Charles Saumarez Smith praises Christine Casey’s 'Architecture and Artifice' for its vivid insight into the craftsmen behind 18th-century architecture - their skills, their freedom and the crafted surfaces that shaped the era. Tap to read the full review: charlessaumarezsmith.com/2025/10/08/a....
Published by the Paul Mellon Centre and distributed by Yale University Press. Learn more here: yalebooks.co.uk/book/9781913....
#architecturehistory #eighteenthcentury #britishart #irishart #architecturalheritage #materialculture #craftsmanship #buildinghistory #paulmelloncentre #yaleuniversitypress
The book is an outcome of the CRAFTVALUE project (craftvalue.org), enriched by ERC-funded STONE-WORK research, revealing the artistry and ingenuity that shaped some of the era’s most enduring buildings.
'Architecture and Artifice' highlights both little-known craftsmen and iconic landmarks such as Chatsworth, the Cambridge Senate House, Dublin’s Parliament House, and Trinity College Dublin’s Provost’s House.
This richly illustrated book explores the materials and methods behind eighteenth-century building in Britain and Ireland. It uncovers the hidden lives, skills and “wisdom of hands” of stone carvers, joiners and plasterers.
Published today by the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art: 'Architecture and Artifice: The Crafted Surface in Eighteenth-Century Building Practice' by Professor Christine Casey: www.stone-work.eu/news.
🎓 We are thrilled to welcome 13 International Visiting Fellows for 2025–26 to the Trinity Long Room Hub!
Our incoming fellows will be collaborating with @tcddublin.bsky.social Arts and Humanities Schools and the Library during their fellowships.
Learn more here: www.tcd.ie/trinitylongr...
The fellowship will bring fresh insights into the sculptural heritage and complex history of one of Ireland’s most important monuments.
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#ArtHistory #Heritage #StoneWork #TCD #ChristChurchCathedral
From Sept–Dec 2025, he will collaborate with Prof Christine Casey on “Contested Histories: the sculpture of Christ Church Cathedral re-examined.”
Read more: www.tcd.ie/trinitylongr....
Exciting news from @tlrhub.bsky.social: Dr Greg Sullivan (University of York) has been appointed an International Visiting Fellow for 2025–26.
(Photo: Ingo Mehling - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?...)
Derbyshire’s historic houses and quarries illustrate how stone, craft and design are inseparable.
Read the full blog here: www.stone-work.eu/field-trips-...
#ArchitecturalHistory #Culture
At Lyme Park, successive elevations reveal how masons responded to available building stone.
The Milnrow Sandstone of the north front is shallow and brick-like, contrasting with later deeper ashlar courses by Giacomo Leoni.
#LymePark #StoneWork #Conservation #Heritage
At Ricklow quarry, we observed crinoidal limestone in raw form — quarrymen once called the large fossils “nuts and bolts.”
Polished, this Derbyshire “fossil marble” reveals a vivid tapestry of Lower Carboniferous marine life, seen at Chatsworth in window seats, chimneypieces, and fountains.
#Geology
Kedleston Hall is famous for Robert Adam’s Neoclassical design, but its stone choices are equally striking.
The Coxbench sandstone columns display undulating bedding patterns, accentuated over time by weathering — creating effects evocative of marble veining.
#Kedleston #Sandstone #StoneMasonry
At Chatsworth House, curators opened access to roof-level areas of the north range.
We studied Ashover Grit sandstone, quarried locally at Ball Cross, Whicksop Edge and later Burntwood Quarry. Its distinctive markings reveal centuries of craftsmanship and geological history.
#Chatsworth #AshoverGrit
In July 2025, the STONE-WORK team carried out field and archival research in Derbyshire, working with curators, surveyors and local experts.
We explored the region’s remarkable sandstones, crinoidal limestones and alabaster.
Read more: www.stone-work.eu/field-trips-...
#STONEWORK #Derbyshire
Read the full field trip report here:
www.stone-work.eu/field-trips-....
#PortlandStone #ArchitecturalHeritage #GeologyFieldwork #StoneMasonry #BuildingMaterials #IsleOfPortland #DorsetGeology #StoneWorkProject
The STONE-WORK team visited Portland to study the island’s geology, quarrying history and architectural legacy.
From fossil-rich Whitbed and Roach freestones to modern underground mining, we uncovered the deep links between stone, craft and place.
New on the blog: Field trip to the Isle of Portland, Dorset (26–29 May 2025).
From cathedral domes to coastal cliffs, Portland stone has shaped Britain’s architecture and identity. Our latest blog post explores its story from the ground up.
We’ve recently launched our new website. While we’re excited to share this improved experience, you may see a 'Please refresh this page' message before accessing our website. If so, you'll simply need to refresh the page, or click on the link, to see the website.
This was the first of two conferences for the @ERC.europa.eu -funded STONE-WORK project - more to come in February 2026.
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#ArchitecturalHistory #MaterialCulture #STONEWORK #PortlandStone #Carrara #18thCentury #HistoricStonework #BuildingMaterials #Craftsmanship #Geology #Stone
Talks explored the complex supply chains that shaped Georgian buildings: how imported Italian marble and native coloured limestones combined to produce rich interior effects, and how materials like Portland and Kilkenny stone defined regional character.
Huge thanks to everyone who presented, organised, and attended. The day offered a fascinating look at the hidden networks behind 18th-century architecture - from local quarries to international marble routes.
Throwback to an inspiring day at @tlrhub.bsky.social @tcddublin.bsky.social for the “Stone Industry in Britain and Ireland, 1700–1800” conference!
Thank you so much for your kind words and for attending our conference!
One week to go!
See here for the full programme: www.stone-work.eu/events-1/the...
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Learn more about the site visit and its findings here:
🔗 www.stone-work.eu/field-trips-...
Or via the link in bio.
#ArtHistory #Masonry #DublinArchitecture #HistoricBuildings #InteriorArchitecture
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Geological identifications by @pavementgeology & Prof. Patrick Wyse Jackson revealed fascinating details, incl. the ‘Half-Moon’ Kilkenny Black Marble and Brocatello di Siena from Tuscany.
#KilkennyLimestone #SienaMarble #Geology #Stonework
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This hands-on visit explored chimneypiece design, materiality, and craftsmanship — from Portland stone and Black Kilkenny limestone to imported Carrara and Siena marble. This is a digital render by Dr Andrew Tierney.
#CulturalHeritage #Marble #HistoricStonework #MaterialCulture
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On April 1st, the @erc.europa.eu STONE-WORK team carried out a field study across several historic buildings in Dublin, focusing on 18th-century chimneypieces — both bespoke and commercially produced.
#STONEWORK #Fieldwork #Architecture #18thCentury