Latest news with #Italianate
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How to spend a weekend on the Isle of Wight
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Package all that's wonderful — and quite frankly quirky — about England, set it adrift in the English Channel, and you'll end up with the Isle of Wight. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it's the UK's largest island and a microcosm of its heritage — all thatched cottages, centuries-old pubs and undulating landscapes. Some of the Victorian era's most influential figures came here to relax and be inspired, and while remnants of their time here remain, the island is hardly preserved in aspic. Today, award-winning distilleries, cool hotels and Michelin-recommended restaurants abound, along with a thriving festival scene. The only way there is by boat, so you're forced to slow down immediately, setting your watch to 'island time'. Make the most of its sunny disposition in summer or come during shoulder season for the walking festivals in May and October, when the beaches are quieter, too. Known to the ancient Romans as 'Vectis', the island appears in the 11th-century Domesday Book as the 'Isle of Wit' — a splendid moniker for a place Queen Victoria would later make her home. Her royal residence, Osborne House, was built in the style of an Italianate palazzo, and is full of 19th-century whimsy. Pay a visit to the Indian-style Durbar Room, an extravagant banqueting hall decorated with intricate plasterwork and pendant lamps. Actors frequently appear in role here, so you may well spot Victoria or Albert gliding down a quiet corridor. You might also spot a member of the island's thriving red squirrel population in the groves leading to Osborne's private beach. To improve your chances, spend a few hours at Parkhurst Forest, an ancient wildlife haven near Newport. Further west lie Yarmouth and the neighbouring village of Freshwater, where Alfred Lord Tennyson once said the air was worth 'sixpence a pint'. The poet laureate (1853-1892) spent many years at nearby Farringford House, a gothic manor surrounded by ornamental gardens. A keen walker, he was known for cutting a dash in his distinctive black cloak over the westerly downs, where you'll find hiking trails and a grand monument named in his honour. Otherwise, explore the historical and contemporary exhibitions on show at Dimbola Museum and Galleries — once home to pioneering Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. Along with Tennyson and Lewis Carroll, she was a member of 'The Freshwater Circle', a group of bohemian artists and writers who gathered in this coastal corner to discuss their work. West Wight, with its postcard-perfect Needles — a series of three soaring chalk stacks — is ideal for nature-lovers. Overlooking the pebble beach at Freshwater Bay, the newly renovated Albion Hotel has elegant rooms with sage-green interiors and Victorian-style furnishings. Call in for drinks at the nearby Travelling Tavern, a repurposed double-decker bus known for attracting a local crowd. Otherwise, stay in one of the three cosy rooms at family-run Bay Boutique Bed and Breakfast, popping down for their fabulous full English come morning. The Isle of Wight has a balmy microclimate with more hours of sunshine than the UK average, perfect for the island's growers. At The Garlic Farm, you can pick up deli items and try unusual dishes like chocolate and black garlic ice cream (it isn't as pungent as it sounds), watching as red squirrels nibble hazelnuts from feeder boxes. And on the outskirts of Ryde, there's the award-winning Mermaid Gin distillery, the product of which can be sampled at the adjoining Mermaid Bar. The distillery gets its citrus zest from Ventnor Botanic Garden, whose sunny location on the Undercliff allows fruits, flowers and herbs from across the globe to grow outdoors. Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
National Geographic
2 days ago
- National Geographic
Queen Victoria loved this UK island—and so will you
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Package all that's wonderful — and quite frankly quirky — about England, set it adrift in the English Channel, and you'll end up with the Isle of Wight. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it's the UK's largest island and a microcosm of its heritage — all thatched cottages, centuries-old pubs and undulating landscapes. Some of the Victorian era's most influential figures came here to relax and be inspired, and while remnants of their time here remain, the island is hardly preserved in aspic. Today, award-winning distilleries, cool hotels and Michelin-recommended restaurants abound, along with a thriving festival scene. The only way there is by boat, so you're forced to slow down immediately, setting your watch to 'island time'. Make the most of its sunny disposition in summer or come during shoulder season for the walking festivals in May and October, when the beaches are quieter, too. Actors frequently appear in role at the Osborne House, so you may well spot Victoria or Albert gliding down a quiet corridor. Photograph by Alamy Images, Chris Howes Where are the best places to discover the island's quirks? Known to the ancient Romans as 'Vectis', the island appears in the 11th-century Domesday Book as the 'Isle of Wit' — a splendid moniker for a place Queen Victoria would later make her home. Her royal residence, Osborne House, was built in the