Alfred Yockney

“ For building materials are subject to stranger vicissitudes than those who cause them to be manipulated. Even if they have only decay to contend with it is a constant struggle against their eventual fate, but as often as not they have to face destruction sooner or later. Sometimes the stones which have been used in an historic building are forced to do service again and again until their record and significance are lost. Occasionally we have a clue to the past, as in the case of “Nonsuch,” the beautiful palace begun by Henry VIII, and once an attraction on the road to Epsom. ”

“ A great deal can be left unsaid, however, without minimising our appreciation, and such implied praise may be taken for granted in the present case. Imperfect though some of these old buildings may have been in several ways, they are among the classics in architecture and their appeal is continual. Generous in scale, well-built, decorated with high-spirited talent, and occupied from time to time by people who, if they do not always command our admiration, at least compel our interest, these houses have become a part of the national life. ”

“ So history teaches us.
To destroy illusions, however, is not the way to earn popularity, so few but pessimists and the most severe historians look back with a keen eye for defects in our national romances. Most of us may take a generous view of the lives of our remote ancestors. Let them be supposed to have had the advantage of us in their environment, occupations, pastimes, and sentiments. It is futile to institute comparisons, and those who made England are entitled to the benefit of the doubt. ”

“ Architects of modern times and students of all descriptions have searched in vain for information which would reveal the authorship of certain executed designs. Even when a clue has been obtained it has led to nothing definite, and the credit for much of the greatest building work is given to the client who paid for it, a thing not unknown in modern times. We are told that “Nonsuch” was built by King Henry VIII, Hampton Court by Cardinal Wolsey, and other venerable places were due, apparently, to the architectural genius of earls, knights, esquires, and other people. ”

“ Building became a passion with the wealthy, and with the demand for ideas there arose a supply of men desirous of devoting their lives to the building and embellishment of houses, an ambition of which the fruits may still be enjoyed to some extent.
Subdivision was one of the guiding principles in the evolution of domestic architecture. Time was when the barest necessities in the way of architecture sufficed for the accommodation of the chieftains and their servants, armed or otherwise. ”

“ For one thing our lives are then before us, and even if we have no definite course to be followed steadily there is generally the beacon of hope to inspire our progress. In after years, especially if we have been successful, the obstacles seem to have been lower and fewer. We may imagine, therefore, that the relentless advance of time is regarded with equal anxiety by inanimate things. If the stones, bricks, and timbers of ancient secular edifices could speak they would wish us to believe, as human beings do, that their early days were the best. ”

“ If they themselves are unknown to fame, or are forgotten by all but students of building, their genius is imperishable. Later generations of architects and craftsmen have supplied the best of all epitaphs, that of emulation. ”

“ Tudor architecture appeals to us for many reasons, and not least because of its human associations. In the presence of such a building as Hampton Court we are reminded of various periods of architecture and different generations of notable people. The names occur to us of many royal personages who lived there. We think of Wren ending his days near to the structure with which he was so intimately associated. But it is the memory of Wolsey which takes the foremost place in our thoughts. ”

“ With such efforts of tabulation and description the good work generally ceased, and the worship of the things themselves being confined to a limited circle the warmth of appreciation was seldom of sufficient power to ripen the fruit of the tree of knowledge. It was the plucking of the fruit which was responsible for a better appreciation of its quality. When astute business men perceived that there was money in the more or less abandoned relics of the past, and proceeded to find new owners for them, the British public discovered that the derelict objects were rare and beautiful. ”

“ For picturesqueness the half-timber houses are unequalled, and many examples remain in England to remind us of the successful conception of this type of house, originating, no doubt, in the supply of local materials. This style of architecture reached its zenith in the time of Elizabeth and was popular both for town and country buildings. The streets of Chester are a never-failing source of interest in this respect, and many houses in the neighbourhood enjoy well-deserved fame. One of them, Garden Hall, dating from the sixteenth century, was destroyed by fire in 1912, a regrettable calamity. ”

“ In the first place they demonstrated the importance which should be attached to many objects of antiquity, and in the second place the business men put their weight into the scale against destruction. In the most practical way they prevented examples of craftsmanship from sharing the fate of firewood and rubble. They have kept things of singular merit intact when extinction was probable, and if sometimes they have exaggerated the importance of work which is merely old and not really interesting, their services in educating public opinion more than counterbalance their transgressions. ”

“ That they did possess certain privileges is beyond question, and as other blessings have been substituted for the benefit of later generations, we can afford to look back with a certain amount of envy on the time when traditions were {2} being made and events followed one another with less disturbing frequency than they are doing in the twentieth century.
The days of our youth are regarded, not without reason, as the period of our greatest happiness. It is often a transparent fiction, but on the whole there is an element of truth in the idea. ”

“ The interior of the ancient mansion would be inclined no less than the exterior to look upon modern beings as usurpers and unheroic characters, compared with those who once walked through the stately halls and corridors. ”

“ Distant history as represented by architecture is a subject which has engaged the attention of all students of national development, and to their extensive researches the public is deeply indebted. Architects and archaeologists also have pieced together the evidence available and have reconstructed the past with great thoroughness. The mode of life at different periods has been revealed by means of plans and other drawings, often prepared with infinite labour. ”

