When I think of an English Pub, many things come to mind, but as often as not, it’s usually something like the Carlton Tavern Pub, in York. This Victorian-era pub, with its lively Tudor-revival exterior, sits amongst mature trees in a very attractive area.

The Carlton Tavern in York is under threat. Clearly a pub well worth saving.

Unfortunately, the pub has never been designated as a heritage asset, which is why it was recently slated for demolition as part of a luxury residential care-home scheme. Without reasonable consideration of options that would enable the building to be kept, the City of York Council had approved the structure’s demolition at their Planning Committee meeting in October, with a tie vote of 6-6 swung by the Committee Leader.

Fortunately, close scrutiny of the decision-making on the part of the Victorian Society as well as local residents has resulted in the Council going for an unprecedented re-vote on this issue. To facilitate the pub’s preservation, a purchase proposal has been put forward to refurbish the pub and provide holiday accommodation for race goers and visitors to York, as well as a community pub, restaurant and deli.

With a re-vote set for the 13th of December, the slightest of opportunities now exist to ensure that Councillors fully grasp the historic and economic significance of the Carlton Tavern. If you live nearby and have a voice, it is your opportunity to be heard!

Link: Save The Pub! 38 Degrees Campaign

Back in May, I provided a brief overview of this year’s UK trip, which centered around London and areas close by. One of our stops was at Highclere Castle, the home of Lord and Lady Carnarvon, and the house made famous by the Downton Abbey TV Series. Thankfully, the great success of the show has increased the number of visitors over the years to such an extent that many needed repairs have been made. Ongoing restoration continues, and many educational and tourist programs have been added as well.

A little rain shower did not diminish my daughter's enthusiasm for the tour.

While perhaps not my first choice, I succumbed to the desires of my wife and daughter to go see the house, which I had first read about in Mark Girouard’s book, The Victorian Country House. Designed by architect Charles Barry, and featuring a park designed by Capability Brown. The 5,000-acre estate is in Hampshire, about 5 miles south of Newbury, Berkshire. Reportedly the original site of the home was recorded in the Domesday Book, and the first house was built on the foundations of the medieval palace of the Bishops of Winchester, who owned this estate from the 8th century. Highclere has been home to the Earls of Carnarvon and their forebears since 1679.


What was originally a mansion built in the classical style was totally redesigned by Barry in 1839–1842, during his construction of the Houses of Parliament. It was re-worked in a Jacobethan style, with some Italianate touches.

We visited on a dreary day marked by on-and-off drizzle and showers; upon arriving we discovered that our scheduled tour of the gardens had been cancelled as a result, but a substitute tour of the Egyptian artifacts and displays would be provided. This was fine by me, since ancient Egypt had always been an interest of mine, and we were all aware of the 5th Earl’s co-discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the legend of its curse.

I found the service wing at the rear of the house to be interesting as well.

We entered by the rear of the home for this tour, and I must note that the service part of the house at the rear is almost as interesting as the front. Built in an ancient-looking red brick, in a simpler, Tudor-inspired style, it welcomed us out of the rain and then down a long, dark hall toward the display rooms inside. We found the Egyptian displays fascinating—many were original and authentic, while most all the better-known examples were exact copies of the originals, which are now in museums.

After the tour, we made our way through the guest tea room and out to a large hospitality tent that was set up just behind the house. Here, with approximately 100 other visitors and guests, we were treated to a very nice box lunch as it continued to rain outside. Indeed, the event scheduling caused us to have a great deal of time to fill between the Egyptian display and our tour, which was to include a presentation covering Jane Austen’s association with the Highclere and the literature and popular culture of the early 19th century. Eventually we made our way back into the house, relaxed in the tea room briefly (with a beer) and then were called back out to the front door of the house for our tour.

We were ushered through the front door and into the soaring central hall of the house, which fans of the TV show would instantly recognize. It is a grand space, to be sure, but it also seemed smaller to me that I had expected, based on photographs I had seen. This did not diminish it in any way, as I found the scale to be more human and more comfortable anyway. We sat with a group of about 60 people and enjoyed the historical presentation, which was provided by Jane Austen scholars and two vocalists dressed in early 19th century garb, who sang a selection of period songs. Not my favorite period in terms of music, but it was highly enjoyable, just the same.

