Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#1
Both local TV channels carried a big feature on Augustus Pugin last night to mark 200 years since his birth. To tell the truth I had no idea he was from these parts, son of an immigrant Frenchman. But there were services in Ramsgate and beyond yesterday to celebrate the life of the man who gave us...Big Ben. What a landmark..it is embedded in the national psyche. He was the architect behind many superb churches across the UK and Ireland, as well as all those fabulous interiors at the magnificent Houses of Parliament (Palace of Westminster).
Here is the man himself as featured on Meridian TV last night...
and here below is his tomb in a church in Ramsgate. Sadly I didnt catch the name of the Church so if anyone knows please let us know, it truly looks well worth a visit.
Laura Sandys MP said the following yesterday...
"From Parliament to Ramsgate, wherever I turn, Pugin has left his mark. Locally, he built The Grange in Ramsgate and the church of St Augustine, but he is perhaps best known for the magnificent interiors of the Houses of Parliament. His countless beautiful designs on tiles, wallpaper, furniture and stained glass make him one of Thanet's finest exports. Happy 200th Birthday, Pugin!"
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#2
With entirely uncharacteristic simplicity the place to look is...
http://pugin.com/Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#3
Thanks for that Tom..you are great with the appropriate links..as far as I can tell after a quick look there that the Church featured must be St Augustine's. Ive never seen it but it looked magnificent on TV last night...might set out to find it one these sunny spring sundays. Worth a few pictures for sure.
I saw somewhere there that the unfortunate chap died age just FORTY. He was married three times, not sure how he managed that as a Catholic..tut tut..and had EIGHT children. He died from exhaustion, not presumably from the wives and children but from the huge volume of work he undertook.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#4
There are clips here of a worthy documentary on the man, there are places too, if you were to search for this title, where you can download the whole thing, but that is a personal decision...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01b1z45/clipsIgnorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#5
i must own up never to have heard of him, certainly achieved a lot in such a short time.
must pop up to ramsgate to see some of his work.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#6
Howard, you really must spend less time in the shed with the home-brew kit.
Pugin has long been a favourite subject with the Beeb and their tame documentary makers.
Although I do not sit and take notes it has to be remembered that he was not the architect of choice for the palace of Westminster, the top job went to a tried and trusted old hand and while we may rightly marvel at his works we must not forget the army of craftsmen on which all his works relied.
It is most likely that we pass the homes of such men on a daily basis without a moments' thought. A re-reading of Gray's Elegy written in a country churchyard should help to refocus the mind, but is a bit long to paste here...
http://www.thomasgray.org/cgi-bin/display.cgi?text=elccIgnorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
#7
I have read a fair amount about Pugin as I have a great love of architecture/architects. Many of them died of exhaustion, Arthur Beresford Pite included (although he also had skin cancer.)
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#8
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#9
Ah yes I have an affection for Thomas Gray. English Poet extraordinaire featured on the Irish curriculum. It was tough learning all that in my schooldays as there is quite a lot of it, but after having left school I learned to appreciate it and am always ready to quote it. Somehow in those religious schools when they beat something into you it stays there !!
I remember quoting a bit from it on here the other day..cant remember which thread
"The paths of glory lead but to the grave"
This certainly applied to Pugin and in his case an early grave.
Gray is buried in Stoke Poges. We went to see his grave shortly after getting off the boat from Ireland and setting up home in the capital..Im sure I mentioned this before, Im repeating myself but Im at a funny age...we went there thinking it would be a rural hamlet after studying the poem, but alas no...West London now, more or less.
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
#10
Tom - Gaudi - wonderful, - here are two I took in Barcelona:
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#11
Thanks Kath, Gaudi, near the end of his life, resided at the church and was knocked down by a tram while crossing the street outside. All he had on him, in a pocket of his old coat, were a few nuts and the medics took him for a tramp.
I especially enjoy his architectural adaptations;the dragon's back roofs and the oft-photographed ventilation shafts.
Gherkins, gherkins, woe is me...gherkins is all I see.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#12
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
#13
Tom there was a very interesting documentary about Gaudi on a while back. I also like Frank Lloyd Wright (he was a bit of a character), Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Edwin Lutyens.
Lovely photos Kath, I am going back to Barcelona in a few weeks time to photograph some cemeteries and will definitely be stopping off to admire some of Gaudi's creations.
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
#14
Yes Gaudi, amazing. I'm always talking about his parabolas!
Although not as influential as Pugin, people often overlook William Burges. A great Victorian architect and protagonist of Gothic Revival. Castell Coch and Cardiff Castle are notable examples of his work, but for Dovorians we should know him for Connaught Hall, part of our very own town hall.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#15
FLW?
Was it not his family and friends that were burned to death by their domestic 'arsonist?
I have a friend & neighbour who has some stunning ideas...
http://visioning.aaschool.ac.uk/?page_id=69Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#16
DT1 - I am assuming it is ths same William Burgess that was also the artist ?
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#17
I think so Paul (Burges. One 's')
He had a fine eye for detail/was severely short sighted. Take your pick...
http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/architect_full.php?id=200217Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
#18
I don't think so Paul. Although I could be wrong.
Tom, your friend Anderson, I have come across before when I was a student.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#19
One of the things that came up when I searched for Burges was a youtube clip of a broach found on the antiques road show. Also many references to Arts & Crafts.
Yes Darren, Anderson is full of neat notions and very busy with teaching and projects.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#20
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17230970
Was lucky to have the run of the building when a friend of mine was an architect for the refurbishment -an interetsing building :)
Been nice knowing you :)
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