“ Though there is little reason to doubt that some really desirable objects have always commanded a certain degree of respect, sufficient care has not been exercised in many notable cases. The history of the housebreakers’ trade is full of artistic tragedies, and the awakening of public interest might have come sooner for the benefit of the national reputation. Exactly when the movement began for the full appreciation of such works of art and industry cannot be stated. ”

“ Owners, including public bodies, have been neglectful of their possessions, and only when someone else has speculated on the commercial value, have the objects been appreciated for their artistic interest. It seems strange, for example, that some treasures of craftsmanship and antiquity from Westminster Abbey, Winchester Cathedral, and other sacred places should have been available for erection elsewhere at the call of the highest bidder. Innumerable relics of domestic architecture and decoration have been taken from English homes for transportation. ”

“ Structural alterations in the past did not tend to improve its original beauty.
A still earlier example of domestic architecture is the Manor House at East Barsham, Norfolk (Plate XXII) , which was begun in the first few years of the sixteenth century. It was built of red brick with terra-cotta decorations, and it must have been a magnificent structure. It fell into a ruinous state and was used as a farmhouse early in the nineteenth century. Another East Anglian building which possessed importance in Tudor times was West Stow Hall, Suffolk (Plate XXI) . ”

“ The somewhat prison-like characteristics of these early buildings became obsolete through the advent of more peaceful occupations and by the invention of weapons against which stone and brick could not stand. The impetus given to more rational building gathered in force and, inspired by a monarch himself enterprising in such matters, the results were to be seen everywhere. The lands and properties which changed hands at the Suppression of the Monasteries brought wealth to many people, who immediately began to re-house themselves on a scale in keeping with their ample resources. ”

“ Nash deserted the practice of architecture to good purpose, for he produced the standard books illustrating the mansions of the olden times existing in his day, and he made a greater name probably than he would have done had he stuck to the medium of bricks and mortar. The influence of his work was good, and as a transcriber of architecture for popular appreciation he occupies a similar place to that attained by the Lambs in their prose interpretations of Shakespeare. Both Cattermole and Nash were members of the “Old” Water Colour Society. ”

“ While it would be very instructive to know the names of those who designed and executed the Tudor buildings, it is doubtful if the facts ever will be established, and we must be content to admire without knowing to whom the credit should be given. Our appreciation is sincere, and we find unlimited interest in the remains of another industrial age. ”

“ Horeham Hall, Essex (Plate XI) , is an interesting example of early sixteenth-century work, retaining much of its original quality. The Princess Elizabeth found a refuge here while her half-sister was on the throne, and liked the place so much that she often revisited it after she succeeded to the Crown. The building, owing its origin to Sir John Cutt, shows a curious mixture of castle and mansion, not only as regards the exterior but in the planning. It was once surrounded by a moat, which was partially filled in about the middle of the nineteenth century. ”

“ To achieve success with a composition relying for its incidents and accessories on scenes enacted, or supposed to have been enacted, two centuries or more previously requires gifts of no mean order. Not only must there be a proper understanding of the sentiments of the times, but the people introduced must be dressed appropriately and must take their part in the proceedings naturally. Nash, of course, studied his backgrounds on the spot, and chose the point of view which would be most picturesque. ”

“ The poets have been not less backward than the artists in proclaiming the romance of life in those distant days, and novelists have led us astray with equal regularity. For, almost certainly, we have been led astray. ”

“ Of the rooms not one is so interesting as the ballroom or long gallery with its open timber roof.
Pitchford Hall (Plate XVI) is among the most striking buildings in Shropshire, and it is said to possess an unbroken record of tenancy since it was erected in the time of Henry VIII, never suffering from the changes which are almost inevitable during such a long period. The building is certainly in excellent preservation, and is maintained as a residence with due regard to its venerable appearance. ”

“ Museum directors, connoisseurs, architects, and craftsmen like William Morris, had their share in the enlightenment of the people to the real significance of the work of men’s hands, but the mainspring of the movement for preservation was the competition of professional antiquity hunters. Once the best attributes of old house fittings had been pointed out by various means, but {6} chiefly in the language of value sterling, the future of relics existing in situ seemed brighter. ”

“ A notable building is the Oak House, West Bromwich (Plate {27} VIII) . The special feature is the timber turret rising from the centre of the roof and competing in effect with the series of chimney-stacks. It is now in the midst of the Black Country, with which it has little in common.
Among the best half-timber houses in Lancashire is Smithells Hall (Plate VI) , where the bold quatrefoil work makes a variation in decorative effect. It is of very ancient foundation, but the existing work dates from the early sixteenth century. ”

“ There is truth in this argument when applied to landscape, and still more so in regard to history and antiquities. We look on the distant past as we do on a beautiful sunset, conscious only of warm, glowing reflections. Forgetfulness and ignorance play a great part in our estimate of bygone days and things. The invasion of Britain by Julius Cassar and the later Romans has been the joy of the archaeologist—descendants of those who suffered at the time ”

“ The romance which is enshrined in these old buildings will never be forgotten, however, for the story of each structure has been told many times, and events of the day often cause us to refresh our memories. ”

“ The problems of design and construction, the new planning, the means of decoration and equipment, such were the things which occupied the attention of our ancestors and which may now be traced and compared with subsequent architectural achievements. In Tudor times a domestic revolution was in progress. The accessories of life, possessed, if not enjoyed, by those who had gone before, were being thoroughly overhauled and were often condemned in the light of altered conditions. The barrack life of feudal and mediæval times had been changed gradually and the accommodation had become more private. ”