Kitty Fisher in Somerset A Diary Entry & a Besotted Earl An Unexpected Entry Among the papers preserved at Montacute House in Somerset, the diaries of Edward Phelips V offer an invaluable window into the daily life of a Georgian country gentleman. Phelips, born in...
Kitty Fisher Georgian London’s First Celebrity Featured Image: Nathaniel Hone, Kitty Fisher, 1765. Oil on canvas, 749 × 622 mm. National Portrait Gallery, London (NPG 2354). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Humble Beginnings Catherine Maria Fischer was born on 1...
Surrounding the east court of Montacute House is a balustrade, an elegant feature idea that made its way from Renaissance Italy. Often used for loggias and balconies, it has been applied at Montacute as a running feature on top of a wall. The balustrade is punctuated...
The church of St. Cuthbert in Wells contains a remarkable carved oak pulpit of 1636. Its degree of craftsmanship and intriguing subject matter make it a standout piece of 17th century woodwork. The Jacobean period (c. 1603-1625) extends in terms of style into the mid...
I have a bit of a thing about balusters and balustrades. The ones we are familiar with today came about in the Renaissance and were eagerly adopted by the builders of country houses and other monumental buildings in England. They are part of the ‘neo-classical...
