RFS members will be interested to hear about this course run by Wessex Fine Art Study Courses and led by Dr David Jones. The tour will be based in Aberdeenshire, a magnificent and unspoilt part of North-East Scotland.
The area is renowned for its great concentration of romantic turreted tower houses, with their rich Renaissance plasterwork and painted ceilings. We shall be seeing Crathes, Craigevar, Fyvie and Monymusk, all with interesting furniture. The tower theme continues into the early 18th– century with the dramatic Baroque splendour of William Adam’s Duff House, and in the 19th century is revived in the castellated Gothic of Gillespie Graham’s Drumtochty Castle and Archibald Simpson’s superbly sited Castle Forbes. By contrast, William Adam’s Haddo House (1732) is a classical Palladian country house, with Adam Revival interiors furnished by Wright and Mansfeld. At Kemnay House the original 18th-century furniture survives together with the related furniture bills, whilst Fyvie holds a magnificent collection of Old Master paintings and works of art.
In Scotland few mediaeval churches survived the Reformation, but one of the most fascinating is the ancient collegiate church at Cullen in Morayshire, with interesting furnishings. Important historic gardens to be visited include the rare Renaissance garden of Edzell, the restored Victorian gardens of Haddo and the outstanding early 20th-century gardens of Crathes.
The tour will be based at the Macdonald Pittodrie House Hotel****, near Inverurie, one of Scotland’s most historic hotels, and situated about 20 miles from Aberdeen, with wonderful views of the surrounding countryside.
The 7-day tour will cost £2195 per person in a twin-bedded or double room, £350 single supplement. This will include accommodation B/B/Dfor 6 nights, most lunches, all coach transport, entrance fees and gratuities, and detailed course notes.
For the full programme and booking form see www.wfasc.co.uk