Arbury Hall, Warwickshire

Posted on May 8, 2013 by visit

Entrance front from garden
Private.
Arbury Hall was originally built on the site of a 12th century Augustinian Priory. The Elizabethan house was remodelled in Gothic style for Sir Roger Newdigate during the second half of the 18th century. The exterior of the old hall was entirely encased in stone. The fine gardens also date from the 18th Century.
The Newdigate family has owned the house and estate since 1586.
The author George Eliot was born on the estate, and a fictionalized version of the house and estate appears in her work.

The house is a splendid example of Gothic Revival style, a style which later influenced much of Victorian architecture. The ceilings in the principal rooms are fan vaulted in plaster in a manner apparently inspired by Westminster Abbey. In the principal sitting-room the ceiling is more ornate and more high-relief than one could believe possible if one had not seen it with one’s own eyes. Above the present entrance front is a long gallery with many curios on display, including a collection of antique firearms and native weapons.
Views of the house interiors can be found on the estate website.
The house and gardens are infrequently open to the public (Bank Holiday Sunday/Mondays only in 2013).

The entrance to the house is via a gateway in Stockingford village (B4012/B4112). A very long driveway follows; beware the ill-marked speed bumps!
Admission to the house is by guided tour only. The Spring Bank Holiday opening proved popular, and visitors had to queue for half an hour or more for a tour. (Other establishments would have issued timed tickets). The gardens, which (in spring) feature many flowering trees, are well worth seeing. There are several lakes.

Arbury Stables

Stables

Arbury, side

House

Arbury - dinng room side

Facing lake

From garden towards lake

From formal garden

Click on images to enlarge

Posted in House, Midlands | Leave a comment

Kew Bridge Steam Museum, London

Posted on April 6, 2013 by visit
Kew Bridge Standpipe Tower

Museum landmark

Museum
The Kew Bridge Steam Museum dubs itself ‘London’s Museum of Water Supply’. It is housed in the historic premises of the former Grand Junction Water Works Company. Several of the Company’s beam pumping engines are in their original positions. As the number of engines was increased over the years to meet demand, the engines are diverse, rather than being a matched set, as at, e.g. Crossness. The Museum also houses several collected steam pumping engines from elsewhere, and one original and several collected diesel pump engines.
The 90 inch and 100 inch engines (original) are so big that the visitor is obliged to stand inside the engine mechanism rather than beside it.
The tower is not a chimney, but contains a pressure-balancing water standpipe.
Most of the engines are in working order, and a selection of them can be seen running on ‘steam’ weekends. It’s worth going on a weekend when the engines are being run in turn, if you can. I spent over four hours at the site on my visit.
If you are interested in steam power and industrial archaeology this is well worth a visit.
The Museum is a few minutes’ walk from Kew Bridge railway station. On-site parking is limited.
Kew Bridge Triple Expansion Engine

Triple Expansion eng.

Kew bridge, Waddon Engine

Waddon eng.

Kew Bridge- James Kay 'Dancers End' eng.

James Kay eng.

Kew Bridge, 100" engine cylinder top view

100" eng.

Kew bridge, 100" engine beam

100" eng. beam

Kew bridge Boulton & Watt engine cylinder top view

Boulton & Watt

Kew Bridge, Allen diesel

Allen diesel

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Knole, Kent

Posted on April 6, 2013 by visit

National Trust
One’s first impression of Knole is that it’s big. The frontage is very long, and is exceeded by the depth, and there are seven courtyards. On the approach one can also see part of the massive wall of Lord Sackville’s walled garden.
Passing through the arched main entrance, one enters the Green Court, with some fine frontages. Visitor reception and the garden are to the right. Note that after checking in (or paying) at the visitor reception, one is expected to present one’s ticket at the garden entrance (if open) and at the Great Hall.

It’s worth making the effort to come on a Tuesday, when Lord Sackville’s walled garden is open. The walled garden is the size of a municipal park and features trees rather than flowerbeds in a variety of differing areas. It wraps around two sides of the house, (SW & SE) and these exteriors can not be seen from outside the garden. (Actually when I visited, the south end of the house was wrapped in scaffolding and plastic, and not visible anyway.) The wider park (huge) is rather bare and brown by comparison.

The Stone Court has some fine frontages. The Great Hall is an impressive room with a fine carved screen. Beyond it, only a fraction of Knole is open to visitors, mostly in areas behind the SW and SE frontages. There is a large collection of paintings, and some very old furniture collected from Royal palaces, and a collection of fine china. There is a room with furniture made of silver. The house dates from the Tudor period, and has not been radically remodelled since, so expect everything to look … old. At least one area is alarmed, so don’t let your brat run around unchecked :-)

Be aware that the interior of the house is unheated and draughty, so if you visit on a chilly, breezy spring day, dress as for outdoors, as it will be as cold as the park! The old ‘Estate Office’ is the only visitor room that is properly heated.

