Past Archives — Page 2 of 15 — London Luminaries

Medieval Estate to Community Garden: Centuries of Food Production at Gunnersbury

12 Jun, 2023

Transformed from farmland into a Palladian estate in the 1660s, Georgian owners transformed Gunnersbury again with a new walled garden, fish pond and hothouses, while the 19th century estate raised livestock and produced spectacular fruits. Its early days as a public park saw land used for rearing sheep while today, after a fabulous regeneration, a dedicated volunteer team cares for an orchard and a community garden.

The Benefits of Befriending a Prince

13 Jun, 2023

In June 1834 King William IV and Queen Adelaide came for dinner at Boston Manor House. In this talk we look not just at that occasion but also at how the friendship between the House’s owners, James and Jane Clitherow, and the royals came about — a friendship that saw them become the first commoners to host this King and Queen.

Soane and Turner: Architecture, Art, Friendship and Fishing

15 Jun, 2023

Sir John Soane and JMW Turner were idiosyncratic and unique talents, creating works that, to this day, inspire pleasure and wonder.

‘He has been here and fired a gun’: J.M.W. Turner, his fellow-painters and the critics

11 Jan, 2024

This talk will explore how Turner’s unorthodox methods of painting invoked cruel responses from his critics

Posh Nosh

12 Jun, 2023

The site of Fulham Palace has been occupied for over 5,000 years, probably because of its location next to an important crossing of the Thames. From 704 AD to 1973 it was the home of the Bishop of London and is one of the oldest working estates in the country.