architecture

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Easy Lessons in the Art of Practical Wood Carving: Suited to the Wants Of Carpenters, Joiners, Amateurs and Professional Wood Carvers

by Frederick Thomas Hodgson

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Frederick Thomas Hodgson (1836-1919) was a gifted builder, and wrote numerous books offering insight on home building, carpentry, stonemasonry, and architectural drawing. Hodgson aimed his books to be affordable and accessible to all levels of readers and carpenters, including aspiring ones. Many of his books were aimed at Americans across the country building their own home and looking for everything from guides on proper estimation to the Hodgson’s other two volume work, Practical Uses of the Steel Square.

This work offers information on various tools and techniques used by carpenters, types of wood to use and avoid, stunning design patterns, and some historical information on past types of carving techniques, such as those used in medieval times.

This new edition is dedicated to the artist members of the National Sculpture Society, givers of beauty and creators of truth.

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Historical Sketches of New Haven

by Ellen Strong Bartlett

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Ellen Strong Bartlett was an evocative and prolific writer. Historical Sketches of New Haven is in part a collection of her writings that appeared in New England Magazine and The Connecticut Quarterly, and offer a wonderful portrait of New Haven, Connecticut. Bartlett offers centuries of history, photographs, architectural analysis, folklore and more.

Bartlett was born in 1848 to Ellen Root Strong and John Newton Bartlett in New Haven, CT. One of Bartlett’s books was Bits from Great Grandmother’s Diary, a collection of insight from her great grandmother who lived in Farmington and experienced the Revolutionary War. She served as the editor for Connecticut as a Colony and as a State as well.

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Nooks & Corners of Old New York

by Charles Hemstreet, illustrations by E. C. Peixotto

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For lovers and historians of New York City, Nooks & Corners of Old New York is a wonderful resource. Charles Hemstreet offers a detailed look at the history that shaped the physical structure New York City held at the turn of the 20th century, and the text is accompanied by pen-and-ink drawings by E. C. Peixetto, which help give further insight on the architectural styles of the city and the end of the 1800s. Hemstreet wrote extensively of New York City, including other words, such as When Old New York was Young (1902), Literary New York (1903), and The Story of Manhattan (1907).

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Ancient Stained and Painted Glass

by Frederick Sydney Eden

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Frederick Sydney Eden (1859-1950) became well known for his significant writings on the subject of stained glass. Previously, he was a lawyer, but had gotten caught up in some fraud regarding an estate, which landed him in jail for six years. However, he covered up his past, and it largely remained secret until his passing.

Eden came to the field of stained glass during his mid-40s, while he was examining Essex churches between 1909-11. He then began volunteer work with the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England (RCHME). His experience as a draughtsman and growing knowledge of stained glass had his colleagues encourage Eden to write a work on the subject. In 1913, he released this work, Ancient Stained and Painted Glass as a result.

This work helped launch Eden’s career in the field. He began researching churches in other parts of England, however, his work was interrupted by World War I when he worked for the Ministry of Munitions. After the war, his career truly blossomed. In 1922, he became an honorary fellow of the British Society of Master Glass Painters, and became known as a major authority on stained glass, well aware of its role in combination with other arts.

This edition is dedicated to Gwen Pier of the National Sculpture Society, sagacious observer of the arts scene and major force in its contributions to our environment.

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A Series of Discourses Upon Architecture in England

by Rev. James Dallaway

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Rev. James Dallaway had published the successful survey Observations on English Architecture. Yet, the passing of twenty years had brought more insight, clarity, and of course further changes to the physical layout of buildings across the United Kingdom. Rather than revising the original work,
he created this volume, a collection of discourses, which included a variety of thoughts from other scholars on critical issues that had arisen. His work includes a lot of opinions of controversies about development of architecture, including his belief that Grecian architecture deeply influenced the Gothic style. He writes of the Tudor style, military architecture, and Free Masons, among other topics. Some critics have argued that his preference for certain architectural styles, such as Scottish Gothic, gives his work a biased tone when it comes to declaring some styles as superior to others. Regardless of preference, this work still despite the passage of time gives a lot of food for discussion.

 

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The Romance of English Almshouses

by Mary F. Raphael

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Almshouses date to England in the Middle Ages. In fact, the still existing Hospital of St. Cross in Winchester of York is evidence of this long history of almshouses. It remains in operation today. Almshouses were developed in order to help the elderly, ill, disabled, or impoverished get the assistance they needed. They spread to some regions of the United States and both in England and America differed greatly based on the person developing it, the purpose and the regional influences. For example, in some almshouses in Connecticut, people using the service were regularly punished by whipping for having to use it. Not all of them were unpleasant and since they were often endowed and the residents required to pray for the souls of the benefactors, they differed from workhouses, where the inhabitants were required to earn their keep. Mary F. Raphael focuses on popular, large, established almshouses across England and records her impressions of the region, architecture and residents.

