The Somerset Medieval Church: Bells & Cockerels

The Somerset Medieval Church: Bells & Cockerels

I find myself increasingly noticing and enjoying the sound of church bells, whether it is the local bell ringers practicing, the time of day, or they are ringing out joyously for a wedding. The height of many church towers means that they can be heard across the...
The 18th C Grand Tour in Rome: The Influence of the Triumphal Arch

The 18th C Grand Tour in Rome: The Influence of the Triumphal Arch

It is useful, I find, when examining civic architecture and the architecture of the English country house to remember the classical arch, of which there are key examples in Rome. The triumphal arch and the triumphal column were testament to the dominance of...
The 18th C Grand Tour in Rome: The Influence of the Triumphal Column

The 18th C Grand Tour in Rome: The Influence of the Triumphal Column

When studying the columns of Trajan (113 AD) and Marcus Aurelius (c. 190 AD), I cannot help thinking of them as the inspiration for the Bayeux Tapestry. Although, there is no record to my knowledge of Bishop Odo visiting Rome. The spiralling upwards bas relief reads...
The Elizabethan Church: Books, Pulpits & Hourglasses

The Elizabethan Church: Books, Pulpits & Hourglasses

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...