This was all followed by a tour of the principal rooms on the ground floor of the house, and a few bedrooms on the first floor. Apparently, we were asked not to take photos inside the house, as I could not find any on my phone. That said, the interiors—which would be immediately recognizable to fans of Downton Abbey, were all in fine form, and very impressive. We can all be thankful to the efforts of Lord and Lady Carnarvon in maintaining and restoring this fine example of Victorian architecture.

Visit Highclere / Information Here: [Official Site]

These particular reviews, while sharing some observations regarding the content, design and quality of the book, are primarily intended to highlight the personal meaning they have for me and how they have served my interest in English Architecture.

Back some time in the mid-1980’s I acquired a copy of Mark Girouard’s The Victorian Country House. At the time, we were living in a modest stucco-and-shingle English cottage in Goodyear Heights, and I was dreaming of eventually building my own “country house”—though on a much smaller scale than those rambling piles featured in Girouard’s book.

To this day, the book remains one of the central resources in my library, and still informs my basic attitudes regarding design, building history and taste. Beginning with a thoughtful overview of the Victorian country house-building phenomenon, Girouard goes on to highlight about two dozen memorable examples of country houses—describing not only their planning and design, but also providing insights into their owners and architects. The chapters, which are clear, well-researched and highly entertaining, reveal a colorful tapestry of Victorian society: nouveau riche industrialists, landed gentry, eccentrics, aesthete artists, pious politicians and above all—original and talented architects. The main section is followed by a brief gazetteer of better-known houses built during the Victorian period. The book is very well illustrated; one might wish for more color photos, but I have always found black-and-white images to be very evocative and often highly appropriate to the subject of old houses.



As the years passed, I went on to collect most all of Mr. Girouard’s books. Along with this particular work, another book of his, The Return to Camelot: Chivalry and the English Gentleman, provided much inspiration for my first novel, The Steadfast.

The mind conjures up a great many things, and when I eventually did build my own house a few years later, it was easy to sometimes imagine myself some minor Lord, making designs, studying and evaluating plans and somehow—seeking to express my essence in a house. Like life itself, the final product turned out to be full of compromises in size, design and materials. The grand plans I first developed (I was my own architect) eventually shape-shifted from a stately, stucco-covered manor house to a broad, brick-and shingle Tudor Revival house…to finally materialize in a 4-bedroom, Old English “cottage” on a 90’ foot wide lot. Thus do dreams run smack dab into the brambled hedgerow of reality. Nevertheless, I still remain Lord of my modest manor.

For those who are interested in the types of houses featured on this blog, I highly recommend The Victorian Country House as a fine place to start your reading. I feel confident you will find it not only informative, but highly inspiring, as I did.

Along with history and design, one of our favorite pastimes is reading and designing books and publications, and through our publishing arm, American Biblioverken, we've set out to offer some quality paperback editions of important works from the past.The first two, Hopes and Fears for Art and The Art and Craft of Printing, are two of Morris' works that we have produced; both are primarily comprised of material and lectures from the late 19th century.

While they certainly can't match the beauty of a Kelmscott Press product, we feel they provide a far superior product than many of the commonly-available reprints available today, which often deliver a poorly-scanned copy of an old book and an ugly, generic cover that doesn't even relate to the material in the book. The interiors have been designed and typeset in fonts that enhance the material, and best of all, perhaps--the price is lower than most other new editions currently available.

These 6" x 9" editions make a great addition to anyone's bookshelf, and the low price make them great for casual reading on a trip, handy reference, or for students and classrooms.