 

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The Old Spanish Missions of California: A Historical and Descriptive Sketch

by Paul Elder

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There were twenty one Spanish missions in California, established between 1769 and 1833 by Catholic priests to spread Christianity. Paul Elder collected various snippets of California history and compiled it in this work with quotes from various primary sources and photographs of numerous missions across the state, which presents a romanticized view of their founding. This work only portrays a partial and sanitized tale of the Spanish missions in California and their impact. The missions relied on agriculture to fund themselves, and sought to convert and colonize the Native people and their land. Multiple rebellions against the missions occurred since the missionaries sought to destroy native culture, and in the process, they transmitted communicable diseases which killed thousands. Missions did not just exist in California, but also Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Florida.

 

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Ruins and Old Trees Associated with Memorable Events in English History

by Mary Roberts

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Ruinsruins and Old Trees was written by Mary Roberts, with the original illustrations by Gilbert, engravings by Folkard. Roberts uses creative license and lines of poetry scattered throughout the work, to reimagine life and times of various, notable areas across England. Her descriptions invite readers to put themselves into the events described, ingeniously using various physical landmarks as a reference point. Much of the history is centered on monarchs of Europe and religious figures. Those discussed include the Monks of St. Mary’s at York, Howel Sele, the Nunnery of St. Peter’s, Queen Victoria and William Talbot, an English Knight, among many others.

This new edition is dedicated to Brian Giblin, who is such an enthusiast for Oxford and its setting.

 

 

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Old London Taverns: Historical, Descriptive, and Reminiscent

by Edward Callow

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In February 1900, a journal review of Old London Taverns commented that the author was annoyed by mistakes in recounting pub history. So he embarked on this chronicle:

taverns“He tells us of various taverns, chop-houses, bakers’, butchers’, and kindred topics of considerable variety, places both new and old. He has done good service in putting together these facts, which have, indeed, a great tendency to get forgotten or confused. [As an example]… Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese’ is, perhaps, the doyen of London taverns. Herrick speaks of the ‘Cheese,’ along with the Triple Tun’ (no longer a tavern), in writing to Ben Jonson. This building, of course, perished in the Fire, but its successor has seen guests as famous—Pope, Congreve, Samuel Johnson, Goldsmith, and in later days Charles Dickens, Mark Lemon, and Thomas Hood. It remains much the same, though the ancient simplicity of its bill-of-fare has disappeared. Mr. Callow’s book is one to be commended both for its text and its illustrations.”

This edition is dedicated to John Hamill, whose researches into the beginnings of Freemasonry have made him something of an authority about the rites that the ancient taverns sheltered.

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Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales

by John Timbs and Alexander Gunn

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Here are remarkable stories of abbeys, castles, manors and other notable buildings across England and Wales. The John Timbs account is broken up by region, including Yorkshire, the Isle of Man, and North and South Wales. Timbs manages to cover a lot of ground by providing a brief overview of each point of interest, sketching out its location and offering a compelling historical capsule. He is a master of succinctness.

John Timbs (1801-1875) was a prolific author and noted antiquary. He was born in London, privately educated, and by age sixteen was and apprenticed in both the printing and pharmaceutical trades. He quickly chose to be a writer, providing articles for The Monthly Magazine, later becoming the editor for the Mirror of Literature, The Literary World, and The Harlequin. He was also deeply involved in the Society of Antiquaries of London, and wrote 150 works, including Curiosities of Science (1859); Mysteries of Life, Death, and Futurity (1868) and Doctors and Patients (1873/4). He is perhaps most famously known for editing the Memoirs of the Rev. John Livingston.

This new edition is dedicated to Christopher Hodapp, a 21st century antiquarian of great aplomb.

 

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Treasures of London: P.H. Ditchfield’s London Survivals

Edited and Introduced by Paul Rich

Peter Ditchfield (1854-1930) was a graduate of Oriel College, Oxford, and sometime Inspector of Schools
 for Diocese Of Oxford. He was Rector of Barkham from 1886 until his death. A leading Freemason, he was Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of England as well as of the Mark Grand Lodge. He was a passionate historian of old England and wrote about English sporting customs, cathedrals, ancient guilds, village folk traditions, and in this volume about the byways of London. The destruction of parts of the old city during World War II makes this a valuable source of architectural history.