Walking around Bruton, particularly down by the riverside, one can get the feeling of medieval Somerset. The single-span bridge would have seen trains of packhorses and mules, laden with woolsacks, woollen cloth, and silken cloth making their way through Bruton and...
Following the development of the elite country house from the medieval period onwards, it is evident there is a discontinuity in architectural function from the Romano-British culture. The break is the influence of Anglo-Saxon culture, who have a preoccupation with...
According to popular myth it was on the 31st of October 1517 that Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses disputing the Roman Catholic Church’s practice on indulgences to the door of Wittenberg Cathedral. Whether this act was true or not does not dispute the fact...
In understanding historical buildings there exists the possibility of coming at an analysis from different fields of study and viewpoints. This can make it exciting and complex. Archaeology looks at the material culture, Art History the ideas, designs, techniques and...
A few years ago, I ventured into the parish church of St Andrew at Curry Rivel in south Somerset and couldn’t help but admire this extraordinary tomb monument from the early-17th C. The stone, plaster and paint bring it alive in a unique way that we don’t often see...
One of the talks I do for local history groups is the ‘Historic Graffiti of Montacute House’. A few years ago, I undertook a project to record the graffiti at Montacute, of which there is a fair amount. The talk attempts to bring to life a glimpse of the social...