We have several other older classics that we are preparing to add to our TLG Design Library, and we'll be sure to keep you updated as we bring them along. The books are available at Amazon and across Amazon Europe, including Amazon.uk

HOPES AND FEARS FOR ART /   on Amazon   $9.50           on Amazon UK  £7.00

ISBN-13: 978-1492919186 
ISBN-10: 1492919187

THE ART AND CRAFT OF PRINTING /  on Amazon $7.60        on Amazon UK  £5.00
ISBN-13: 978-1493538973
ISBN-10: 1493538977

Along with history and design, one of our favorite pastimes is reading and designing books and publications, and through our publishing arm, American Biblioverken, we've set out to offer some quality paperback editions of important works from the past.The first two, Hopes and Fears for Art and The Art and Craft of Printing, are two of Morris' works that we have produced; both are primarily comprised of material and lectures from the late 19th century.

While they certainly can't match the beauty of a Kelmscott Press product, we feel they provide a far superior product than many of the commonly-available reprints available today, which often deliver a poorly-scanned copy of an old book and an ugly, generic cover that doesn't even relate to the material in the book. The interiors have been designed and typeset in fonts that enhance the material, and best of all, perhaps--the price is lower than most other new editions currently available.

These 6" x 9" editions make a great addition to anyone's bookshelf, and the low price make them great for casual reading on a trip, handy reference, or for students and classrooms.

We have several other older classics that we are preparing to add to our TLG Design Library, and we'll be sure to keep you updated as we bring them along. The books are available at Amazon and across Amazon Europe, including Amazon.uk

HOPES AND FEARS FOR ART /   on Amazon   $9.50           on Amazon UK  £7.00
ISBN-13: 978-1492919186 
ISBN-10: 1492919187

THE ART AND CRAFT OF PRINTING /  on Amazon $7.60        on Amazon UK  £5.00
ISBN-13: 978-1493538973
ISBN-10: 1493538977

.
Los Angeles: Writer Pen Densham sells Windsor Square-area home for $2.75 million

The Los Angeles Times reports that Densham's English Manor-style home, built in 1906, was moved to its current location from Wilshire Boulevard and Vermont Avenue. This was done by the Bullock family — popular department store owners — earning it the name Bullock House. An oversized entry with beamed ceilings leads to the living room, library, formal dining room and carved-wood staircase. There are eight bedrooms, 71/2 bathrooms and a basement.


Pricing a Critical Element in Country House Sales

According to Country Life Online, buyers are becoming much more choosy in today’s country house market, and insisting on value for money. According to Ed Sugden of buying agents Property Vision, fewer purchasers are looking to buy a country property in February 2012 than there were at the same time last year-up to 40% fewer in some areas. So, it's become critical that sellers get their pricing right if they want their property to get a second look-or even a first look.

"With second-home buyers unlikely to figure much in 2012, in my view, only three types of property will attract buyers. These are houses of exceptional quality, family homes within driving distance of a popular prep school and previously unsold houses that have had their prices reduced sufficiently for buyers to feel they're getting a really good deal," Mr Sugden says. "In fact, purchasers now expect value for money whatever they're buying." [more]


New light shed on the history of Tenby and its 16th Century boom

Once one of Wales’ busiest ports, with bustling trade being done on nearby streets, Tenby is an attractive town that has seen new light shed on cues relating to Tenby’s boom time in the 16th century after it was discovered a previously unknown silversmith was operating in the town.

Research commissioned by the National Trust about the Tudor Merchant’s House on Quay Hill led to the amazing find that a silversmith was trading in Tenby in the early 1500s, something that had not previously been suspected. The research is being conducted to discover the name of the merchant who lived and traded at the Tudor Merchant’s House, but in the process, an number of other new and significant finds about the town’s history are being made. [more]


Exhibition: Photography and the Royal Family 1840-1880

Professor John Plunkett from the University of Exeter will explore Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's interest in photography as collectors. This lecture also shows them as subjects of the photography industry which was fast becoming a commercial and popular media for disseminating the images of distinguished people and ‘celebrities'. [at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter] [more]



Letter informing Henry VIII of his longed-for son's birth is found after 469 years in stately home
A letter from Jane Seymour telling her husband Henry VIII that his longed-for son had been born has been uncovered at a stately home. The message announcing the birth of future King Edward VI was found carefully preserved on a shelf in the picture store room at Dunham Massey estate in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. It had gone unnoticed since the house was handed to the National Trust in 1976 because it was written in Old English... [more]

.
Los Angeles: Writer Pen Densham sells Windsor Square-area home for $2.75 million

The Los Angeles Times reports that Densham's English Manor-style home, built in 1906, was moved to its current location from Wilshire Boulevard and Vermont Avenue. This was done by the Bullock family — popular department store owners — earning it the name Bullock House. An oversized entry with beamed ceilings leads to the living room, library, formal dining room and carved-wood staircase. There are eight bedrooms, 71/2 bathrooms and a basement.


