The Queen’s House in Greenwich is one of the
most interesting buildings in the country. It is important
architecturally, and it is famous for its former occupants and its art
collection. The Queen’s House even has its own ghost – if legend is to
be believed.
The famous architect Inigo Jones was
commissioned to design the building in 1616 by King James I’s wife, Anne
of Denmark – supposedly a gift from the king to apologise for swearing
in front of her after she had accidentally killed one of his favourite
dogs during a hunt.
Anne of Denmark never lived to see Inigo Jones’s progressive Classical design realised, dying in 1619 with only the first floor completed. It was not until 1629, when James’s son Charles I gave Greenwich to his wife Henrietta Maria, that work on it resumed.
The Queen’s House was completed around 1636 and is considered remarkable for its break with the traditional, red-brick Tudor style of building, and for its elegant proportions and the high quality of its interiors. It was the first fully Classical building in England.
Anne of Denmark never lived to see Inigo Jones’s progressive Classical design realised, dying in 1619 with only the first floor completed. It was not until 1629, when James’s son Charles I gave Greenwich to his wife Henrietta Maria, that work on it resumed.
The Queen’s House was completed around 1636 and is considered remarkable for its break with the traditional, red-brick Tudor style of building, and for its elegant proportions and the high quality of its interiors. It was the first fully Classical building in England.
The start of the Civil War in 1642 meant
that Henrietta Maria had little time to enjoy it – she went into exile,
her husband was executed and his property seized by the state, although
she did eventually return after the restoration in 1660.
It was used by members of the royal family until 1805, when George III granted the Queen’s House to a charity for the orphans of seamen, called the Royal Naval Asylum. This remained until 1933, when the school moved to Suffolk. It was taken over by the National Maritime Museum in 1934.
It was used by members of the royal family until 1805, when George III granted the Queen’s House to a charity for the orphans of seamen, called the Royal Naval Asylum. This remained until 1933, when the school moved to Suffolk. It was taken over by the National Maritime Museum in 1934.
The Queen’s House is famous today for its
extraordinary art collection including works by Great Masters such as
Gainsborough, Reynolds, Turner and Hogarth. Its connection with artists
goes all the way back to 1673, when two Dutch maritime painters the van
de Veldes were given studio space by Charles II.
In 1966 a retired Canadian reverend and his
wife visited the Queen’s House. The Rev and Mrs R W Hardy had heard
about the famous Tulip staircase and took a photograph. It was not until
they developed it once they were back home, that they saw it had also
captured the image of a shrouded figure. On closer inspection, the
figure appears to be ascending the stairs in pursuit of a second and
possibly a third figure.
The Rev and Mrs R W Hardy were adamant that the stairway was clear when they took the photograph, and a thorough investigation not long after it was taken could not give a definitive, rational explanation for what the picture shows. As the Rev Hardy said in a later letter, the mystery remained as deep as ever.
The Rev and Mrs R W Hardy were adamant that the stairway was clear when they took the photograph, and a thorough investigation not long after it was taken could not give a definitive, rational explanation for what the picture shows. As the Rev Hardy said in a later letter, the mystery remained as deep as ever.
[ http://www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house/history#SG6CRWAe5V1VGJ85.99]
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