style of an Italianate palazzo, and is full of 19th-century whimsy. Pay a visit to the Indian-style Durbar Room, an extravagant banqueting hall decorated with intricate plasterwork and pendant lamps. Actors frequently appear in role here, so you may well spot Victoria or Albert gliding down a quiet corridor. You might also spot a member of the island's thriving red squirrel population in the groves leading to Osborne's private beach. To improve your chances, spend a few hours at Parkhurst Forest, an ancient wildlife haven near Newport. Further west lie Yarmouth and the neighbouring village of Freshwater, where Alfred Lord Tennyson once said the air was worth 'sixpence a pint'. The poet laureate (1853-1892) spent many years at nearby Farringford House, a gothic manor surrounded by ornamental gardens. A keen walker, he was known for cutting a dash in his distinctive black cloak over the westerly downs, where you'll find hiking trails and a grand monument named in his honour. Otherwise, explore the historical and contemporary exhibitions on show at Dimbola Museum and Galleries — once home to pioneering Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron. Along with Tennyson and Lewis Carroll, she was a member of 'The Freshwater Circle', a group of bohemian artists and writers who gathered in this coastal corner to discuss their work. A selection of homemade chutneys and sauces stand on display at The Garlic Farm, where you can pick up groceries or try unusual dishes like chocolate and black garlic ice cream. Photograph by Alamy Images, Steven Hawkins Photography The Isle of Wight is home to around 3,000 red squirrels. Where should I stay on the island? West Wight, with its postcard-perfect Needles — a series of three soaring chalk stacks — is ideal for nature-lovers. Overlooking the pebble beach at Freshwater Bay, the newly renovated Albion Hotel has elegant rooms with sage-green interiors and Victorian-style furnishings. Call in for drinks at the nearby Travelling Tavern, a repurposed double-decker bus known for attracting a local crowd. Otherwise, stay in one of the three cosy rooms at family-run Bay Boutique Bed and Breakfast, popping down for their fabulous full English come morning. What about local produce? The Isle of Wight has a balmy microclimate with more hours of sunshine than the UK average, perfect for the island's growers. At The Garlic Farm, you can pick up deli items and try unusual dishes like chocolate and black garlic ice cream (it isn't as pungent as it sounds), watching as red squirrels nibble hazelnuts from feeder boxes. And on the outskirts of Ryde, there's the award-winning Mermaid Gin distillery, the product of which can be sampled at the adjoining Mermaid Bar. The distillery gets its citrus zest from Ventnor Botanic Garden, whose sunny location on the Undercliff allows fruits, flowers and herbs from across the globe to grow outdoors. Trains from London Waterloo run to Lymington in Hampshire, where you can catch the Wightlink ferry to Yarmouth. The rest of the island is easily accessed via Newport bus station. Alternatively, ferries depart from Portsmouth and Southampton to other ports. Stay at the Albion Hotel from £160 or The Bay Boutique Bed and Breakfast from £130, both B&B. This story was created with the help of Visit Isle of Wight and Wightlink. Published in the June 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK) To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Herald Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Herald Sun
Melbourne University sells historic Parkville mansion Cumnock
A landmark Parkville mansion once home to the University of Melbourne's vice-chancellor has sold. The university purchased the property for $7.1m in 2017, but had left it vacant in recent months after declaring it surplus to requirements. Industry sources have suggested it has attracted an offer within its advertised price range of $7.9-$8.69m. Its listing earlier this year came shortly after the institution publicly committed to repay $72m in staff underpayments dating back to 2014. RELATED: Cricket great's former home hits market Whisk taker: Dessert Masters winner's $100k gamble Myer family reveal new look for $100m estate Known as Cumnock, the historic Italianate estate at 160-162 The Avenue was designed in 1889 by Windsor Hotel architect Charles Webb and occupies a 1376sq m corner block directly opposite Royal Park. The impressive residence was listed for sale last month, and late last week was marked as under offer. A property industry figure told The Herald Sun there had been strong and qualified interest in the address, particularly for its proximity to the Melbourne CBD. University of Melbourne Chief Operating Officer Katerina Kapobassis confirmed the divestment was underway at the start of May and said the property had previously housed a Vice-Chancellor and was used 'regularly for official University functions and activities.' 'A property within the University of Melbourne's portfolio is in the process of being divested. The University has adhered to relevant legislative requirements regarding the sale,' she said. Handled by Nelson Alexander Carlton North's Stephanie Hawke and Nicholas West, who declined to comment on the result or buyer. At the time of listing, Mr West described the home as Parkville's 'crown jewel,' citing its scale, architectural significance and rare parkland setting. 'Most Italianate mansions of this scale are tightly packed into inner suburbs like Carlton,' he said. 