Lecture: Architecture and Identity: St Fagans Castle

Architecture and Identity: How three individuals made their mark on St Fagans CastleSt Fagans Castle is familiar to us all as the striking Elizabethan manor house at the heart of St Fagans National Museum of History. This November marks the publication of a brand-new book that explores the rich history of the house before the creation of the museum; a history that straddles six centuries. Published by University of Wales Press, St Fagans Castle: An Architectural and Social History of a Welsh Country House weaves architectural, garden, art and social history, touching on themes such as the impact of the Italian Renaissance on Welsh country houses, female architectural patronage and colonial legacies.In this lecture, author Bethan Scorey will introduce you to three individuals who feature prominently in the book and in the history of St Fagans, all of whom put their own, very distinct, stamp on the house and gardens.Dr John Gibbon (d.1581) was a local man who rose from the rank of yeoman to minor or middling gentry through a career in the law. Completed circa 1580, his new house at St Fagans made quite the splash as one of the first symmetrical buildings in Wales. Elizabethan houses were seen as a representation of their builders, but what exactly was Gibbon trying to say?Harriet Windsor-Clive (1797-1896) inherited the Windsor estate on the death of her older brother in 1833, and her greatest legacy is preventing the Windsor line, name and titles from dying out. We'll explore how Harriet's determination to secure a future for the Windsor family manifested itself in the additions she made to St Fagans Castle. From heraldic panels to Gothic turrets, she used architecture to emphasise the family's ancient linage and create a sense of continuity, despite the failure of the male line.Alberta 'Gay' Windsor-Clive (1863-1944) had a cosmopolitan upbringing in Florence and Rome before marrying into the Windsor-Clive family. Later, she became a central member of a glittering social set called The Souls, who shared a passion for the arts and languages. In the lecture, we'll hear how her love of Italy, music and reading were embedded in the gardens at St Fagans. We'll also discuss how the gardens, described as an 'enchanted land of Arthurian romance', were the backdrop for her affair with the 'most handsome man in Britain'. There will be an opportunity to purchase a copy of the book on the evening.About the speaker:
Dr Bethan Scorey is an architectural historian from Cardiff with a particular interest in Welsh country houses and gardens. She recently completed her PhD in History at the Institute for the Study of Welsh Estates, Bangor University, and also holds a master's in Building History from Cambridge University.Bethan is the Project Archivist at Insole Court, where the exciting 18-month 'Insole Court Archives Revealed' project. You can also find her co-presenting the S4C series 'Cartrefi Cymru', which brings Welsh architectural history and contemporary design to wider audiences.