If you have time, walk around the outside towards the tea-room to look at the north exterior and peer into the Stable Court (private).

Knole is a healthy 1.5 mile walk from Sevenoaks railway station, mostly uphill. Parking at the house is £4 (NT members free).

Knole parkland

Knole parkland, west

Marsh plant in walled garden, Knole

Garden, Marsh plant

Knole, SW front

Knole, SW front

Knole, Stable Court

Stable Court

Knole, Stone Court

Stone Court


(click on images to enlarge)

Posted in House, National Trust, Parks & Gardens, South-east | Leave a comment

Carlyle’s House

Posted on March 10, 2013 by visit


National Trust
The house in Chelsea was rented for over 40 years by the Scottish writer Thomas Carlyle and his wife Jane. They were visited there by many of the famous literary names of the Victorian era. Nowadays, Jane Carlyle’s lively letters are probably more widely read than Thomas Carlyle’s multi-volume histories.
Not long after Carlyle died, the freehold of the property was acquired for a museum to commemorate Carlyle. The National Trust took over the property in 1936 and over the years many of the Carlyles’ possessions have been returned to the house. The house is largely unaltered and is presented much as it would have looked when the Carlyles lived there. On the top floor is a study, windowless except for a skylight, where Carlyle did much of his writing. It was designed to be soundproof, but it seems this was not a success.
In each room there are several cards with information about the Carlyles and their famous friends and visitors.
In the basement is the kitchen, and there is access to the rear garden. Even if you don’t know much about Carlyle, it is interesting as a Victorian middle-class house.

Nearest tube stations are South Kensington and Sloane Square (1 mile) and there are buses to Carlyle Square on the King’s Road (1/4 mile)
On foot it is easiest to find Cheyne Walk at the river, then the Carlyle statue and Cheyne Row.

Carlyle statue looking towards Cheyne Row.

Carlyle statue

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London Transport Museum

Posted on March 10, 2013 by visit

The London Transport Museum, Covent Garden, is devoted to the history of London Transport.  As well as storing and displaying historic vehicles, it informs about the history and development of the Tube and bus services, and the former tramway and trolley-bus services. Social history is also strongly presented, and the impact of the suburban railway services on the sprawl of London.  It was mainly the poor who were displaced (and not re-housed) when large acreages were cleared to make way for railway cuttings, stations and depots.

A visit starts at the top of the building, with a sedan chair and horse-drawn buses. The next level down is devoted to the steam underground and the growth of the suburbs, and across a walkway is an area for temporary exhibitions. The main floor has a variety of exhibits including motor buses, Underground vehicles, the Underground at war etc.

During my visit there was a temporary exhibition of Underground posters, many being of artistic merit.

Exhibits of note: Steam loco designed for underground working. Two early electric locos. ‘General’ early motor bus.

The Museum is of medium size – it took me 3 to 3 1/2 hours to see almost everything. The admission charge seems on the high side at £15 for adults. Almost all displays are in English only. Access: most visitors will come by public transport. Nearest tube is Covent Garden, but if you travel by Northern line, it’s probably not worth the bother of changing lines to travel the short distance to Covent Garden and then queuing for the lifts – just walk the 1/4 mile up Long Acre instead. From Covent Garden tube station, the Museum is almost on the far side of the Piazza – walk round clockwise and you’ll see it.

Museum entrance

Museum entrance

Level 2

Level 2

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Leighton House Museum, London

Posted on November 16, 2012 by visit

Leighton House front
National Trust.
Leighton House was the home of eminent Victorian painter Frederic, Lord Leighton. The interiors have been restored to match their original appearance as closely as possible. The interior of the house is striking. The stairwell hall is tiled with colored tiles. There is an Arab Hall, also tiled, that is two floors high and is topped by a dome visible from the street. Upstairs, the artist’s studio is the size of a baronial hall and has three fireplaces. Remarkably, there was only one bedroom.
Visitors may notice downstairs a couple of fireplaces under windows, that seem to have no chimney breast. Apparently, in the case of the dining room, the flue is in the wall to one side.
The house originally displayed Leighton’s art collection, but this was dispersed after his death in 1898. A few items have been returned to the house, and replicas or similar objects substituted for others.
If you like Victoriana, a visit here is highly recommended. Note that, as the house is owned and operated by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, even NT members have to pay, but get a 50% discount.

