The SPAB Scholars’ Visit to Goddards
This is the third year that the SPAB Scholars have stayed at Goddards during the week in June when we have Goddards as part of the Landmark Trust – Lutyens Trust arrangement. The Scholars took part in the Goddards Week event and this year the SPAB Education Committee held their summer meeting at Goddards. One of the Scholars writes:
‘The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) awards an annual travelling scholarship for architects, engineers and building surveyors. As part of their programme, this year’s scholars, Catharine Bull, Kate Pendlenton and Katharine Thrower, spent a couple of days at Goddards during the ‘education week’ in June. This was a wonderful opportunity to experience the work of Lutyens first hand and appreciate the high quality of design and craftsmanship. The first six months of the SPAB scholarship are spent meeting professionals and craftsmen working with historic buildings and gaining practical hands on experience of the key trades such as stone masonry, carpentry, roofing and plastering. The next three months are spent studying the life and culture of the English Country House, usually stating at a selection of houses throughout the UK. The scholars’ stay at Goddards was particularly beneficial in helping them formulate themes of study for the latter part of their programme, as it drew their attention to the wide variety of social, cultural and architectural issues that give a place like Goddards its own special quality. Catharine hopes to study the country house as a self-sufficient microcosm, Kate is interested in the interrelationship between house, garden and landscape and Katharine intends to look at artwork in the country house. They are all especially grateful to the Lutyens Trust for giving them the opportunity to stay at Goddards.
K.P.