On my recent Courtauld Institute of Art study tour of great houses on the River Thames I visited Chiswick House, which I immediately adopted as my second most favourite British Palladian mansion. But not as my top favourite. That lies 400 miles to the north beside the River Forth. So what makes Newhailes House better? … More The Matchless Vale of Forth
I’m on a Courtauld Institute of Art study tour of the Matchless Vale of Thames, here to see Palladian villas and other great houses and their gardens around Richmond and Twickenham. I introduced the tour in Part One of this three-part blog post. Now we’re about to set off. OK? Ready to go? … More The Matchless Vale of Thames: Part Two
In the 18th century a Palladian villa in a designed garden beside the River Thames was the ultimate signifier of good taste, status and wealth. This is the first chapter of a three-part blog post chronicling my recent venture into unexplored territory: a Courtauld Institute of Art study tour of the Matchless Vale of Thames. … More The Matchless Vale of Thames: Part One
Slice 5 of a 5-slice Random Treasure blog post, about a loaf of bread which won a home-baking competition in 1907. This final Slice 5 considers the Winner of the Prize. Who was she? Where did she live? What was her place within local society, where everyone knew their place but everyone competed in the annual show? … More Prize Loaf: Slice 5
Slice 4 of a 5-slice Random Treasure blog post, about a loaf of bread which won a home-baking competition in 1907. This Slice 4 is about the Exhibit which won the Prize: a home-baked loaf of bread. But what kind of loaf? Let us investigate, or perhaps speculate, what the loaf looked like and what recipe was used. … More Prize Loaf: Slice 4
Slice 3 of a 5-slice Random Treasure blog post, about a loaf of bread which won a home-baking competition in 1907. This Slice 3 considers The Prize-Giver, Carr’s Flour Mills of Silloth, Cumbria. What motivated them to give away around 20 such tea sets at local flower shows in that damp summer? … More Prize Loaf: Slice 3
Slice 2 of a 5-slice Random Treasure blog post about a loaf of bread which won a home-baking competition in 1907. This Slice 2 is about the Prize, a Handsome China Tea Service in blue and white bone china. Where did the tea service come from? Who made it? And why am I so interested? … More Prize Loaf: Slice 2
Your Random Treasure blogger has been investigating a very special loaf of bread which won first prize in a home-baking competition. My findings are sliced into five Slices, each to be served to you in a separate blog post. Slice 1: The Prize Competition, held at the Annual Show at St Bees, Cumbria in August 1907. … More Prize Loaf: Slice 1
In Chapter 3 of the Missing Monk Mystery, I continue my investigation of why the Monk disappeared from Daniel Maclise’s painting, his meaning in the picture, and who at Knebworth was responsible for his disappearance. I have five scenarios to offer, any one (or none) of which might explain the Mystery. Take your pick. … More Missing Monk Mystery: Chapter 3
Chapter 2. A Monk, formerly present in a painting by Daniel Maclise, isn’t there now. The edges of the original composition were chopped off. My Investigation begins. Who owns the picture, where is it now, and who is featured in it? Why has the Monk been deleted and who was responsible for his departure? … More Missing Monk Mystery: Chapter 2