Pricing a Critical Element in Country House Sales

According to Country Life Online, buyers are becoming much more choosy in today’s country house market, and insisting on value for money. According to Ed Sugden of buying agents Property Vision, fewer purchasers are looking to buy a country property in February 2012 than there were at the same time last year-up to 40% fewer in some areas. So, it's become critical that sellers get their pricing right if they want their property to get a second look-or even a first look.

"With second-home buyers unlikely to figure much in 2012, in my view, only three types of property will attract buyers. These are houses of exceptional quality, family homes within driving distance of a popular prep school and previously unsold houses that have had their prices reduced sufficiently for buyers to feel they're getting a really good deal," Mr Sugden says. "In fact, purchasers now expect value for money whatever they're buying." [more]


New light shed on the history of Tenby and its 16th Century boom

Once one of Wales’ busiest ports, with bustling trade being done on nearby streets, Tenby is an attractive town that has seen new light shed on cues relating to Tenby’s boom time in the 16th century after it was discovered a previously unknown silversmith was operating in the town.

Research commissioned by the National Trust about the Tudor Merchant’s House on Quay Hill led to the amazing find that a silversmith was trading in Tenby in the early 1500s, something that had not previously been suspected. The research is being conducted to discover the name of the merchant who lived and traded at the Tudor Merchant’s House, but in the process, an number of other new and significant finds about the town’s history are being made. [more]


Exhibition: Photography and the Royal Family 1840-1880

Professor John Plunkett from the University of Exeter will explore Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's interest in photography as collectors. This lecture also shows them as subjects of the photography industry which was fast becoming a commercial and popular media for disseminating the images of distinguished people and ‘celebrities'. [at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Exeter] [more]



Letter informing Henry VIII of his longed-for son's birth is found after 469 years in stately home
A letter from Jane Seymour telling her husband Henry VIII that his longed-for son had been born has been uncovered at a stately home. The message announcing the birth of future King Edward VI was found carefully preserved on a shelf in the picture store room at Dunham Massey estate in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. It had gone unnoticed since the house was handed to the National Trust in 1976 because it was written in Old English... [more]

 As I have discussed previously in the "About" section of the site, my study and interest in ancient English building styles and revival-style architecture left me rather empty after the completion of my home in the 1990's. While the work has continued on there over the years  (and it still does) I had sought to use the knowledge I had gained in some useful manner, and The Steadfast was the result.

While the book is also currently available through Creatspace in a print version, I just finished converting it to a PDF ebook version that is available from Lulu at $4.99.  To check out a few sample chapters, head over to http://thesteadfastnovel.blogspot.com .

We are providing some copies of the ebook version for free to the first six of our friends who make the request via Twitter - just DM @thelonggallery to let us know - and please be sure to give us a review when you are finished!

 As I have discussed previously in the "About" section of the site, my study and interest in ancient English building styles and revival-style architecture left me rather empty after the completion of my home in the 1990's. While the work has continued on there over the years  (and it still does) I had sought to use the knowledge I had gained in some useful manner, and The Steadfast was the result.

While the book is also currently available through Creatspace in a print version, I just finished converting it to a PDF ebook version that is available from Lulu at $3.77.  To check out a few sample chapters, head over to http://thesteadfastnovel.blogspot.com .

We are providing some copies of the ebook version for free to the first six of our friends who make the request via Twitter - just DM @thelonggallery to let us know - and please be sure to give us a review when you are finished!

