Shakespeare’s England Exhibition

Description

SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND, 1912. The most recent of Mr. Lutyens’ adventures in the field of reconstituting ancient architecture was at the Exhibition of Shakespeare’s England at Earl’s Court in 1912. In this case the limiting conditions of the site and of the permanent roofs under which some of the buildings had to be set up prevented the houses being built to their full scale, but as this reduction was observed uniformly throughout, the street pictures secured by ingenious planning were very convincing. Under the series of eight illustrations reproduced here (Figs. 538 to 545) are noted the names of the historical buildings, which, in some instances, were copied. The absence of such names indicates that the picturesque effects were the outcome of more or less original design. One of the most effective and picturesque corners was the harbour in which was moored the replica of that gallant ship, the Revenge. The design of the ship itself was due to the collaboration of Mr. Seymour Lucas, R.A., with Mr. Lutyens. The regrettable feature of such exhibitions is that usually they vanish away and leave not a wrack behind. Some day, perhaps, a permanent Folk Museum will be established in England on a site large enough to allow old buildings, that must be moved from their original sites, to be set up again and recall street scenes which have passed from our ken for ever. (Weaver, 1913, pp.312-3)

Bibliography

Weaver, L. (1913) Houses and Gardens by E L Lutyens. London: Country Life.

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