Catholic Country House Building in Durham and Northumberland 1570-1829
Wednesday 19th February 2025, 7.00 for 7.30 pm
Richard Pears
Netherwitton Hall, Northumberland - a grand house in the classical style
Sadly, due to the unexpected death of Richard Hird on 4th February, we were not able to offer his lecture on The Father Smith Organ of Durham Cathedral. Instead, very kindly despite short notice, committee member Dr. Richard Pears talked on Catholic Country House Building in Durham and Northumberland 1570-1829.
From the excommunication of Queen Elizabeth I to the Catholic Emancipation Act, Catholic families were persecuted, fined and excluded from public office and universities. Despite this, many of the wealthier Catholic families retained their lands and rebuilt their mansions in fashionable architectural styles.
In this talk, Richard Pears examined these country houses and argued that exclusion from English society increased their engagement with European culture, in particular the architecture of the Italian renaissance. By adopting the architecture of classical Rome the families signified their continuing devotion to the Roman Catholic Church.