So TheSaleroom is an excellent auction scraping site that tracks most uk auctions. I’ve got alerts set up for certain book related stuff but it’s also worth having a search with certain keywords and see what you dig up. They take an additional commission tho- so bid directly not on their site

(I did recently write something including Stukeley's weird Anglican-Paganism here if anyone's interested: lucubrationscrachddysg.wordpress.com/2024/10/02/i...)

Weird little follow up- the destruction of this site (Arthur’s O’on, possible Roman triumphal monument) so enraged Sir James Clerk that he built a dovecote that was an exact replica of it on the roof of his stables. It still exists!

Cheers Hugh! just had a look, not even a passing mention of Cerne!

Thanks Clare! I also thought it was a shame and it wasn’t clear from the listing if the library has closed or is just clearing “outdated” books. Some seriously old stuff being practically given away- I also got this early economic pamphlet proposing a tax on malt rather than beer from 1696

@helengittos.bsky.social another troublesome appearance from Stukeley here!

And here is a self portrait of the man himself, absolutely radiating charisma

The Repertory is much weirder and more eclectic but gives a fascinating insight into Antiquarianism at the time. A personal fave is the eminent Sir William Stukeley fantasising about punishing a landowner who destroyed a local landmark and Grose producing a supporting illustration of the torture!

As a Cornishman, I fully support his clear love for St Michael’s Mount, which he draws from a range of distances and angles and describes in extremely close and precise detail

The Antiquities of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland (1785-1789) are part travelogue, part evocative descriptions of historic landmarks and buildings (some now lost) all studded with historical anecdotes and folklore as well as Grose’s own stunning tinted drawings

Thanks Alan, great to see you here!

New here - would love to be added please!