"Bog in a Cup" and its ingredients are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farmers Market partnership with the Ocean Spray agricultural cooperative to features cranberries on Friday, Sept. 17, 2016 in Washington, D.C. Part of the day-long presentation included "Bog in a Cup" where visitors could learn and assemble the proper growing medium of clay, gravel, peaty moss, and sand to help start a cranberry vine grow into a shrub. The mini-bog demonstrates how water is used as a tool to float berries for a more efficient harvest. Live cranberry shrubs that came from and will return to a bog for continued use in future demonstrations surround the water. The shrub’s vine has cranberries grown this year, its buds that will become next year’s cranberries.

 

HOW TO PICK

Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. The cranberry plant is a creeping evergreen shrub or bush that grows in sandy bogs and marshes. It produces berries on long-running vines. The berries first appear as a white creamy color before turning a shiny crimson, signaling they are ready to harvest. There are two common methods for harvesting cranberries, dry and wet. Cranberries that are harvested dry (without water added to the bog) are sold as fresh fruit and only available during the fall and holiday season from September to December. Cranberries harvested wet are picked by flooding the bogs. Because cranberries float, farmers use water to harvest the fruit. Bogs are flooded and a machine is used to loosen the cranberries from the vines. The floating cranberries are then corralled and loaded into waiting trucks for delivery to processing facilities.

 

HOW TO PREPARE

Simply rinse cranberries thoroughly and use as directed If frozen, there is no need to thaw before using. Sometimes a few white cranberries might be in the bag; they are fine to use. These berries haven't been exposed to as much sunlight as the redder ones. Cranberries are a prized element in the Thanksgiving dinner of most Americans. Use cranberries to make sauces, conserves and preserves, in baked goods, to make juice, or enjoy dried.

 

HOW TO STORE

These crimson berries can be stored up to four weeks in the refrigerator.

Advice about freezing. To freeze cranberries place in a freezer safe plastic bag without pre-washing. Store for up to one year.

 

FUN FACTS

• The cranberry is indigenous to North America and was used by Native Americans in both fresh and dried form. Native Americans introduced cranberries to early European settlers.

• The cranberry got its name from early settlers, who nicknamed it the “crane berry” due to the shape of its blooms, which resemble the head of a crane.

 

OCEAN SPRAY

Founded in 1930, Ocean Spray is the world’s leading producer of cranberry products, but it’s not your typical food company. It’s an agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry farmers who receive the profits from every berry sold. The cooperative allows family farms to thrive ensuring economic sustainability for future generations. The average Ocean Spray family farm is just 18 acres. While cranberries are uniquely American, they are exported and enjoyed all over the word. Ocean Spray is focused on international expansion of its products, with the Cooperative’s cranberries featured in more than 1,000 in over 100 countries worldwide.

 

The USDA Farmers Market Vegucation tent offers informational presentations every Friday between 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM, May to October, in the VegU tent. Short 10-minute classes are free. The market is located on the corner of Independence Ave. and 12th St., SW, in Washington, DC 20250.

 

For more information visit usda.gov/farmersmarket

@USDA_AMS

#USDAFarmersMkt

#VEGU

 

USDA multimedia by Lance Cheung.

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - APRIL 8: Nabil "Nivera" Benrlitom (L) and Adil "ScreaM" Benrlitom of Team Liquid pose for the VALORANT Masters Features Day on April 8, 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)

Douglaston Historic District, Douglaston, Queens, New York City, New York, United States

 

Type: Freestanding house with attached garage (on lot 93) Style: Vernacular cottage Stories: 1

 

Structure/material: Frame with stucco facing

 

Notable building features: Intersecting gable roofs, flared over front porch; round-arched, batten door; brick chimney; brick stoop with non-original wrought-iron railings; some brick veneer; windows with historic multi-pane sash and casements.

 

Notable site features: Mature trees; flagstone walkway; gravel driveway; perimeter hedge; storage shed; cobblestone curb.

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The Douglaston Historic District contains more than 600 houses set along landscaped streets on a mile-long peninsula extending into Little Neck Bay, at the northeastern edge of Queens adjoining Nassau County.

 

Its history over the past four centuries ranges from a native American settlement to an eighteenth-century farm, a nineteenth-century estate called Douglas Manor, and an early twentieth-century planned suburb, also called Douglas Manor.

 

The Douglaston Historic District encompasses the entire Douglas Manor suburban development, plus several contiguous blocks. Most of the houses in the proposed district date from the early- to mid-twentieth century, while a few survive from the nineteenth century, and one from the eighteenth century.

 

The landscape includes many impressive and exotic specimen trees planted on the mid-nineteenth-century estate, as well as a great white oak, located at 233 Arleigh Road, believed to be 600 years old.

 

Douglaston's location on a peninsula jutting into Flushing Bay at the eastern border of Queens County is an important factor in establishing the character of the district. The very early buildings surviving in the district include the c.1735 Van Wyck House, the c. 1819 Van Zandt manor house (expanded in the early twentieth century for use as the Douglaston Club), and the Greek Revival style c. 1848-50 Benjamin Allen House.

 

Much of the landscaping, including the specimen trees, survives from the estate of Douglas Manor, established by George Douglas and maintained by his son William Douglas.

 

Most of the houses in the historic district were built as part of the planned suburb of Douglas Manor, developed by the Rickert-Finlay Company, that was part of the residential redevelopment of the Borough of Queens following its creation and annexation to the City of Greater New York in 1898.

 

A set of covenants devised by the Rickert-Finlay Company helped assure a carefully planned environment, including a shorefront held in common, winding streets following the topography of the peninsula, and single-family houses ranging in size from substantial mansions along Shore Road on the west to more modest cottages closer to Udalls Cove on the east.

 

The houses of the historic district, which are representative of twentieth-century residential architecture, were designed in a variety of styles including the many variants of the Colonial Revival, many houses in the English manner incorporating Tudor Revival, English cottage, and Arts and Crafts motifs, as well as the Mediterranean Revival. In most cases, they were designed by local Queens architects, including over a dozen who lived in Douglaston itself.

 

The district includes three houses of the Craftsman type pioneered by Gustav Stickley. Eight of the houses in the district were designed by Josephine Wright Chapman, one of America's earliest successful women architects, and they constitute an important body of her work.

 

The Douglaston Historic District survives today as an important example of an early twentieth-century planned suburb adapted to the site of a nineteenth-century estate. The stylistically varied suburban residences, the distinctive topography, the landscaped setting, and the winding streets create a distinct sense of place and give the district its special character.

 

HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL BACKGROUND OF THE DOUGLASTON HISTORIC DISTRICT

 

Native American and Colonial antecedents

 

The Native American presence on the Little Neck peninsula today known as Douglaston included the Matinecoc,1 one of a group on western Long Island linked by culture and language to others in the area surrounding Manhattan Island (including the Nayack, Marechkawieck, Canarsee, Rockaway, and Massapequa). A number of finds from those settlements have been identified at various sites on the peninsula.2 The Matinecoc, who fanned the peninsula and apparently also produced wampum, were summarily evicted in the 1660s by Thomas Hicks, later Judge Hicks, in what has been described as the only such seizure of property recorded in Flushing town records. In the 1930s, according to local histories, a Matinecoc burial ground was destroyed to make way for a widening of Northern Boulevard, and the remains reinterred in the cemetery of Zion Church.3

 

The property seized by Thomas Hicks in the 1660s passed through the hands of several of his family members, and several subsequent sales to other families, before being acquired in 1813 by Wynant Van Zandt. In 1819 Van Zandt bought an adjoining farm from the Van Wyck family. Both tracts had been farmed during the eighteenth century. The Van Wycks built and lived in a shorefront house which still stands (the Cornelius Van Wyck House, at 126 West Drive aka 37-04 Douglaston Parkway, a designated New York City landmark).

 

Nineteenth-century country seat: Wynant Van Zandt. George and William Douglas, and Douglas Manor

 

Wynant Van Zandt (1767-1831) kept his property in agricultural use. Unlike his predecessors, mostly local formers, Van Zandt was a prominent New York City merchant, active in New York civic affairs. As a city alderman, Van Zandt served as chairman, starting in 1803, of the building committee for City Hall, and in 1804 as chairman of a committee on water supply, among other duties. Van Zandt established his Queens County property as a country estate, and built himself a manor, or country seat, in 1819; the building survives, with additions, as the Douglaston Club.

 

In May 1835, following Wynant Van Zandt's death, George Douglas acquired the estate from Robert B. Van Zandt; the deed identifies Van Zandt as a "farmer" and Douglas as a "gentleman."5 One obituary, in the Flushing Journal Weekly, described Douglas as "what the world would call an eccentric man."6 Another, in the New York Evening Post, described him as a wealthy young man from Scotland, who during a fifteen-year stay in Europe "collected some very valuable pictures," and later turned to philanthropy.7

 

Douglas's son, William Proctor Douglas, inherited the property after his father's death in 1862. The younger Douglas served as vice-commodore of the New York Yacht Club in 1871-74. During his tenure, Douglas Manor became a center for New York society yachting and polo. In later years, Douglas rented out the estate house to a variety of well-connected tenants, including European royalty.8

 

In 1869, Douglas hired landscape architect William McMillen to, in the words of McMillen's daughter, "superintend the Estate, improve driveways, and lay out plantings and trees and ornamental shrubs."9 McMillen was later associated with Frederick Law Olmsted and his work on the park system in Buffalo, New York.10 Although McMillen spent six years working on the estate, it is not known exactly what he undertook for Douglas. From turn-of-the-century photographs and other records analyzed in a landscape history undertaken in 1994, it appears that under Douglas's

 

ownership the landscape was characterized by "an informal 'English' look...with English ivy, winterberry, Boston ivy and wisteria."11

 

It was also during Douglas's tenure that a number of exotic specimen trees were planted on the property. Local histories suggest a connection with Samuel Parsons (1819-1906), a pioneer horticulturist with a nursery in Flushing; Parsons owned land near the Douglas Estate. The trees have been a distinguishing characteristic of Douglas Manor since William Douglas's day.12

 

Early suburban subdivision

 

Although the suburban development called Douglas Manor dates from 1906, William Douglas apparently attempted a suburban subdivision half a century earlier south of Douglas Manor. The dominant force propelling development was the gradual extension of the Long Island Railroad, which ran as far as Flushing until 1866 (with stage coach connections for points east), when its extension to Great Neck opened. Even in the 1850s, anticipating the railroad's extension to the Little Neck peninsula, William Douglas had subdivided part of his property (the area today known as "the Hill").

 

Douglas donated land for the railroad's right of way, and later, according to local histories, relocated one of his farm buildings to be used as a railroad station, asking in exchange that the new village be called "Douglaston" (instead of Marathon, a competing name).13 He named a number of new streets after the abundant trees on his property (Pine, Poplar, Willow, Cherry).

 

The Rickert-Finlav Realty Company

 

Besides the three early surviving houses already mentioned (the Van Wyck House, the Douglaston Club, and the Allen House), almost all the rest of the houses in the historic district were built as part of the early twentieth-century planned suburb of Douglas Manor, named for Douglas's estate, laid out by the Rickert-Finlay Realty Company. The redevelopment of Douglas Manor was part of the vast transformation of much of the newly created Borough of Queens into new residential neighborhoods. In 1906, the year Rickert-Finlay bought Douglas Manor, several major transportation projects to speed connections between Manhattan and Queens were underway: the Pennsylvania Railroad and Long Island Railroad tunnels under the East River, and the Queensborough Bridge at 59th Street.14 According to the Real Estate Record and Guide of that year:

 

The development of numerous farms into building lots and the erection of hundreds of new buildings have necessarily advanced the value of real estate in that section of Greater New York. It is said that more than 8,000 new apportionments have been made in the Borough of Queens during 1906, and that considerably more than 10,000 acres of land have been cut up into lots....

 

Chief among the new developments cited:

 

Title has just been taken to the Douglass [sic] homestead of about 180 acres by the Douglass Manor Co. This will probably be the highest class development on the island. It has a mile of water front and most magnificent shade trees. This property will be subdivided immediately.16

 

The Rickert-Finlay Realty Company, which bought Douglas Manor, was active in real-estate development in Queens and Nassau Counties in the early years of the century, buying up large farms and estates on the north shore of Long Island, preferably those with attractive topographical features, and subdividing them into new suburban communities. Their projects included Norwood in Long Island City, Broadway-Flushing in Flushing, Bellcourt in Bayside, Douglas Manor in Douglaston, and Westmoreland in Little Neck.17 By 1908, the company, with offices at 45 West 34th Street in Manhattan,18 was advertising itself as "The Largest Developers of Real Estate in Queens Borough ~ over 10,000 lots within the limits of New York City."19

 

The company's typical strategy for selecting development sites was described by E.J. Rickert in a 1914 article in Architecture and Building: "It was selected because it was on high ground, with a splendid outlook . . . and only four blocks from a railway station. It was . . . noted for the magnificent row of maples and lindens, nearly a mile long, extending through the entire property."20 The company then developed each tract according to a formula based on past successes. E.J. Rickert described the progression of the firm's ideas:

 

The first property developed was Bellcourt in Bayside, which was improved along the same lines as had heretofore prevailed on Long Island — that is, gravel sidewalks were laid, streets were graded and shade trees were set out, no other improvements being made. In the sale of Bellcourt, however, it was found that there was a demand for better improvements, and, consequently, when Douglas Manor was developed, cement sidewalks were laid, macadam roads were built and trees and hedges were set out. Broadway-Flushing and Westmoreland, which came next, were developed to about the same extent as Douglas Manor, all then being considered the best improved properties on Long Island.

 

The next development, Kensington, saw the addition of complete "sanitary sewer system, water mains and underground conduit for street lighting."

 

The new suburb of Douglas Manor

 

The qualities of the nineteenth-century Douglas Manor on which the Rickert-Finlay development capitalized included its hilly topography, its mile-long waterfront accessible to the entire narrow peninsula, and its lush plantings, especially the specimen trees planted during Douglas's tenure. The development also based its new road system on the major farm roads already in place, which became West, East, and Centre [Center] Drives.23

 

The company then established a series of protective covenants to guarantee a certain manner of development and density within the new suburb. In an era pre-dating the adoption of zoning regulations,24 the character of a new development could be guaranteed in no other way.

 

The covenants affected the architectural character of the houses only peripherally — by prohibiting flat roofs, thereby encouraging a more romantic roofline. Instead, they focused on the kind and size of houses and the nature of the landscaping of the new development. They required all houses to be single-family residences, with the sole exception of the Douglaston Club (commercial uses and two-family buildings and flats were specifically prohibited). They encouraged an economically mixed development, with a boulevard of substantial mansions along the Shore Road waterfront, while smaller, less expensive houses would predominate on the peninsula's east. (Such conditions were guaranteed by requiring houses of a certain cost and lots of a certain size). A verdant landscape was ensured by requiring houses to be set back 20 feet, leaving room for greenery, and by prohibiting fences and encouraging hedges, creating vistas not of individual, fenced-off gardens, but rather of a continuous, green, park-like, landscaped environment.

 

Rickert-Finlay went even further, taking steps to protect that environment and shape the community's social character by creating, in 1906, the Douglas Manor Association. Its stated objectives were the creation and maintenance of a club house to promote "social intercourse" among the residents, and to preserve and protect the development's physical amenities, including the roads, parks, shorefront, and plantings.26

 

Selling Douglas Manor

 

Promotional brochures prepared by Rickert-Finlay characterized the new neighborhood as a private community of houses, nestled in a landscape similar to Central Park, surrounded with a mile of shorefront, just blocks from each home.27

 

Douglas Manor's convenience to Midtown Manhattan via the Long Island Railroad was compared favorably to subway commutation to new Bronx neighborhoods. The commute was touted at "only 33 Minutes to Manhattan, 52 Trains a Day," and predicted to become "20 Minutes to Herald Square, when Pennsylvania-Long Island Tunnels are completed." The neighborhood was just three blocks from the Douglaston station, itself very near the Long Island Sound, "being the only station on the line near enough to the Sound to bring the shore front within easy walking distance. "28 The history and character of the old Douglas estate were emphasized, especially the trees planted by Douglas: "Scotch Holly, Magnolia, Japanese Maidenhair, Chinese Cypress, European Beech, Scarlet Maple, Horse Chestnut, Tulip, Lime, evergreens... Even Central Park does not possess a greater variety of rare trees....

 

" This park-like effect would be "preserved and increased by setting out hedges along winding roads, following the natural contour of the land as much as possible.... The shore drive, curving along the bay for over a mile, will be made the finest boulevard on Long Island." To all these suburban advantages, Douglas Manor also boasted the services provided by the City of New York: "city water, stone sidewalks, macadamized streets" and the "full benefit of all departments of the city government, including schools, water, police and fire protection."

 

From 1906 through the Depression, several hundred houses were erected in Douglas Manor, following the plan suggested by the Rickert-Finlay covenants. In general, the lots along Shore Road on the west were developed first, with larger, more substantial houses, followed by the more modest

 

homes to the east towards Udalls Cove. Property owners often acquired lots adjacent to those on which their houses were built to accommodate more generous lawns or gardens. The mile-long waterfront remained undeveloped, held in common by the Douglas Manor Association. The large caliper specimen trees planted in Douglas's day remained in place. The grounds of the various houses were separated by perimeter hedges only — no fences. Two smaller lots formed by irregular street intersections were planted as small parks, maintained by the Association. Together, the parks, commonly held shorefront, specimen trees, and hedged gardens created something close to Rickert-Finlay's version of Central Park, surrounded by water, with several hundred houses nestled in the landscape.

 

The Architecture of the Douglaston Historic District

 

The architectural styles of the over 600 houses and some 150 related structures (mostly garages) in the historic district reflect three centuries of Douglaston's built history. From the eighteenth-century colonial Van Wyck House, to the early nineteenth-century Van Zandt House and mid-nineteenth-century Allen House, to the twentiethth-century suburban houses of the Rickert-Finlay development, to the additions of the post-World War II period, they tell the story of the development of this part of eastern Queens, part of the larger developmental story of New York City and the country as a whole.

 

The Cornelius Van Wyck House, at 126 West Drive, survives as the oldest extant house in the district, and one of the oldest in New York City (it is a designated New York City landmark). Built c.1735 for an early Dutch settler as a farmstead, the house reflects eighteenth-century New York colonial styles. Douglas, who transformed the farm to Douglas Manor, is said to have used the house as an "entrance lodge to his estate.w29 In 1907, one year after the acquisition of the Manor by the Rickert-Finlay Company, the Douglaston Country Club enlarged the building for use as a clubhouse. In 1921, the Van Wyck House passed back into use as a single-family residence, and its owner, E.N. Wicht, hired Frank J. Forster, designer of Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival style houses in the new Douglas Manor development, to restore it to its original Dutch Colonial appearance.

 

The Wynant Van Zandt House, at 600 West Drive, reflects both the older and the newer history of Douglaston. Built in 1819 as a home for Wynant Van Zandt, it was significantly altered after 1906 for use as the Douglaston Club, but still reflects some of the character of Van Zandt's original two-story Greek Revival manor house.

 

The Benjamin P. Allen House (a/k/a the Allen-Beville House, a designated New York City landmark) at 29 Center Drive, built c. 1848-50, is another rare Queens farm house. Predominately Greek Revival in style, it also shows the influence of the newly fashionable Italianate style, especially in its cornices and brackets.

 

Almost all the other buildings in the district date from the twentieth century, and the greater number of them from its first three decades, when Douglas Manor was developed by the Rickert-Finlay Company. Douglas Manor is a contemporary of several other planned communities in New York City, notably Fieldston in the Bronx and Forest Hill Gardens in Queens, all three of which began as subdivisions in the first decade of die century, and blossomed in the late teens and twenties. Like them, Douglas Manor was developed with houses based on historic styles of the past.

 

The first few decades of the century constituted a period of ferment and development in the design of American single-family houses. The epoch has been characterized as "a resurgence of individualism and an indulgence in residential architecture, a reaction to the standardization of the previous two decades. Fanciful cottages in fairy-tale styles were part of that image."30 In some ways, that approach is a logical continuation of late nineteenth-century architectural eclecticism, characterized in the 1890s as "rampant eclecticism in all fields of life and taste, of triumphant individualism, when authority sits so lightly on men's interests and lives; in this age of archaeology, when the different periods of history are made to live again in our imagination. "31 At the same time, residential architecture was affected by notions of progress and efficiency, and a drive toward simplicity and sanitary conveniences in home design.

 

Rickert-Finlay's protective covenants left the architectural character of the buildings almost entirely in the hands of owners and architects, requiring only that building roofs not be flat.32 The result was a collection of early twentieth-century eclectic residential styles, ranging from grand Colonial Revival mansions on the Shore Road waterfront, to picturesque Tudor Revival or Mediterranean Revival houses or houses in the English cottage manner or Colonial Revival houses on the blocks between West and East Drives, to modest cottages near Udalls Cove. Houses were sited in harmony with the topography, which tends to get hillier in the southeastern section of the peninsula.

 

One Douglas Manor architect, Alfred Scheffer, expressed his point of view in an article published in 1929. He described the Tudor Revival house he designed for himself at 216 Beverly-Road — a particularly useful indication of both the architect's and the client's point of view. Tellingly, the very first observation he makes is about the siting of the house, overlooking Long Island Sound: "The water is only a stone's throw — of a conservative marksman — from our front door and the second floor bay window has a certain suggestion of the forecastle deck of a ship, for the intervening land and highway are quite lost to sight and I can get a fine sense of sailing the seas, when I stand there." Only then does he turn to the formal style of the design, and sums up in a sentence the attitude of his day towards historically-inspired styles: "The construction is quite definitely in the English manner although / was not concerned with making it exact or authentic [emphasis added]

 

Scheffer then lists the elements that make his house "English": "stucco and halftimber walls with slate roof . . . The substantial chimney of common brick is typical of many English country houses. . . . The main entrance doorway of the house, at the end of a narrow flagstone walk, forms a Gothic arch of oak timber, framing a paneled oak door with iron straps and two small leaded glass windows, the effect completed by a semi-circular stone stoop. Beside the door is a lantern of pierced wrought-iron in the shape of an inverted tunnel, with wrought-iron bracket." Clearly it is details like the paneled oak door and leaded glass windows which give the house the English "effect" Scheffer wanted. But when he turns to describing the interior, practical matters take precedence: "The interior of the house was designed to take full advantage of our gorgeous outlook over the water."

 

Historical details are listed — "The walls are of rough English hand finished plaster" - but so are the "built-in bookshelves," "built-in comer cabinets," and "convenient and numerous closets and the very large closet and bathroom which join the master bedroom and add much to its convenience." "The interior of the house," concludes Scheffer," will probably grow from year to year. Things will be taken out and others put in until eventually, it comes near to realizing my mental image of what it ought to be. Already, I think, it has the liveable quality which is most essential of all."33

 

The majority of houses in the historic district reflect a variety of styles, loosely adapted by architects like Frank Scheffer, typical of suburban residential architecture across the country. The predominant style is the Colonial Revival in several variants, ranging in date from c.1910 to the present. Most are of frame construction with shingle and/or clapboard siding. Besides a generic Colonial Revival style, the district has such distinctive variations as the Dutch Colonial Revival, New England Colonial Revival, and Cape Cod Colonial Revival. Colonial Revival houses of brick, or frame with brick facing, often have a more formal neo-Georgian appearance. The English manner, the other major stylistic mode, is expressed with Tudor Revival, English cottage, or Arts and Crafts details. These houses, too, are often of frame construction with stucco facing and brick and/or stone trim. The Mediterranean Revival style was also popular.

 

These houses usually have stucco facing and tile roofs. The district also has a handful of houses of the Craftsman type pioneered by Gustav Stickley. Suburban houses of the type found in the district were judged by their picturesque qualities. The Architectural Forum, for instance, featured a Douglas Manor house by Frank Forster, the same architect who restored the Van Wyck House to something approaching its original Dutch colonial appearance. The writer praised Forster's "excellent use of half-timber in connection with brick or stucco," but more importantly his "rare skill in grouping, which creates a picturesque and architectural composition, wholly unaffected or exaggerated and involving no sacrifice in the matter of interior planning to secure this effect."

 

An additional group of houses in the historic district, on the south side of Bay Street, predates the Douglas Manor development by several years. Designed c.1900, they are excellent examples of the Colonial Revival and Queen Anne styles popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

 

Playing an important role in the historic district are the many related garage structures, often designed in architectural styles compatible with the houses they serve. Some were constructed originally as carriage houses and stables, often with residential accommodations, and later converted for garage use. By about 1920, the automobile had supplanted the horse, and garages were built as freestanding structures, some with chauffeur's quarters at the second story, usually situated close to a side or rear lot line. By the late 1920s, some houses were constructed with attached garages, or garages were constructed later, atttached to earlier houses. After World War II, many houses were built with basement garages, while other earlier houses were modified to provide basement garages.

 

The Douglas Manor Architects

 

A few prominent New York City architects with Manhattan offices received commissions in the new neighborhood; however, the vast majority of Douglas Manor houses were designed by local Queens and Brooklyn architects, and a surprisingly large number by architects who themselves lived in Douglas Manor or had offices nearby.35

 

Among the better known firms from outside the neighborhood who worked in the historic district, Buchman & Fox, architects of many Manhattan office buildings, designed 1008 Shore Road, a substantial Colonial Revival mansion overlooking the Bay. George Keister, whose practice included churches, hotels and Broadway theaters, designed 24 Knollwood Avenue, an Arts and Crafts style house, and 104 Hollywood Avenue, a Colonial Revival house. Diego DeSuarez, who planned villa gardens at both La Pietra, outside Florence, and Vizcaya, outside Miami, designed a one-story Mediterranean fantasy at 231 Beverly Road. Lionel Moses, of the firm of McKim, Mead & White, designed a house in the English cottage manner at 1102 Shore Road overlooking Little Neck Bay. The architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White is credited with the formal French Renaissance Revival style house at 4 Ardsley Road. Dating from 1919, it is constructed of hollow terra-cotta block, a form of fireproof construction, and faced with stucco.36

