# / . 4 % 8 4 - ! 2 # ( DESIGNED AND PRODUCED CLEARLY ORGANISED AND ELEGANTLY WRITTEN THIS IS A WONDERFUL BOOK AND A MODEL OF ACCESSIBLE SCHOLARSHIP ,IKE +ENT AND "ROWN "RIDGEMAN CAME FROM HUMBLE ORIGINS "OTH HIS DATE OF BIRTH AND HIS PARENTAGE ARE UNKNOWN WHILE HIS DOMESTIC LIFE REMAINS OBSCURE UNTIL HIS MARRIAGE IN (IS RISE TO THE POSITION OF 2OYAL 'ARDENER IN WAS THE RESULT OF BOTH MERIT AND GOOD FORTUNE (E CULTIVATED THE FRIENDSHIP OF MEN OF INFLUENCE n VIRTUOSI WRITERS AND ARTISTS nAND BECAME THE PARTNER OF (ENRY7ISE SHORTLY BEFORE THE LATTER S RETIREMENT AS 2OYAL 'ARDENER 4HROUGH HIS ASSOCIATION WITH 6ANBRUGH HE GAINED THE EAR OF PROMINENT 7HIG LANDOWNERS AND AMONG HIS PATRONS WERE ARISTOCRATS OF THE GREATEST CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL DISTINCTION "RIDGEMAN COMMENCED WORK AT 3TOWE HIS GREATEST WORK IN IN CONJUNCTION WITH 6ANBRUGH AND REMAINED IN CONTROL OF THE GARDENS MORE OR LESS UNTIL HIS DEATH IN !LTHOUGH "ROWN SUBSEQUENTLY MADE CHANGES TO "RIDGEMAN S LAYOUT IT WAS BY THE S THE MOST CELEBRATED LANDSCAPE OF ITS DAY n @THE BEST IDEA OF 0ARADISE THAT CAN BE "RIDGEMAN S SUPERB BIRD S EYE VIEW SHOWS HOW HE SUPERIMPOSED AN ORDERED PATTERN ON THE VAST COMPOSITION WITH ITS AVENUES AND WINDING WALKS LAKES AND CANALS WOODLAND AND GRASS BANKING TEMPLES SUMMER HOUSES AND STATUARY ! HA HA WHICH (ORACE7ALPOLE CREDITS "RIDGEMAN WITH INVENTING SEPARATES THE GARDEN FROM THE PARK AND OPENS UP VIEWS OF THE COUNTRYSIDE TO THE STROLLERS WITHIN 7ILLIS SUCCINCT INTERPRETATION OF THE COMPLEX DEVELOPMENT OF 3TOWE WITH THE AID OF PLANS ENGRAVINGS AND CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHS HAS INFORMED THE EXEMPLARY LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION PROGRAMME CURRENTLY UNDERWAY !MONG VARIOUS APPENDICES INCLUDED IN THE BOOK ARE DETAILS OF ROYAL APPOINTMENTS TRANSCRIPTS OF LETTERS TO AND FROM "RIDGEMAN OR HIS WIFE 3ARAH THE INVENTORY OF GOODS AND CHATTELS LEFT AT HIS DEATH AND HIS WILL 4HE CATALOGUE OF ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS AND DRAWINGS GIVES AN UP TO DATE PICTURE OF "RIDGEMAN RESEARCH AND ENABLES 7ILLIS TO SUGGEST A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT NEW ATTRIBUTIONS 7HILE THE PRICE OF THE BOOK WILL PUT IT BEYOND THE REACH OF MANY STUDENTS OF GARDEN HISTORY AND DESIGN IT IS AN ESSENTIAL REFERENCE BOOK FOR ANYONE WORKING ON THE CONSERVATION OF MAJOR TH CENTURY LANDSCAPES )T IS ALSO A VERITABLE PLEASURE TO READ AND CONSULT 0ETER DE &IGUEIREDO HISTORIC BUILDINGS INSPECTOR %NGLISH (ERITAGE 3ERVING THE BEREAVED +ENSAL 'REEN #EMETERY THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE 'ENERAL #EMETERY OF !LL 3OULS +ENSAL 'REEN ,ONDON %D *AMES 3TEVEN #URL 0HILLIMORE #O ,TD #HICHESTER PP B W )3". ) a 4O SOME CEMETERIES MAY SEEM A DEPRESSING TOPIC AND AS *AMES 3TEVEN #URL REMARKS A MAJOR MONOGRAPH ON A "RITISH CEMETERY MAY SEEM ODD (OWEVER HERE WE HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND ENTHUSIASM OF PEOPLE ALL SPECIALISTS OF REPUTE IN THEIR FIELDS WHO HAVE COMBINED TO SHOW THAT A CEMETERY IS MUCH MORE THAN SOMEWHERE TO BURY THE DEAD )N THE EARLY S INCREASING URBAN POPULATIONS RESULTED IN CHURCHYARDS BEING FILLED TO THE POINT OF OVERFLOWING WITH UNSANITARY CONDITIONS AS THE RESULT 5NTIL BODY SNATCHING WAS A REALITY AND BEFORE THE S THERE WAS NO PUBLIC FUNDING OF CEMETERIES 4HUS PRIVATE ENTERPRISE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR +ENSAL 'REEN THE FIRST PUBLIC CEMETERY IN ,ONDON WHICH OPENED IN #URL PROVIDES THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND WITH 2UTH 2ICHARDSON CHRONICLES THE