Worcester Guildhall and Queen Anne

Pevsner describes the Guildhall at Worcester (1721-4) as "splendid as any of the C18 in England". It is a large, imposing building of brick with stone details and may be by the architect Thomas White. Much of the fine detailing is on the upper part of the main facade. Here we see statues of Peace, Justice and Plenty above the large segmental pediment. This is filled with trophies of war that are painted and gilded. Below, framed by giant Corinthian pilasters is a niche with a statue of Queen Anne (formerly free standing). below is a broken-backed triangular pediment, above the main entrance, that features the city's coat of arms. The windows have segmental tops with keystone heads and aprons below. Statues of Queen Anne are not too common in Britain despite a style of architecture being named after her.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

The Prospect south gateway, Ross on Wye

The south gateway is the smaller of the two remaining gateways that date from the creation of The Prospect, a public park and viewpoint in Ross on Wye. It links the area with the extended churchyard of the parish church of St Mary. The year, 1700, is prominently placed between the capitals of the Corinthian pilasters. In the pediment is the coat of arms of the donor of The Prospect, John Kyrle. My photograph was taken as the sun was going down towards the end of a cold and frosty December day.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: iPhone

Pediments and mistletoe

The pediment, the triangular shape above windows and doors that derives from ancient Greece, is common throughout Britain. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the popularity of the classical styles of Greece and Rome ensured that columns, capitals, balusters, and classical moulding of antique origin proliferated. This facade, in late afternoon sunlight at Ludlow, Shropshire, is quite typical of those years. What is less typical in this photograph is the balls of mistletoe visible in the leafless tree nearby. This is very common throughout the Marches but quite unusual elsewhere.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Olympus OMD E-M10