2012 marks the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of A.W.N. Pugin, one of the great Victorian architects, and was responsible for a number of well-known buildings as well as countless beautiful designs for tiles, metalwork, furniture, wallpaper, stained glass and ceramics.

For Pugin, Gothic architecture was the greatest style of building, and was hugely influential on other architects and designers of the Gothic Revival throughout the Victorian era.Some of his best known work includes the magnificent interiors of the Houses of Parliament, the church of St Giles, Cheadle, in Staffordshire, and his own house, The Grange, in Ramsgate, Kent, together with the nearby church of St Augustine. As Clive Aslet notes in The Telegraph:

"Before Pugin came to prominence in the 1830s, the Gothic Revival had been an antiquarian affair, a style to titillate the imaginations of Regency aesthetes, in whom ivy-covered ruins and rusty armour roused a frisson of pleasurable gloom. Almost single-handedly, Pugin gave it a new seriousness. What he called Pointed or Christian Architecture became a moral crusade that went global, carried to every part of the world where English was spoken and cathedrals were built, from Brisbane to Bombay"

In celebration of Pugin's 200th anniversary in 2012 here will be events around the country, organised by the Pugin Society and by others. Here is a partial list of just some of the planned events; you can visit the Pugin Society website to find out more.

PRINCIPAL PUGIN SOCIETY EVENTS

Thursday 1 March: Commemorative Mass and Reception, Ramsgate

A commemorative mass will be sung in remembrance of A.W.N. Pugin on the two hundredth anniversary of his birth on 1 March at St Augustine's Ramsgate, the church he designed and built on the West Cliff of Ramsgate. Mass will be at 12.00 and is open to all. This will be followed by a champagne reception with light refreshments in the Cartoon Room nearby by kind permission of the Landmark Trust, courtesy of the Pugin Society and assistance of Friends of St Augustine's. A toast to the memory of Pugin will be proposed by Lord Deben, formally John Selwyn Gummer. Pugin Society members are invited to the free reception, but asked to apply for tickets as numbers are strictly limited. Please send stamped addressed envelope. Apply: Professor Julia Twigg, 9 Nunnery Road, Canterbury, CT1 3LS, j.m.twigg@kent.ac.uk , 01227 766879.

Wednesday 21 March: Grand Reception and Address at the Palace of Westminster

We are holding a grand reception in honour of Pugin in the beautiful River Room of the Palace of Westminster by kind arrangement of Baroness Wheatcroft and with the support of Laura Sandys MP. The address will be given by Dr Tristram Hunt MP, the well-known social historian, on Pugin, Medievalism and Modernity. Wine and canapÈs. 6.00-8.00 Tickets: £25 with SAE. Apply: Professor Julia Twigg, 9 Nunnery Road, Canterbury, CT1 3LS, j.m.twigg@kent.ac.uk , 01227 766879.

Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 May: Art Workshop for young people, based around Pugin Themes

by Dawn Cole, award-winning printmaker, and Tony Roche, from the Wallpaper History Society, who is an accomplished wallpaper designer. Wednesday afternoon (2.00-4.00) will focus on details in the Grange and St Augustine's to learn something about Pugin's design principles. On Thursday (1.00-4.00) these ideas will be put into practice with opportunities to make Pugin-inspired relief prints and stencilled wallpaper designs in the Cartoon Room, by kind permission of the Landmark Trust. Cost: £5.00. Space is limited, no more than ten. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Contact Catriona Blaker catrona@tiscali.co.uk for further details.


