COUNTRY HOUSE CONFERENCE
November 3, 2018
Coe Hall
"Bold and British", an exploration of the British country house. Held at Coe Hall, located within the beautiful Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park. An immersive experience exploring the rise of the British country house and influence of British culture on American country house through the 20th century.
SPEAKERS
"The Lost House Revisited"
Ed Kluz
Ed Kluz is a British artist whose work explores contemporary perceptions of the past through the re-imagining of historic buildings and landscapes. Kluz will present a selection of country houses from his recent book "The Lost House Revisited". The Lost House Revisited explores the stories of many of Britains most iconic and extravagant country houses through Kluz's atmospheric artwork. Kluz's artwork provides a unique perspective at the architectural and landscape designs imagined by some of the boldest artisans and aristocrats of the past and also exudes a spirit and sensibility distinct to the British built environment.
"To Marry An English Lord"
Carol Wallace
http://www.carolwallacebooks.com/book-group/
Carol Wallace is a New York Times bestselling author and coauthor of "To Marry an English Lord: Tales of Wealth and Marriage, Sex and Snobbery". First published in 1989, To Marry An English Lord chronicles the American heiresses who crossed the pond in an approximately forty year "cash for class" period. This wave of American money helped to bolster many of Britain's greatest country estates. The book has often been cited as an inspiration for Downton Abbey and has seen a resurgence in popularity as many take a closer look at this unique period in country house history.
"Mount Stuart, Isle of Bute"
John, 8th Marquess of Bute
An interview with John, 8th Marquess of Bute on Next-generation estate owners and changing environment of country house owners. The Bute family have been in possession of their estate since 1157 when granted the office "Steward of Bute". The previous Georgian country house on the estate burned in 1877 and was replaced by the current extravagant mansion design by Robert Rowand Anderson and the 3rd Marquess of Bute. The Bute family are also historically associated with Cardiff Castle, Dumfries House, Bute House and Rothesay Castle.
"Lutyens and The Last Country Houses"
Michael Diaz-Griffith
Sir Edwin Lutyens (1869-1944), best known for the garden bench bearing his name, is one of the the most celebrated British architects of the twentieth century, with works spanning the globe including the design for the new British capital of New Delhi. One of his greatest impacts on the cannon of British architecture and modern culture was through his designs for country houses. Diaz-Griffith presented Lutyens's country houses in the context of rapidly changing times, from the Victorian Age to the 1930s, exploring the social forces and aesthetic decisions that shaped the last grand residences of the pre-war era.
"Coe Hall"
Henry Joyce
Henry Joyce, the Executive Director of the Planting Fields Foundation will provide an overview of Coe Hall, and the Coe family. Coe Hall is emblematic of a growing Anglophile trend among America's upper class in the first part of the 20th century. Coe Hall is typical of many 'manor houses' built by affluent industrial families who sought to evoke a sense of aristocracy among themselves so closes associated with Britain in the American imagination.