'But here you've got open parkland across the road, minimal surrounding density, and incredible privacy, that's almost unheard of.' Originally built for stock and station agent George Howat, Cumnock remained in his family until 1919 before it was acquired by Anglican theological institution Ridley College. It was held for decades before being sold to developer Drapac, who then sold it to the university. Behind its grand Corinthian-columned facade, the home features a pressed-metal entry hall, formal dining and sitting rooms, a library, and a state-of-the-art kitchen with Miele appliances and custom cabinetry. French doors open to a leafy courtyard with a fish pond centrepiece. Upstairs, a rumpus leads to a wraparound balcony and turret with sweeping park views. The main suite features a marble ensuite, with three further bedrooms sharing a designer bathroom with a freestanding bath. The four-bedroom mansion includes eleven principal rooms, nine original fireplaces, a turreted viewing tower and wine cellar, and has long been considered one of Parkville's grandest private residences. Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Cricket great's former home hits market Metro Tunnel turns Shrine into hot property No more 'awkward conversations': wild rental crisis solution
NZ Herald
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Auckland Choral captivates with magnificent Verdi's Requiem performance
Mezzo Katie Trigg 's Liber scriptus was graced with a shapeliness and intelligence that would mark all her contributions, joining in harmonious duet with soprano Morag Atchison for the Recordare. Atchison, in solo flight, was a force to be reckoned with, right through to the triumph of her Libera Me. Despite Jared Holt's musicianly phrasing, one longed for more Italianate robustness and less strain in his Ingemisco, in which Verdi's repeated directives of 'very sweetly' were not achieved. Teddy Tahu Rhodes was a disappointment, especially when memories remain from nine years ago of Joel Amosa's quiet dignity and beautifully turned lines in this work and venue. Rhodes' vibrato-laden voice, combined with a coarseness of tone, perpetrated major damage on Verdi's lines; the generally well-handled quartet offerings were occasionally marred by it, with a particularly serious lapse in the Offertorio. Verdi's Requiem is one of the big sings of the choral world and rank upon rank of fired-up choristers realised every inflection that conductor Grodd dealt out to them, splitting into two choirs for an impressive Sanctus.
Irish Examiner
23-05-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Top-notch restoration job returned €1.15m elite Cobh home to its glory days
AN all-or-nothing mindset meant the restoration of No 4 The Crescent was never going to be anything less than first-rate. 'Even though when we bought it, we did think 'It'll be grand', actually, once we started picking back the layers, we could see it wasn't grand. And as we are both perfectionists, we knew we wouldn't be happy unless we did it a proper job,' says Susan Power, who bought No 4 with her husband Moss in 2013. It was in a fairly chaotic state back then, a rental, split into bedsits. 4 The Crescent, Cobh, pre-restoration Doing it up properly meant setting up a workshop across the entire basement area of the three-storey Cobh property and hiring all manner of machinery — from spindle moulders to chop saws — to assist in what became a decade-long slog. 4 The Crescent, post-restoration The full extent of the project — their first house restoration — gradually revealed itself as they peeled back the layers. Anything capable of rotting was rotting. Walls were damp and crumbling, windows and roof were leaking. 'There was even a lean in the floors, caused by all the damp. We thought we'd taken on a small project. Hah! That was not the case,' Susan says. Leaky windows were removed. As the house is listed, exact replicas (minus the leaks!) had to be re-instated Their first big job was sorting out the leaky windows. As No 4 is a listed building, the originals had to be replaced with exact replicas, costing in the ballpark of €45,000. 'That was for the windows alone, not for any of the woodwork or the shutters. The woodwork and shutterboxes were the biggest job. I did the woodwork and hung the shutters,' Moss says. The woodwork included replacing all of the architraves and skirting boards. Susan retained one piece of skirting board dated 7/1/1883. The carpenter's initials are on it. Another piece of timber is marked 'Back Parlour' — which refers to the area now in use as a kitchen, on the middle floor. The kitchen used to be the 'Back Parlour'. It's open to the dining room, which in turn is open to the drawing room. Dining room Drawing room 'When we'd more or less finished the house, the two main rooms were separate, but I thought it would work better if we took down the wall, so Moss opened the rooms up for me,' Susan says. Removing the wall created a grand space It's an approach other residents of The Crescent have taken and it's the right thing to do. When in possession of a graceful Italianate home with 12' high ceilings and 8' high windows, it deserves a grand space. Taking down a wall creates that space. At No 4, it's saturated in natural light, courtesy of a great big bay in the drawing room and two tall sash windows in the dining room. Drawing room bay Dining room windows