THE SHELL GROTTO AT JORDANS, SOMERSET Shell grottoes grew as a fashion in the 18th C. The grotto was a creation of somewhere ‘other’ than the formal country house and garden. A magical place embellished with exotic shells, corals, fossils, stalactites, stones and...
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...
Whilst the roots of the Benedictines grew from the Italian countryside, they established some of their monasteries as key centres in England. The Benedictines played an integral role in society, culture, learning and the economy of England from the 7th C through until...
‘The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.’ Aristotle (384-322 BC) Anyone with an interest in architectural history cannot get away from the importance of classical temples, classical architecture and...
15th Century-Stained Glass – Saints of The Golden Legend: The Dragon Window, Trull, Somerset At All Saints Church, Trull near Taunton is a fine stained-glass window known as the ‘Dragon Window’. It dates from the late 15th century.[i] The reason it is known as...
Tucked away in the narrow part of Church Street in Lacock is the Sign of the Angel Inn. The Angel Inn was built at the end of the 15th C, possibly circa 1480.[i] It was possibly an inn from the start. However, in the 16th or early 17th C it was believed to have been...
