My wisteria is bigger than your wisteria - # 104
Further along The Green we come to this magnificent set of doors and windows. The boxes containing the small bushes are pure real lead water butts, probably decorated with the owner's coat of arms and at least 300 years old. They must have cost a small fortune even in those days. I admire the elegant simplicity of the thin caste iron railings leading up the steps. Look at the trunk of the wisteria - it's very thick. The wealth behind this house undoubtedly came from great success in the new colonies trading sugar, tea and coffee, financing merchant shipping expeditions and farming estates in England and Ireland, and investing/speculating through the new financial system that had arisen in the City of London. I'm guessing the house was built in the early 1700s. The unpleasantness of the Civil War was 40 years behind, the country was stable, and a strong civic ethic was emerging.
Even to work in the basement - as a servant - might have been comparatively - nice for those days? These buildings are just marvellous and fortunatley mostly still in good shape - at least in the London areas that I know of. Just the doors! I believe there are illustrated books just about these doors?
ReplyDeleteWell.... i'm not sure about that! lol. What fun, all of us showing off our local Wisterias. As Ham said at mine, Wisteria Hysteria! I adore this beautiful house and enjoy the interesting history you provide.
ReplyDeletePlease pop over to Cheltenham where i have posted a pic of the missing UK girl Madeleine, so that we all have her image in our minds. More chance someone will spot her somewhere in the world.
Well, wisteria is great (literally), but even more I like huge windows of this house!
ReplyDeletevery pretty
ReplyDeleteWell, now one of the extensive, even comprehensive lacunae of my botanical knowledge has been plugged, thanks to CDP. I think I now know a wisteria when I see one!
ReplyDeleteIs that a curved bow window? When I studied architecture they discouraged this sort of thing saying it was too expensive and complicated even for high value properties. No such compunction in the 18th Century happily!
This CDP thing is great, having a bunch of personal guides through time, cultures and experiences!
ReplyDeleteWhat were water butts used for?
Yes, this is England at it's most English and best. Pity we can't all afford houses like this!
ReplyDeleteThey are so wonderful, the wisteria.
ReplyDeleteI love these flowers but don't have any. I have had no luck growing wisteria. I think it is our screwed up weather here in Ohio.
ReplyDeleteIt is a wonderful photography, congratulation
ReplyDeleteThe front steps look original too - quite worn in the middle. Boy, I can only imagine the stories they could tell...
ReplyDeleteWow! There is certainly alot of money in Richmond!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by and answering my question. That's what I had thought, but I wasn't sure.
ReplyDelete