Light floods through from the kitchen too, via two long, narrow sashes that overlook the front entrance. The oh-so-elegant windows do a tremendous job of framing the view. Cork Harbour glistens, east-to-west, from all the main rooms, all of which face south, with the benefit of solar gain. South facing aspect on the terrace You could argue that good harbour views are 10-a-penny in Cobh, but what marks The Crescent out is the clientele it was built for. Sparkling harbour views It was only the best for the Victorian elite, so, as one conservation expert remarked, 'while Cobh has fantastic views, not everybody had the views that you're getting here. And it's prominent; it can be seen from everywhere in the town, so it gives an idea of the high status of the people that lived here'. As a gated community, The Crescent was designed to keep out the riff-raff. A communal garden on the seaward side was a playground for the people that lived there, who played tennis and croquet on the lawns. There's a residents-only gated walkway from the garden down to Cobh town. Only those living on the terrace have a key. Each house also has its own private, south-facing garden, above the communal area. At No 3, it's a limestone patio, accessed off the basement. South facing patio garden at No 4 Basement level on the terrace is only visible from the seaward side where the full three storeys are revealed. At No 4, Moss and Susan had to dig out the basement floor. 'We had to go down 4', the floorboards were literally on clay and there was no radon barrier,' Susan says. Restored stairs to the basement Beautifully restored stairs and hallway at No 4 She remembers standing in the shower and being able to see the stars: 'That's how naked the house was, and it was like that for a long time.' All of the rotten floor joists had to come up. All of the floorboards were replaced. Ceilings were insulated. Walls were replastered. Walls around the windows were lime plastered in the traditional way and painted with a specialist clay paint, to allow them to breathe. A new roof was put on. The house was rewired and replumbed. A radon barrier was laid. Moulding was restored. Original coving 'in tatters on the ground' was picked up and put back together and reinstated. The basement workshop stayed in place for eight years. Now, the fruit of the couple's endeavours reflects their perfectionist natures. Respect for heritage is writ large at No 4. Original fireplaces are intact, as is the original staircase; cast iron radiators are in keeping with the house's vintage; the parquet floor in the dining room was salvaged from Mount Melleray by Susan's father and fitted by Moss. And did we mention the windows? Parquet floor from Mt Melleray Also worth a mention is the work done on the basement, which houses the main bedroom, complete with standalone bath in the bay window, just waiting to be plumbed. Bathe in the bay An ensuite can be accessed from the hallway and the bedroom, which works well when guests call around. A generous living room has wall to wall panelling, a concealed whiskey press and a door onto the limestone patio. Basement living room A room to the rear — where the original fireplace has been beautifully exposed — is ready to be fitted with a kitchen, or whatever new owners decide. The basement suite can be accessed both internally and via a separate entrance, down steps, below the road, from a passage that also contains vaulted cellars, originally for coal, handy for storage. Separate access to basement 'You could independently use the ground floor unit either for mum and dad, an au pair or for holiday lets,' says selling agent Johanna Murphy of Johanna Murphy and Sons. As it's in Cobh's arguably most iconic terrace (Deck of Cards houses might dispute this), it'll be popular with visitors. Anyone staying at mid-terrace No 4 will be surprised at how warm it is — dispelling the myth that period houses are impossible to heat. Susan does recall how she could see her breath when she woke in the morning, but now the house is as well insulated as a new build and has a zoned air to water heat pump. Susan says the ambient temperature is 22 degrees, 24/7. 'The house is very energy-efficient. We get a lot of solar gain too because of the south facing aspect. We were expecting very heavy heating bills, and we were absolutely blown away at how low they were when they came in,' says Moss. There are other modern conveniences like a central hoover system, a water filtration system and internet cabling in all the rooms. With three teenage kids when they moved in, this was crucial. Each had their own double room on the top floor, two with breathtaking views. Bedroom view The kids have grown up and their parents aren't getting enough use out of the house. An overseas opportunity has persuaded them to sell up. 'It was 10 years of absolute slog. There's no point in saying 'it's good', it's not — it's spectacular, and whoever gets it is buying a gem,' Susan says. Ms Murphy says it's her 'first time seeing a house in Cobh of this calibre of restoration and view, all packaged together'. She envisages interest from Cork city, and from Dublin and is already fielding enquiries from the US, one looking for a holiday home, another looking to relocate. The guide price is €1.15m. VERDICT: 21st century house hunters will be just as impressed with the quality of No 4 as home buyers doubtless were when The Crescent was first unveiled in the Victorian era.