FORMATION OF THE 'ENERAL #EMETERY #OMPANY AND EARLY WORK ON LAYING OUT THE SITE (E FOLLOWS THE HISTORY OF THE CEMETERY FROM THE ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION OF UP TO 4HE EARLY COMPANY RECORDS PRESENT A STORMY BUT ENTERTAINING PICTURE OF INTERNAL DISAGREEMENTS SHORTAGE OF MONEY AND DISHONEST STAFF ,ACK OF CUSTOM WAS A PROBLEM UNTIL THE FIRST ROYAL BURIAL IN RESULTED IN AN ALMOST INSTANTANEOUS UPSWING IN DEMAND AND REVENUE *ENNIFER &REEMAN DESCRIBES THE BUILDINGS INCLUDING ENTRANCES CHAPELS TERRACE COLONNADE AND MONUMENTAL CHAMBERS 4HE WIDE VARIETY OF MONUMENTS IS CONSIDERED IN DETAIL 2OGER "OWDLER PROVIDES AN INTRODUCTION AND GAZETTEER #HRISTOPHER "ROOKS EXPLAINS MEANING AND STYLE *OHN 0HYSICK EXPANDS ON SCULPTORS AND 2OBERT -OULDER DEALS WITH INSCRIPTIONS (ERE IS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ON ARCHITECTURE ART AND SOCIAL HISTORY CLEARLY DEMONSTRATING THE AESTHETIC AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES %RIC 2OBINSON COVERS THE GEOLOGICAL RESOURCE IN THE CEMETERY AND POINTS OUT THAT IN DESIGN CHOICE OF MATERIAL AND RATE OF DECAY THE MEMORIALS AT +ENSAL 'REEN CAN PROVIDE STANDARDS FOR COMPARISON WITH OTHER URBAN CEMETERIES )N LANDSCAPE TERMS "RENT %LLIOT NOTES THAT WITH NO %NGLISH TRADITION TO FOLLOW THE LAYOUT COMBINED FORMAL FEATURES WITH ELEMENTS OF THE %NGLISH LANDSCAPE PARK AND IS NOW A @REMNANT OF GREAT INTEREST DESERVING EXPERT RESTORATION 4IMOTHY ( &REED PROVIDES AN ABUNDANCE OF INFORMATION ON LAND USE HISTORY FLORA AND FAUNA DEMONSTRATING THE EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL IN BIOLOGY BOTANY ECOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY &URTHER SOCIAL INSIGHT IS PROVIDED BY *ULIAN ,ITTEN WHO CONSIDERS EVERYTHING @PROPER FOR A FUNERAL FROM THE FASHIONABLE SHROUD TO THE APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF PRANCING HORSES &INALLY !NDRE $AVIES AND (ENRY 6IVIAN .EAL DESCRIBE THE HISTORY ACTIVITIES AND FUTURE PLANS OF THE &RIENDS OF +ENSAL 'REEN #EMETERY WHICH MAY PARTICULARLY INTEREST OTHER CEMETERY GROUPS )N CONCLUSION &REEMAN AND #URL DRAW ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF RECONCILING THE MANY DIVERSE DEMANDS ON A CEMETERY WHILE RECALLING THAT PRIMARILY IT IS A PLACE FOR THE SERVICE OF THE BEREAVED !LTHOUGH OFTEN ON A SMALLER SCALE THE SIGNIFICANCE OPPORTUNITIES AND PROBLEMS OF +ENSAL 'REEN ARE MIRRORED IN CEMETERIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY &OR THOSE INVOLVED WITH ANY ASPECT OF THEIR CARE THIS WELL ILLUSTRATED BOOK PROVIDES MUCH TO INFORM AND ENCOURAGE AND IS RARELY DEPRESSING (ELEN -4HOMAS ARCHITECT IN PRIVATE PRACTICE AND CONSULTANT REGISTER INSPECTOR FOR THE %NGLISH (ERITAGE 2EGISTER OF 0ARKS AND 'ARDENS OF 3PECIAL (ISTORIC )NTEREST IN %NGLAND +ING OF GARDENERS #HARLES "RIDGEMAN AND THE %NGLISH ,ANDSCAPE 'ARDEN 0ETER7ILLIS %LYSIUM 0RESS 0UBLISHERS .EWCASTLE UPON 4YNE PP B W ILLUS )3". a #HARLES "RIDGEMAN WAS THE FATHER OF THE %NGLISH LANDSCAPE GARDEN 2OYAL 'ARDENER TO 'EORGE )) COLLABORATOR WITH 6ANBRUGH +ENT AND 'IBBS HE PIONEERED THE TRANSITION FROM FORMAL BAROQUE GARDENS TO THE @NATURALISM ASSOCIATED WITH #APABILITY "ROWN 0ETER 7ILLIS MONOGRAPH FIRST PUBLISHED IN HAS LONG BEEN OUT OF PRINT 4HIS REPRINT OF THE ORIGINAL EDITION IS SUPPLEMENTED BY A CATALOGUE OF ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS DRAWINGS AND ATTRIBUTIONS TOGETHER WITH MANY NEW ILLUSTRATIONS CHIEFLY FROM THE 'OUGH #OLLECTION IN THE "ODLEIAN ,IBRARY NEVER PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED "EAUTIFULLY
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