13-14 July : International Conference: New Directions in Gothic Revival Studies Worldwide, University of Kent, Canterbury

This interdisciplinary conference will be the primary international academic event marking the bicentenary of the birth of A.W.N Pugin. Plenary speakers include: Professor Stephen Bann on Pugin and the French Connection; Professor Barry Bergdoll on Pugin and the Paradox of Historicism; Dr Margaret Belcher on Pugin's Letters; and Professor Thomas Coomans on the Belgium Gothic Revival Worldwide. The conference will be based at the University of Kent in Canterbury, but there will be opportunities before and after to visit key sites in Ramsgate and Cheadle. The conference is organised by Dr Timothy Brittain-Catlin of Kent School of Architecture. A special rate is available for Pugin Society members. For further details and joining information: www.kent.ac.uk/architecture/gothicrevival2012/

Visiting The Grange and St. Augustine's

Throughout the year it will be possible to visit The Grange, the house that Pugin designed and built for himself on the West Cliff of Ramsgate, and St Augustine's the church he designed and built next door. The Grange, under the ownership of The Landmark Trust, will be open as usual on Wednesday afternoons 2-4 (booking in advance required 01843 596401). St Augustine's is also open on Sundays 2-4 every week and every Wednesday 2-4. Please note that some restoration will be in progress in St Augustine's during the year. This should not affect visiting, but just in case, if you are coming from any distance, it might be as well to ring 01843 592460 or 01843 596401 to check in advance. Whilst visitors to St Augustine's are welcome to wander at will, there will be official tours at 2.30 on the first Sunday of each month, starting from March, and on Wednesdays (weekly) at 2 and 3.

Open Weekend at the Grange and St Augustine's: Friday to Monday 20- 23 April:

The Grange: every day 10-4 except Monday 10-1. St Augustine's Church: Friday 11-4, Saturday 10-4, Sunday 2-4, Monday 10-1.

Open Weekend at the Grange and St Augustine's: Friday to Tuesday 7-10 September:

The Grange: every day 10-4 except Tuesday 10-1. St Augustine's church: Friday 11-4, Saturday 10-4, Sunday 2-4, Monday 10-4, Tuesday 10-1.

IMAGE CREDITS: michaelsbookshop.com

.

2012 marks the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of A.W.N. Pugin, one of the great Victorian architects, and was responsible for a number of well-known buildings as well as countless beautiful designs for tiles, metalwork, furniture, wallpaper, stained glass and ceramics.

For Pugin, Gothic architecture was the greatest style of building, and was hugely influential on other architects and designers of the Gothic Revival throughout the Victorian era.Some of his best known work includes the magnificent interiors of the Houses of Parliament, the church of St Giles, Cheadle, in Staffordshire, and his own house, The Grange, in Ramsgate, Kent, together with the nearby church of St Augustine. As Clive Aslet notes in The Telegraph:

"Before Pugin came to prominence in the 1830s, the Gothic Revival had been an antiquarian affair, a style to titillate the imaginations of Regency aesthetes, in whom ivy-covered ruins and rusty armour roused a frisson of pleasurable gloom. Almost single-handedly, Pugin gave it a new seriousness. What he called Pointed or Christian Architecture became a moral crusade that went global, carried to every part of the world where English was spoken and cathedrals were built, from Brisbane to Bombay"

In celebration of Pugin's 200th anniversary in 2012 here will be events around the country, organised by the Pugin Society and by others. Here is a partial list of just some of the planned events; you can visit the Pugin Society website to find out more.

PRINCIPAL PUGIN SOCIETY EVENTS

Thursday 1 March: Commemorative Mass and Reception, Ramsgate

A commemorative mass will be sung in remembrance of A.W.N. Pugin on the two hundredth anniversary of his birth on 1 March at St Augustine's Ramsgate, the church he designed and built on the West Cliff of Ramsgate. Mass will be at 12.00 and is open to all. This will be followed by a champagne reception with light refreshments in the Cartoon Room nearby by kind permission of the Landmark Trust, courtesy of the Pugin Society and assistance of Friends of St Augustine's. A toast to the memory of Pugin will be proposed by Lord Deben, formally John Selwyn Gummer. Pugin Society members are invited to the free reception, but asked to apply for tickets as numbers are strictly limited. Please send stamped addressed envelope. Apply: Professor Julia Twigg, 9 Nunnery Road, Canterbury, CT1 3LS, j.m.twigg@kent.ac.uk , 01227 766879.

