Strachey had acquired literary celebrity earlier in the same year with the publication of Eminent Victorians—four irreverent biographies of notable figures from the period—and he was enjoying the novelty of being lionised by the wealthy. Hutchinson, a denizen of the Bloomsbury Group, had particularly requested a report about his recent stay of several days at Lindisfarne Castle.
His host at Lindisfarne was a London businessman, the founder of COUNTRY LIFE, Edward Hudson, who hoped Strachey would write for the magazine. Hudson had bought the castle in 1901 and employed his friend, the architect Edwin Lutyens, to remodel it. The project was a labour of love for the two men, both of whom relished the romance of the spot. As the work was nearing completion in 1906, Lutyens even brought a tame raven to Lindisfarne, a bird that—after the example of the Tower of London—he clearly thought no self-respecting castle should be without. It proved a mischievous pet.
Strachey must have travelled north by train —the evening before his arrival at Lindisfarne he had been dining in Gordon Square, London—and in his letter he marvels at the change of scene. For the final leg of his journey, he describes mounting a dog cart at sunset and crossing ‘3 miles of sand, partly underwater, with posts to show the way—rather alarming to the nervous—then a vision of an abrupt rock with a building on it (Fig 1)—a village past, and various windings—an unexpected stop. Ecco old Hudson in evening dress.’ This seemed a remote spot, but city manners held sway.
Denne historien er fra November 30, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra November 30, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery