Published by the Paul Mellon Centre and distributed by Yale University Press. Learn more here: yalebooks.co.uk/book/9781913....
#architecturehistory #eighteenthcentury #britishart #irishart #architecturalheritage #materialculture #craftsmanship #buildinghistory #paulmelloncentre #yaleuniversitypress

The book is an outcome of the CRAFTVALUE project (craftvalue.org), enriched by ERC-funded STONE-WORK research, revealing the artistry and ingenuity that shaped some of the era’s most enduring buildings.

'Architecture and Artifice' highlights both little-known craftsmen and iconic landmarks such as Chatsworth, the Cambridge Senate House, Dublin’s Parliament House, and Trinity College Dublin’s Provost’s House.

This richly illustrated book explores the materials and methods behind eighteenth-century building in Britain and Ireland. It uncovers the hidden lives, skills and “wisdom of hands” of stone carvers, joiners and plasterers.

The fellowship will bring fresh insights into the sculptural heritage and complex history of one of Ireland’s most important monuments.
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#ArtHistory #Heritage #StoneWork #TCD #ChristChurchCathedral

From Sept–Dec 2025, he will collaborate with Prof Christine Casey on “Contested Histories: the sculpture of Christ Church Cathedral re-examined.”
Read more: www.tcd.ie/trinitylongr....

Derbyshire’s historic houses and quarries illustrate how stone, craft and design are inseparable.
Read the full blog here: www.stone-work.eu/field-trips-...
#ArchitecturalHistory #Culture

At Lyme Park, successive elevations reveal how masons responded to available building stone.
The Milnrow Sandstone of the north front is shallow and brick-like, contrasting with later deeper ashlar courses by Giacomo Leoni.
#LymePark #StoneWork #Conservation #Heritage

At Ricklow quarry, we observed crinoidal limestone in raw form — quarrymen once called the large fossils “nuts and bolts.”
Polished, this Derbyshire “fossil marble” reveals a vivid tapestry of Lower Carboniferous marine life, seen at Chatsworth in window seats, chimneypieces, and fountains.
#Geology

Kedleston Hall is famous for Robert Adam’s Neoclassical design, but its stone choices are equally striking.
The Coxbench sandstone columns display undulating bedding patterns, accentuated over time by weathering — creating effects evocative of marble veining.
#Kedleston #Sandstone #StoneMasonry

At Chatsworth House, curators opened access to roof-level areas of the north range.
We studied Ashover Grit sandstone, quarried locally at Ball Cross, Whicksop Edge and later Burntwood Quarry. Its distinctive markings reveal centuries of craftsmanship and geological history.
#Chatsworth #AshoverGrit

Read the full field trip report here:
www.stone-work.eu/field-trips-....
#PortlandStone #ArchitecturalHeritage #GeologyFieldwork #StoneMasonry #BuildingMaterials #IsleOfPortland #DorsetGeology #StoneWorkProject

The STONE-WORK team visited Portland to study the island’s geology, quarrying history and architectural legacy.
From fossil-rich Whitbed and Roach freestones to modern underground mining, we uncovered the deep links between stone, craft and place.

This was the first of two conferences for the @ERC.europa.eu -funded STONE-WORK project - more to come in February 2026.
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#ArchitecturalHistory #MaterialCulture #STONEWORK #PortlandStone #Carrara #18thCentury #HistoricStonework #BuildingMaterials #Craftsmanship #Geology #Stone

Talks explored the complex supply chains that shaped Georgian buildings: how imported Italian marble and native coloured limestones combined to produce rich interior effects, and how materials like Portland and Kilkenny stone defined regional character.

Huge thanks to everyone who presented, organised, and attended. The day offered a fascinating look at the hidden networks behind 18th-century architecture - from local quarries to international marble routes.

Thank you so much for your kind words and for attending our conference!