King John & England – from Angevin Kingdom to Papal Fiefdom

King John & England – from Angevin Kingdom to Papal Fiefdom

I recently went to a performance of Shakespeare’s King John at the RSC in Stratford Upon Avon. It is not a play that is performed often, and I wasn’t sure what to expect as I hadn’t read up about the RSC’s performance beforehand. I was blown away by it. It was set in...
Devon Marble – Petitor Quarries and Beyond

Devon Marble – Petitor Quarries and Beyond

The main photo for this post is the beautiful marble-tiled paving of the chancel at All Saints Church, Babbacombe in Devon. It is made up of coloured Devon Marble varieties from the Petitor beds – a form of limestone that can be polished for a marble effect (not a...
Butterfield in Babbacombe – All Saints Church

Butterfield in Babbacombe – All Saints Church

Parish Church of All Saints, St. Alban’s Road, Babbacombe, Torbay, Devon (1865-74). One of the key works of the architect William Butterfield (1814 to 1900) that sticks in my mind is that of Keble College, Oxford. The overall shape of the building appears as a sober,...
Old Ideas Reimagined: Gaudi’s Garden Suburb – Park Guell (1900-14)

Old Ideas Reimagined: Gaudi’s Garden Suburb – Park Guell (1900-14)

Antoni Gaudi i Cornet’s (1852 to 1926) unique style can easily be identified by his buildings in the city of Barcelona and at the Park Guell on the outskirts. It is difficult to unpick fully the varied influences that Gaudi drew upon for his creations. However, this...
WINCHESTER: 12th CENTURY WALL PAINTINGS – A REMARKABLE SURVIVAL

WINCHESTER: 12th CENTURY WALL PAINTINGS – A REMARKABLE SURVIVAL

Winchester Cathedral: Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre The Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem is believed to contain the place of Christ’s crucifixion and the tomb in which he was placed and from where he was resurrected. It has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries....