Middleham Castle: guidebooks

Middleham Castle, looking north from the keep © David Gill

Middleham Castle was placed in state guardianship in 1925. The first guidebook was prepared by (Sir) Charles Peers in 1933; a second edition appeared in 1965. The guide would be followed by other Yorkshire castles: Richmond (1934) and Helmsley (1946).

This remained in print until 1984 when it was replaced by a new English Heritage guide by Beric Morley.

This paper guide consists of six pages, i.e. each side with three pages. A plan was printed in the centre. It consisted of a short history followed by a description.

1993

Morley’s guide was replaced in 1993 by a new guide prepared by John Weaver. This contains a tour and description, followed by a history. There are numerous colour images and plans

1998 [2014]

Weaver’s guide was updated in 1998.

Huntingtower: guidebooks

Huntingtower © David Gill

Huntingtower, near Perth, was placed in State Guardianship in 1912. James S. Richardson prepared the first guidebook in 1931. A second edition appeared in 1950 and continued in print into the 1970s. The blue guide uses a detail from the ceiling inside the castle. Richardson’s guide starts with historical notes (pp. 1–5), followed by a description (pp. 6–9). Black and white photographs, as well as floor plans appear in the centre of the guide. He comments:

Viewed from any point, Huntingtower presents a picturesque appearance; the broken line of walling, the corbelled parapets with their subdued corner rounds and the corbie-stepped gables give the visitor an impression of a Scottish fortified-house of the 16th century, divested of its outer defensive works, garden and orchard.

1st ed. 1931; 2nd ed. 1950 (4th impress. 1972)

A third edition of Richardson’s guide was published in 1982. Historical notes have been replaced by history, and description by descriptive tour. Photographs and plans are incorporated in the text.

1982, 3rd edition

HMSO 1989 (Historic Scotland 1996, 2001)

Richardson’s guide was replaced in 1989 by a new guide by Denys Pringle. There are two main sections: the story of Huntingtower, and the architecture of Huntingtower. The centre pages provide a short tour of the castle. Floor plans are printed inside the back cover.

Glasgow Cathedral: guidebook

1970

The cathedral church of St Kentigern is named after a 7th century saint. There is likely to have been a monastic site in the vicinity of the later cathedral. The cathedral itself was consecrated in 1197. It was rebuilt in the 13th and 14th centuries.

The guidebook was prepared by C.A. Ralegh Radford and contains a history (pp. 7–25) and a description (pp. 26–42). There is a foldout plan of the cathedral inside the back cover showing the layout of the altars. A series of black and white images appear in the centre of the guide.

Helmsley Castle: guidebooks

1966 [3rd impress. 1971]

Helmsley Castle was placed in State Guardianship in 1923. The first official guidebook was prepared by Sir Charles Peers in 1946. This consisted of a history followed by a description. A fold-out map was placed inside the back cover.

1990

Glyn Coppack prepared a new English Heritage guide in 1990. It starts with a description and is followed by the history of the castle. A colour reconstruction of the castle by Alan Sorrell is placed in the centre. A double page plan is placed inside the back cover.

2004 (repr. 2012)

Jonathan Clark prepared the 2004 English Heritage guide. The description has been replaced by a tour. It is then followed by a history. A coloured plan showing the different phases is placed sinde the back cover.

2017

John R. Kenyon prepared the English Heritage ‘red’ guide. This consists of a tour and a history. A plan is placed inside the back card cover.

Dirleton Castle: guidebooks

Dirleton Castle © David Gill

J.S. Richardson prepared the first guidebook for Dirleton Castle 1934. A second edition appeared in 1950, and this continued as a blue guide into the 1970s. This consisted of a histroy: Lands of the Barony; the De Vaux Family; the castle during the Wars of Independence; the Halyburtons; the Ruthvens; the raid of Ruthven; the Gowrie Conspiracy; Ruthven building; furnishings and gardens; the Dirleton witches; Cromwell and the Moss-troopers. This was followed by a description. A foldout plan and sections were placed inside the back cover.

1934 (2nd ed. 1950; 7th impress. 1973)

Chris Tabraham revised Richardson’s guidebook in 1982. A new guidebook, by Tabraham, was published in 1995. This consists of two main sections: Guided Tour and History.

1995 (rev. ed. 2007)

Leading Visitor Attractions 2018: National Trust

Waddesdon Manor © David Gill

The figures for Leading Visitor Attractions in 2018 have been published. The top National Trust sites are:

• Giants Causeway [35]: 1,011,473 [+2.7%]
• Clumber Park [59]: 657,443 [+4%]
• Carrick-a-Rede [72]: 491,947 [+13%]
• Attingham Park [73]: 484,581 [+4%]
• Cliveden [74]: 483,754 [-1%]
• Waddesdon Manor [77]: 466,158 [-0.86%]
• Belton House [83]: 422,682 [-5%]
• Stourhead [86]: 393,779 [+3%]
• Fountains Abbey Estate [88]: 388,500 [-8%]
• Calke Abbey [90]: 384,561 [-1%]
• Mottisfont [92]: 376,043 [+3%]
• Anglesey Abbey [93]: 370,506 [-5%]
• Nymans Garden [99]: 354,502 [+4%]
• Kingston Lacy [101]: 353,653 [+9%]
• St Michael’s Mount [103]: 347,773 [-1%]
• Polesden Lacey [104]: 347,149 [-2%]
• Dunham Massey [110]: 310,093 [+7%]
• Sheffield Park [111]: 306,692 [+8%]
• Wimpole Estate [113]: 304,191 [-12%]
• Tyntesfield [116]: 301,765 [-3%]
• Hardwick Hall [119]: 285,379 [+2%]
• Lanhydrock [120]: 273,149 [+4%]
• Killerton [121]: 267,383 [+7%]
• Bodnant Garden [125]: 254,227 [+1%]
• Ickworth [126]: 254,073 [-7%]
• Dyrham Park [127]: 251,631 [0%]
• Chartwell [128]: 246,336 [+3%]
• Quarry Bank [130]: 240,277 [-5%]
• Corfe Castle [131]: 237,992 [-4%]
• Wallington [132]: 236,825 [+1%]
• Cragside Estate [133]: 236,672 [+3%]
• Mount Stewart [137]: 226,577 [+4%]
• Baddesley Clinton [140]: 221,703 [+1%]
• Trelissick [141]: 214,034 [+7%]
• Saltram [146]: 209,755 [+7%]
• Stowe [147]: 208,644 [-1%]
• Charlecote Park [148]: 208,289 [-5%]
• Dunster Castle [150]: 204,625 [-2%]
• Speke Hall [151]: 204,134 [+6%]
• Shugborough Estate [152]: 203,652 [+27%]
• Packwood House [153]: 202,114 [-8%]

Stowe © David Gill

ZSL Penguin Pool: Sir Ove Arup

Penguin Pool, ZSL © David Gill

The civil engineer Sir Ove Arup (1895–1988) was born on the 16 April [ODNB]. The penguin pool at ZSL is one of his notable works for forms part of the architectural heritage of the zoological gardens.