As the Palace of Westminster is likely to close for a substantial refurb it is a good moment at look back at its origins and Caroline Shenton has done just that in The Day Parliament Burned Down and Mr Barry’s War.
Under Par
To play a round of golf below par is one thing but to feel below par is another and it is the latter that has dried up my creative juices today. With a bit of luck I will feel better tomorrow. I did want to tell you about Tumbril Talk but my heart isn’t in… Continue reading Under Par
In Vogue
Moor about LAMDA
A Greek Island
Design Deficit
Last time Quinlan Terry cropped up here (Palladio in the Park) I called him Terry Quinlan until a better informed reader in Dublin put me right. (Thank you, Margaret.) As far as I can remember he got quite a good write-up from me for his Palladian villas in Regent’s Park. Today he is going to… Continue reading Design Deficit
Something Old, Something New
Eltham Palace was given to Edward II in 1305 by the Bishop of Durham. Methinks the Bishop was, in the king’s eyes at least, getting a bit too big for his mitre and Edward decided to pinch his palace. It wasn’t at all convenient for Durham anyway. In the 1470s Edward IV built a Great… Continue reading Something Old, Something New
Our Dumb Chums
Schweppes Switch
There is so much to get irritated about that it’s a wonder I have time for anything else. The latest annoyance is the repackaging of tonic water and soda water into similar looking black cans. Inadvertently pouring a gin and soda is jolly cross-making, although disaster can be averted by lacing it with lime cordial.