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William Stukeley in Stamford: His Houses, Gardens and a Project for a Palladian Triumphal Arch Over Barn Hill

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 September 2013

John F H Smith
John F H Smith*
Affiliation:
John F H Smith, FSA, 12 St George's Square, Stamford PE9 2BN, UK. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The part played by William Stukeley in the evolution of English garden design has aroused much interest in recent years, though little research has been carried out into his gardening and architectural activities while resident in Stamford, Lincolnshire, from 1730 to 1747. This was an important period in Stukeley's life and the influence of his archaeological work at Stonehenge and Avebury and his ideas on religion and the early British druids are clearly reflected in his garden designs. Previous work on this period in Stukeley's life has been hampered by imprecision over the various gardens or houses occupied in Stamford by Stukeley. The gardens and his residences are here identified and a mystery concerning his Barn Hill house that has puzzled architectural historians for five decades is solved: what was thought to be a remodelling of the house is here shown to be a scheme for a triumphal arch over the road immediately outside his house.

Résumé

Le rôle joué par William Stukeley dans l’évolution de l'aménagement des jardins anglais a suscité beaucoup d'intérêt ces dernières années, bien que peu de recherches aient été effectuées sur ses activités dans ce domaine et dans celui de l'architecture pendant qu'il résidait à Stamford, dans le Lincolnshire, de 1730 à 1747. Cette période a occupé une place importante dans la vie de Stukeley, et l'influence de son activité d'archéologie à Stonehenge et Avebury, ainsi que ses théories sur la religion et les premiers druides britanniques, se reflètent clairement dans les jardins qu'il a créés. Les travaux antérieurs sur cette période de la vie de Stukeley ont été entravés par le manque d'information sur les divers jardins et maisons qu'il occupa à Stamford. Ces jardins et résidences sont identifiés ici, et un mystère concernant sa maison de Barn Hill, qui a mystifié les historiens de l'architecture pendant une cinquantaine d'années, est éclairci : un projet supposé de réaménagement de sa maison prévoyait en fait la construction d'une arche de triomphe sur la route qui se trouve tout de suite devant elle.

Zusammenfassung

Die Rolle, die William Stukeley in der Entwicklung des englischen Gartendesigns einnahm, hat in den letzten Jahren zunehmend an Interesse gewonnen, doch wurden seine gärtnerischen und baulichen Aktivitäten während der Zeit als er in Stamford lebte (von 1739 bis 1747) nur wenig erforscht. Diese Jahre bezeichnen eine wichtige Periode in Stukeleys Leben und den Einfluss seiner archäologischen Tätigkeit in Stonehenge und Avebury sowie seine Anschauungen in Bezug auf Religion und die frühen britischen Druiden, die sein Gartendesign ganz eindeutig prägten. Frühere Arbeiten zu diesem Zeitabschnitt in Stukeleys Leben wurden durch Unklarheit bezüglich der diversen von Stukeley in Stamford bewohnten Gärten oder Häuserbehindert. Seine Gärten und Wohnsitze werden hier identifiziert und ein Rätsel, das den Bauforschern bezüglich seines Barn Hill Hauses schon seit fünf Jahrzehnten Kopfzerbrechen bereitet hat, wird hier gelöst: was früher für eine Neugestaltung seines Hauses gehalten wurde, erweist sich nun als Plan für einen die Straße vor seinem Haus überbrückendenTriumphbogen.

Type
Papers
Information
The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 93 , September 2013 , pp. 353 - 400
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 2013 

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