Castle of Otranto was first published in 1764 and is known as the first Gothic novel ever written. After a nightmare involving a ghost featuring a gigantic hand in armour at his Gothic Revival home called Strawberry Hill House, Walpole penned this short novel which would grow to inspire several future authors. It tells of Manfred's family, the supernatural events that befall his son's wedding, a prophecy and the haunting follows after.