Marion Harney

Pope and Prior Park: A study in landscape and literature

Abstract Introduction Prior Park is an important and early example of a surviving, small-scale, eighteenth-century landscape, the seat at Bath of Ralph Allen (1693-1764), owner of the stone quarries from which Bath was built. It reflects the hand of Alexander Pope (1688-1744), and later Sanderson Miller (1716-1780) and Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown (1716-1783). This paper exarnines Alexander Popes involvement at Prior Park, and in doing so reassesses the garden as of national importance. Completed around 1742, approximately one year before Popes death, it was the last garden that he was involved with, and it is here that he put into practice his theories on gardening from 1713, the summation of his experience. The thesis is that Prior Park, whilst containing emblematic and iconographic meaning, expresses at the same time a Romantic character that was not fulfJled to such an extent elsewhere by this date and as a consequence it is also argued that Popes theories, as expressed at his own garden at Twickenham (with Sherborne Castle landscape as the catalyst), were inmlensely influential on the work of William Kent and that Kent developed no theories of his own — that is to say, the influence is from Pope to Kent and not vice versa as convention maintains.

Gardens and Landscapes in Historic Building Conservation

Gardens & Landscapes in Historic Building Conservation is an essential guide for everyone with an interest in the conservation of historic gardens and designed landscapes worldwide. The latest assessment of the origins, scope and impact of gardens and designed landscapes is vital reading. Covering history and theory, survey and assessment, conservation and management and the legislative framework the book considers all aspects of garden and landscape conservation and related issues. It explores the challenge of conserving these important sites and surviving physical remains and a conservation movement which must understand, protect and interpret those remains.

Beckford's ride: The reconstruction of historic landscapes

William Beckford (1760–1844) built a lookout tower and landscape garden in Bath, now almost completely vanished beneath subsequent buildings. Referring to archival documents and a few traces on the ground, we used an advanced video-game engine to reconstruct the landscape, architecture and planting as it was around 1840, for an interactive installation in the Beckford Tower Museum. Bespoke software was developed to handle the wide views and rich planting. The resulting virtual environment succeeds in relating the lost landscape to the intentions and taste of its creator, and to surviving fragments in the real world. It has enhanced the museum visitor’s experience in several ways.