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Strawberry Hill
This wonderful Georgian Gothic Revival villa has been on our list for a while, so we are delighted to be able to share it with you today. It was built for Horace Walpole (Earl of Orford) from 1749 and has the most amazing set of eccentric interiors which would be worthy of a film set. Even in his day they caused a sensation. The peer wanted to create a “little gothic castle” and he incorporated many design elements…
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The Fifth Wife
There are no known records of exactly when Catherine Howard was born but it was on this day in 1542 that she died, with a single blow from the executioners axe, on Tower Green. The young queen had made the mistake of having an affair with a favourite of her husband King Henry VIII, one Thomas Culpeper. What made this decision fatal for the pair was that they were indiscreet and their enemies made the King aware. It…
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Entangled Pasts at the Royal Academy
They say every picture tells a story so perhaps an art exhibition is an anthology of works with the objective of looking at a subject from many and varied perspectives. This is certainly true of the new ‘Entangled Pasts’ which opened last week at the RA. It tackles the difficult and complex subject of Britain’s colonial history through art. I made the most of my lunch break yesterday, and popped in with the aim of finally seeing Dido…
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Barons Hall at Raby Castle
There are a few historic homes that we come back to time and time again, Raby Castle is one such place. Having visited on a number of occasions, exploring both the wonderful grounds and splendid interiors, we often think what a wonderful place it must be to call home. Walking through the Baron’s Hall, you can’t help but think of the important English history that took place within the castle’s walls. From the birth of Cecily Neville (mother…
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Beckford’s Tower
If you drive into Bath along the Lansdown Road you will pass Beckford’s Tower on the right. This extraordinary architectural folly was built in 1827 in the neoclassical style on Lansdown Hill. It was financed by an eccentric, wealthy local resident, William Beckford. He was an art collector, novelist, art collector and critic. He used the tower as a retreat and library, with the cupola at the top providing views over the surrounding countryside. However, as was sadly…
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The youngest Brontë sister
Anne Brontë was born on this day in 1820, she was the youngest of six children. Her father Patrick was the perpetual curate at Howarth in Yorkshire. Her mother Maria died the year after she was born. Her four elder two sisters Maria, Elizabeth, Charlotte and Emily were all sent away to school. The regime was tough and the two older girls died in 1825 from poor diet and TB. Maria was 11 and Elizabeth was only 10.…
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The Tulip Stairs
The sweeping Tulip Stairs are one of the original features of the Queen’s House in Greenwich. The building was designed by Inigo Jones for Anne of Denmark but was not completed until 1630, after her death. These stairs were also the first self-supporting spiral staircase designed in Britain. They must surely have been considered ground breaking at the timehttp://Queens House Greenwich
