Category: Architecture

Seven Halts on the Somme

It is easy to feel overburdened by history visiting Westminster Abbey.  It was founded in 940, the Lady Chapel was built in the early 16th century by Henry VII and is where he is buried but it is not a fossilised place of worship; it constantly evolves.

Lady Thatcher at Worship

Margaret Thatcher’s association with The Royal Hospital seemed to start in the 1990s. She and Denis were regular attenders on Sunday mornings sitting with the rest of the congregation. After a few years the Governor invited them to join him in his Stalls and this arrangement continued for the rest of her life.

Two Birthdays

St. Borchill is a now obscure Irish saint. She must have been better known 250 years ago as the church at Dysart in Co Louth (above) bears her name. The church was built in 1766, early as anti-Catholic legislation had not yet started to be repealed. The site is carved out of a corner of… Continue reading Two Birthdays

A Walk in the Park

The Yellow Earl’s London house was in Carlton House Terrace. It was in fact two houses knocked into one. Here is an extract from The Yellow Earl, Douglas Sutherland’s excellent biography of the 5th Earl of Lonsdale.

An AGM

AGMs, at their best, are a bit like Opening Meets. People who haven’t seen each other since last season reconvene over a sandwich and a glass (or two) of wine. You don’t need to be mounted for either.

Upstream

In the oil business “upstream” is the jargon for exploration and production, “downstream” is refining and “midstream” something in the middle, namely transportation. Living near the Thames I use “upstream” more literally.

Pavilioned in Splendour

Earlier this week I alluded to the remarkable success of the Great Exhibition of 1851. The credit often goes to Prince Albert but it was the brainchild of a civil servant, Henry Cole, among much else the inventor of the Christmas card. Joseph Paxton lent a hand, designing the Crystal Palace to house the exhibits… Continue reading Pavilioned in Splendour

A Great Exhibition

I like reading lists. A chap called Ben Schott has taken advantage of my predilection by publishing books of them that he calls Miscellanies. Here is a list (not one of his) that interests me.

Big Bang Theory

I enjoyed sounding the gong to announce meals at Barmeath in my childhood. Under my grandmother’s instruction my technique improved from loud bashing (think Top Cat summoning the gang) to a subtler, gradually increasing crescendo, beating around the edge of the gong, culminating in a final stroke, fortissimo, to the centre.