The house is regularly used for art exhibitions, in the house itself and/or the attached gallery.

The house is near the south end of Holland Park, and the ‘nearest’ Tube stations are High Street Kensington and Holland Park, both at least 15-20 minutes walk away.

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Cherryburn, Northumberland

Posted on October 20, 2012 by visit

Cherryburn exhibition buildingsNational Trust
This site is of interest as being the small farm where Thomas Bewick, Northumberland’s greatest artist and wood engraver, lived and worked. He is best known for books containing a set of accurate engravings of British birds. There are two exhibition rooms, and across the farmyard is the house where Bewick lived, with recreations of two rooms. Most of his work was engraved on boxwood, which is only available in small pieces, so many of the engravings are of eye-straining smallness.
The Print Room has the original printing equipment and racks of typefaces, and a small display of prints. There is a short video presentation.

This is worth a visit if you are already interested in Bewick or are in the area.

Bewick book on display

Bewick book

Farmyard and cottage

Farmyard and cottage

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Cragside, Northumberland

Posted on October 20, 2012 by visit

Cragside view from South
National Trust
Cragside was built for the Victorian industrialist and arms manufacturer Willian George Armstrong, and was built and extended between 1863-1884. Externally, the house is a jumble of English baronial styles, with mullioned windows, battlements, decorated barge boards, shouldered gables, tall decorated chimneys, steep roofs, and mock timber-framing, and has an irregular outline. Inside it has a number of unusual features incorporating Armstrong’s ideas, often very advanced for the time, including a water-powered spit turning mechanism, electric lighting from a hydro-generator on the estate, a hydraulic powered lift and a sauna suite. There are several rooms with elaborate Victorian interiors. The large drawing room, finished in a Classical Renaissance style, has a vast chimney piece, elaborately carved in marble. A long gallery is lined with pictures and other objects.

From the house, there are spectacular views over the woodland below. A rockery garden plunges down to a stream and an arched metal bridge. Out in the estate there are several of Armstrong’s installations to visit, and 40 miles of footpaths to explore.
The exhibition centre & tea rooms are next to the lake visible from the entrance. The formal gardens are 1/4 mile from the house, or from the main car park. The’re quite pretty but could be skipped if you are short of time.
A ‘hopper’ minibus provides free transport around the above-mentioned ‘near’ parts of the estate for those who have difficulty in walking. You can drive your car around a 6-mile one-way circuit to access the ‘far’ parts of the estate. Cragside is a clear candidate for an ‘all day visit’.

Library interior

Library

View near House

View near house

View of Iron Bridge and house

Iron Bridge and house

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Durham Cathedral

Posted on October 20, 2012 by visit

Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral is the most prominent of the buildings in the old centre of Durham – a peninsula of high ground surrounded on three sides by the looping River Wear. Also here are Durham Castle, various buildings associated with the cathedral, and streets lined with old stone buildings.
The Cathedral impresses on several counts – its size – one of the biggest medieval buildings in England – its age – most of the construction is Norman – and the scale of its interior. Pillars and round arches are carved with distinctive Norman sawtooth patterns. There are three towers, two at the East end and one in the middle. (If you are ever confused about which end of a church is East, North, etc, remember that that most are laid out so that when you look towards the altar you are facing towards Jerusalem.)
When built (to house the relics and shrine of St Cuthbert), the cathedral was part of a monastery, and many of the typical monastic components either survive (like the cloisters) or their remains are incorporated in buildings serving later functions.

Durham old buildings

old buildings

Durham Castle keep

Castle keep

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Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland

Posted on October 20, 2012 by visit

Section of Hadrian's WallEnglish Heritage & National Trust
Fragments of the wall remain at various places along its 71-mile length. However the most substantial remains are in the uplands where it was most difficult to rob the wall for purposes such as road-building, farm buildings and field walls. To the disgust of antiquaries, a lot of the wall disappeared when a military road was built alongside it in the 18th century.

At Housesteads, sections of wall remain to a height of several feet, and the complete outline and foundations of a Roman wall fort can be seen. The land is now owned by the National Trust. There is a National Trust building beside the car park, and a English Heritage museum and ticket office near the fort and wall, about half a mile up the hill.

It’s well worth making the effort to visit the site (unless it’s pouring with rain, as it was during my visit). While travelling there, look out for the vast Roman ditch systems alongside the road that runs parallel to the Wall. Two more forts, walks, and a view-point are within a few miles, making the area a candidate for an all-day visit.

Hypocaust at Commander's House

Hypocaust at Commander's House

Posted in English Heritage, Ruin | Leave a comment