Visit to Cragside

Yesterday me and my friend Ella went to Cragside. We'd planned to go over the Summer but never got around to going so we eventually managed to go yesterday. Luckily I don't live too far away from Cragside or Wallington as they're both places I love visiting, and now I have a National Trust membership I should be going a lot more! Getting out in nature is something I've always enjoyed, I put a lot of pressure on myself with uni work and usually feel guilty when I'm not doing something creative, but I've found that it's important to have days off away from art to sort of refresh and find new inspiration outside of the house!

Ella has a love for history and studies Interior Architecture at Northumbria University so it's easy to say I had a bit of a tour guide for the house and grounds. A few weeks ago I saw a program on Cragside called 'Glorious Gardens from Above: Northumberland' (Episode 7, 2021). These aren't my usual type of programs but I really enjoyed learning about the Arts and Crafts house and how it was the birthplace of hydroelectricity. The house was home to Lord William Armstrong who was an influential scientist, inventor and engineer in the early 1800s, known for pioneering hydroelectricity in the Victorian age. Married to Lady Margaret Armstrong, the pair built an estate spanning 100 acres of woodlands and formal gardens, framing the beautiful house and Northumberland countryside. On our visit, we spent about an hour in the three-story house in awe of the beautiful living spaces, bedrooms and top floor gallery showcasing their huge collection and adoration for artwork.

Wherever I go, I love taking pictures to refer back to. Whether it is a particular colour scheme, composition, lighting or subject I always think it's good to incorporate and take inspiration from real places into my artwork. This allows for a deeper connection to the piece and adds context. I took lots of photos both in the house and around the grounds as I loved the autumnal colours and viewpoint from the house as it is built into the landscape, looking down at the bridges and surrounding woodland. 

Below are some of the pictures I took inside the house, I loved the tiling layered with the wallpaper and ornate furniture, everything was beautifully curated and clearly designed to have an impact on anyone who visited. 

The interior was designed by Richard Norman Shaw, intended to impress anyone who visited for its beautiful and avant-garde design, utilising Armstrong's knowledge of science and innovation to be the first house lit by hydroelectricity. It's incredible to think about how he managed to do this in the early 1800s, pioneering a new age of technology. I loved their collection in the upstairs gallery with landscape paintings as many places are full of portraits. There was also a series of stained glass windows called 'Seasons' designed by William Morris. Unlike many religious designs, they focused on the changing of seasons with highly intricate illustrations of florals and women. 

Overall, I enjoyed the visit and loved taking the day off to explore somewhere new, discovering a newly-found appreciation for history and Arts and Crafts architecture.

Glorious Gardens from Above,(2021). Episode 7, Northumberland, Television programme, BBC One. 29 September   

National Trust. 2021. Meet the Armstrongs. [online] Available at: <https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cragside/features/meet-the-armstrongs-> [Accessed 17 October 2021].