This why I love palladian architecture: Symmetrical, elegant, unembellished, clean and in this case of Bath stone without stain or blemish, looking as though it has just been built. However, during a recent visit to Basildon Park I found parts of the interior just a little more fussy that I would have expected or liked; perhaps the restorers over did it.
Basildon Park is a late palladian construction (1776) which makes my identification of the neo-classical Ickworth house (1795) as "unusual palladian" look not quite so bad. Both display a clean and symmetrical rationality of build that dispels any sense of gothic mystery. Ickworth in particular is abstractedly platonic almost to the point of being surreal and thus is ironic.
Talking about the surreal: Gothic flavoured mystery and legend are being revived at musty old Blickling hall this summer (18th-19th June) with a Tudor Pageant that features the "Return of the Queen". Blickling Hall's facebook page bills it thus:
Blickling returns to the 16th century with a spectacular Tudor Pageant at the childhood home of Anne Boleyn.
The "Queen", I guess, is none other than Anne Boleyn of whom, last time I looked, there was no definitive evidence that she was at Blickling Hall in her childhood. But, hey, this is myth and legend and myth and legend intrigues and fascinates; above all they are often far more meaningful than bland history. Perhaps it will result in a few more sightings of the ubiquitous Anne at the Hall and that's bound to be good for the heritage business. For the record, I never saw her whilst there, but don't let that put you off; Blickling is one of the most romantic and mysterious settings I have had the pleasure to frequent.
Blickling Hall, like all the spookiest and creepiest places, has turrets and pinnacles