 

Architects from Brooklyn and Queens represented in the historic district include Arthur H. Allen, an architect very active in Forest Hills (a Colonial Revival house at 217 Ridge Road); Philip Resnyk (Tudor Revival, English cottage manner, and Colonial Revival houses on Warwick, Beverly, Grosvenor, Hollywood, Knollwood, Richmond, Kenmore, Richmond and Manor); Benjamin Dreisler (an Arts and Crafts/Colonial Revival house at 243 Forest Road); Louis Feldman (English cottage type houses at 211 and 217 Forest Road); J. Sarsfield Kennedy (a Tudor Revival house at 369 Beverly Road and a grand English bungalow/Arts and Crafts house at 1114 Shore Road), and Shampan & Shampan (a Colonial Revival house at 110 Arleigh).

 

Almost 60 of the over 600 houses in the historic district, built in the first decades of the century, are known to be the work of fourteen Douglaston architects.37 Alfred Scheffer, whose views are quoted above, designed at least ten, most in the Colonial Revival style or English cottage manner with Tudor Revival or Arts and Crafts detail.

 

John C.W. Cadoo designed at least sixteen houses, mostly Colonial Revival in style. Frank Forster designed at least three houses, one Colonial Revival, the others in the English cottage manner, as well as overseeing the restoration of the eighteenth-century Van Wyck House. Albert Humble designed at least ten houses, most in the Colonial Revival style.

 

Josephine Wright Chapman

 

Eight houses in the historic district are known to have been designed in the 1910s and 1920s by one of America's earliest successful women architects, Josephine Wright Chapman (1867-?). Chapman was professionally active from 1892 to 1927, but little is known about her education or commissions.

 

She pursued her interest in a career in architecture over opposition from her family, working from 1892 to 1897 as a draftsman in the office of Boston architect Clarence H. Blackall. Very few academically trained women became architects in the last two decades of the nineteenth century, and Chapman may have entered the profession as an apprentice.

 

By 1898 she was listed in the Boston City Directory as an architect, and developed a successful practice, despite the rejection of her application for membership in the American Institute of Architects.

 

Chapman's first major project was the New England Building at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo in 1901. Other known work includes the Craigie Arms Apartments (1897) in Cambridge, Mass., the Episcopal Church in Leominster, Mass., and the Women's Clubs in Worcester and Lynn, Mass.

 

In 1905, Chapman began to devote herself to the design of houses. She preferred the "English type," long, low and rambling, with gables and timber and plaster detailing. In 1907 she moved to New York, where she was listed in directories as an architect until 1925. Among her few published works was a sixteen-story apartment building on Park Avenue, described as demonstrating "the feminine idea of correct planning . . .and many innovations were to be introduced."

 

While in New York, she also received the commission for Hillandale, an Italian Renaissance style villa in Washington, D.C., built 1922-25. In the words of historian Gwendolyn Wright: "Neither Chapman's early public success in Boston nor her conversion to professional pursuit more appropriate for a woman qualified her for coverage in the architectural press.

 

But her career was remarkable, for few women had the financial independence to experiment with their own offices."

 

Chapman's known Douglaston houses, which date from 1909 to 1917, are in the historic district's two prevalent stylistic modes — five Colonial Revival and three in the English cottage manner.

 

They share picturesque silhouetttes with rooflines that feature gambrel or gabled roofs with hipped or shed dormers, and exposed brick chimneys; and distinctive entry and porch details, including one with Tuscan columns, one with a pointed-arch batten door, and one with a panelled entrance with side-lights and transom.

 

The Craftsman style houses

 

Several Craftsman style houses, including No. 122 Arleigh Road, 140 Prospect Avenue, and 111 Hollywood Avenue, may be one of the largest such collections in any New York City neighborhood.

 

Furniture designer Gustav Stickley of Rochester, New York, created the Craftsman architectural movement and disseminated it throughout the country via his Craftsman magazine.

 

The Craftsman aesthetic drew on the English Arts and Crafts movement, California Mission design, Japanese architecture, and Native American design, and was supported by an ideology influenced by concepts of socialism, the nobility of work, and the value of manual training.

 

Stickley developed his interest in architecture in the years 1902-05, initially as a way of creating the proper environment for his furniture. He hired architect Harvey Ellis to help develop a Craftsman architecture, and the Craftsman magazine began publishing prototype houses initially designed by Ellis, encouraging the public to take them as models for their own homes.

