A visit to George Mason’s c.1759 Gunston Hall – A Colonial Virginia Gem.
An unexpected journey
From History
The Mystery Man in the Wall of the Chancognie House
A small scrap of paper in the walls of the c.1810 Chancognie House in Charleston, SC led to an interesting discovery about early 20th century patent medicines.
The Day the Chancognie House Almost Burned Down
Like most early American cities, Charleston has a long history of fires both small and large. Wooden buildings in close proximity to each other along with fire-building for cooking and warmth were all too often a combustible combination. The fire of April 27-28, 1838 burned over 500 properties and stopped just down the street from…
An Insider’s Tour of the Royal Pavilion at Brighton
One of the many highlights of my Attingham Summer School experience was the rooftop tour of the Royal Pavilion at Brighton. Rooftop is a bit misleading, however, as we not only went up to the roof, we went inside the roof. Coming from the US, I am always amazed at things I can do in…
Kedleston Hall – A Robert Adam Architectural Masterpiece
Robert Adam (1728-92) is my favorite architect. To be fair, my admiration for Adam is a recent development as I had never heard of him before I took up residence in the Chancognie House. The Buildings of Charleston described the house as having “Adamesque” detailing, so after reading that, I started to study Adam’s work…
Raby Castle – A Medieval Gem in Northeast England
Raby Castle has weathered tumultuous times during a history that spans more than 600 years, and this is reflected in the building itself. Built by the powerful Nevill family in the 14th century, most of the exterior dates to this period. After a series of changes in ownership due to political turmoil, the Castle was…
Bolsover Castle – A Most Intriguing Site
During the Attingham Summer School, I was fortunate to visit Bolsover Castle which is a fascinating site. It features Terrace Range, the ruins of a grand house, Little Castle, a miniature version of a grand house and the oldest riding school in England to survive intact. Located in Derbyshire, Bolsover has a long and illustrious…
The Attingham Trust Summer School and a Visit to Boughton House
I recently had the privilege and pleasure of attending the Attingham Trust Summer School, an intensive study course of the British country house. The Summer School started in 1952 as a way to educate American curators about the complexities of British country houses since many of them had country house materials in their museums. It…
Digging Deeper – Hoyt’s Nickel Cologne
This is the first post in an occasional series where will I dig deeper into the history of an artifact found here at the Chancognie House. I will start with the Hoyt’s Nickel Cologne bottle pictured above. Eli Waite Hoyt was born in Alexandria, NY in 1838 and moved with his parents to Lowell, MA…
A Trip Across the Pond
There were many highlights of my trip to London, but one in particular was my visit to Kenwood House. Located on the edge of Hampstead Heath, it is a striking neoclassical villa that was designed in large part by one of my favorite architects, Robert Adam. Born in Scotland in 1728, Adam was the son…
The Accidental Preservationist 