Wednesday 21 March: Grand Reception and Address at the Palace of Westminster

We are holding a grand reception in honour of Pugin in the beautiful River Room of the Palace of Westminster by kind arrangement of Baroness Wheatcroft and with the support of Laura Sandys MP. The address will be given by Dr Tristram Hunt MP, the well-known social historian, on Pugin, Medievalism and Modernity. Wine and canapÈs. 6.00-8.00 Tickets: £25 with SAE. Apply: Professor Julia Twigg, 9 Nunnery Road, Canterbury, CT1 3LS, j.m.twigg@kent.ac.uk , 01227 766879.

Wednesday 30 and Thursday 31 May: Art Workshop for young people, based around Pugin Themes

by Dawn Cole, award-winning printmaker, and Tony Roche, from the Wallpaper History Society, who is an accomplished wallpaper designer. Wednesday afternoon (2.00-4.00) will focus on details in the Grange and St Augustine's to learn something about Pugin's design principles. On Thursday (1.00-4.00) these ideas will be put into practice with opportunities to make Pugin-inspired relief prints and stencilled wallpaper designs in the Cartoon Room, by kind permission of the Landmark Trust. Cost: £5.00. Space is limited, no more than ten. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Contact Catriona Blaker catrona@tiscali.co.uk for further details.


13-14 July : International Conference: New Directions in Gothic Revival Studies Worldwide, University of Kent, Canterbury

This interdisciplinary conference will be the primary international academic event marking the bicentenary of the birth of A.W.N Pugin. Plenary speakers include: Professor Stephen Bann on Pugin and the French Connection; Professor Barry Bergdoll on Pugin and the Paradox of Historicism; Dr Margaret Belcher on Pugin's Letters; and Professor Thomas Coomans on the Belgium Gothic Revival Worldwide. The conference will be based at the University of Kent in Canterbury, but there will be opportunities before and after to visit key sites in Ramsgate and Cheadle. The conference is organised by Dr Timothy Brittain-Catlin of Kent School of Architecture. A special rate is available for Pugin Society members. For further details and joining information: www.kent.ac.uk/architecture/gothicrevival2012/

Visiting The Grange and St. Augustine's

Throughout the year it will be possible to visit The Grange, the house that Pugin designed and built for himself on the West Cliff of Ramsgate, and St Augustine's the church he designed and built next door. The Grange, under the ownership of The Landmark Trust, will be open as usual on Wednesday afternoons 2-4 (booking in advance required 01843 596401). St Augustine's is also open on Sundays 2-4 every week and every Wednesday 2-4. Please note that some restoration will be in progress in St Augustine's during the year. This should not affect visiting, but just in case, if you are coming from any distance, it might be as well to ring 01843 592460 or 01843 596401 to check in advance. Whilst visitors to St Augustine's are welcome to wander at will, there will be official tours at 2.30 on the first Sunday of each month, starting from March, and on Wednesdays (weekly) at 2 and 3.

Open Weekend at the Grange and St Augustine's: Friday to Monday 20- 23 April:

The Grange: every day 10-4 except Monday 10-1. St Augustine's Church: Friday 11-4, Saturday 10-4, Sunday 2-4, Monday 10-1.

Open Weekend at the Grange and St Augustine's: Friday to Tuesday 7-10 September:

The Grange: every day 10-4 except Tuesday 10-1. St Augustine's church: Friday 11-4, Saturday 10-4, Sunday 2-4, Monday 10-4, Tuesday 10-1.

IMAGE CREDITS: michaelsbookshop.com

We've been planning this for a while, and now it's happening...each week, we'll be uploading a brand new chapter of The Steadfast online for you to enjoy.

Based in London in 1895, the novel follows the adventures of British architect G. Morris Moneypenny - a talented designer and a true renaissance man - as he is thrust into a new and unpredictable world of deadly anarchists, arms development and political intrigue.

Morris designs houses any fan of TLG would love...sprawling Olde English piles, inspired by the work of his elders like Richard Norman Shaw and Philip Webb, as well as contemporaries like Lutyens. In his plans, his practice and his adventures, he draws upon his creativity, his appreciation of history, and his deeply-embedded sense of propriety to win the day. The new chapters will be available HERE. Have a go...and tell your friends.