 

The published houses included floor plans, sketches, renderings of room schemes, elevations, and descriptions of appropriate rugs, fabrics, furniture, and color schemes. Stickley then encouraged his readers to alter the plans to suit local conditions.

 

In 1909, Stickley became involved in the actual construction of houses when he organized the Craftsman Building Company, which constructed houses in New Jersey and on Long Island.

 

The company was active for just under a year; the exact number of houses built is unknown. Most "Craftsman" houses were built by contractors using Craftsman plans.

 

The Craftsman house embodies a number of characteristics in its exterior. It is generally designed to take advantage of its site and views. Picturesque in its composition, it incorporates an "honest" expression of its materials and structure.

 

It makes use of exposed or emphasized structural elements, especially a broad, overhanging roof, often supported by large, open rafters extending beyond the eaves.

 

There may be wooden elements including curved roofs, or exotic piled capitals. Often such houses include pergolas, porches, balconies or verandas. Windows are grouped together to create large openings.

 

Craftsman houses use a variety of materials, preferably local. Stonework is often textured and ornamental, with variegated colors and shapes. Other common materials include clinker brick, and stucco, often mixed with rough sand or bits of glass.

 

Historical and Architectural Introduction

 

No. 111 Hollywood Road was designed by the Craftsman architects in 1914.55 The interior follows the Craftsman aesthetic, while the exterior borrows the distinctive eyebrow window and brick Tudor arched entrance from neighboring houses.

 

No. 122 Arleigh Road corresponds to Craftsman plan number 70, a "Ten-Room House for Town or Country Life" published originally in the Craftsman in July 1909 and again in More Craftsman Homes. Its horizontal orientation, large living porch, emphasis on structural elements including low, spreading, overhanging eaves and extended rafters, and central entrance and symmetrical facade with grouped windows, all reflect the Craftsman mold.

 

No. 140 Prospect Road correspond to Craftsman plan number 85, a "Small Two-Story Cement House with Recessed Porch and Balcony," published originally in the Craftsman in March 1910 and again in More Craftsman Homes. Its low-pitched roof revealing the rafters, porch and balcony, decorative use of structural elements, and grouping of windows and openings, all fit the Craftsman aesthetic.

 

A number of other houses in the historic district reflect the Craftsman aesthetic, even though they do not follow published Craftsman plans.

 

Prominent residents and later history

 

The first residents to move into the new Douglas Manor development, in 1907, were "the Misses Butler, of Flushing." They were followed by a number of newspapermen including "Mr. Mayer, World cartoonist, on Shore Road and Knollwood Ave.," "George C. Minor, of the New York Herald" on West Drive and Knollwood, and "Arthur Greaves, city editor of the New York Times" on West Drive, as well as a Mr. Slater of Manhattan and a Mr. Burtis, "manager of the Brooklyn branch of Swift & Co."56 Country Life in America the following year showed houses for sale in Douglas Manor priced at $8500 and $10,000.

 

Over the years, the historic district has attracted many famous residents, including a number of people in theater and the arts. Besides the above mentioned Herbert Mayer, cartoonist for The World, and architect Elbert McGran Jackson, who also illustrated covers for the Saturday Evening Post, artists included Percy Crosby, author of the "Skippy" comic strip; Robbie Robinson, another

 

illustrator for the Saturday Evening Post, Norwegian born sculptor Trygve Hammer, whose house is at 329 Forest Road,59 and satirist George Grosz.

 

Douglaston's location on the Long Island Rail Road, which made it convenient to the Astoria Studios in Long Island City, an early movie center, attracted many actors in the days before the ascendancy of Hollywood.

 

Residents have included Ginger Rogers, Hedda Hopper, Richard Dix, Ward Bond, Bonita Granville, Clifton Webb, Arthur Treacher, Jack Donahue, and William Collier Sr., as well as Ziegfeld Follies star Margaret Corry.

 

Other notable residents have included author Ring Lardner, as well as Olympic swimmer Annette Kellerman, tennis pro John McEnroe, Jr., and pianist Claudio Arrau.

 

Douglaston resident Anne E. Hayes was one of the first women to attend Cornell University's medical school, and later became a clothing designer.

 

In the half century since the end of World War II, the Douglaston Historic District has seen numerous houses altered or demolished, and much new construction. Some of the new houses have maintained the scale and repeated the materials and styles of earlier houses; others have not.

 

They have ranged in style from ranch houses to modern versions of the Colonial Revival. Overall, however, the Douglaston Historic District survives, maintaining much of its original architectural character as a planned suburban community, as well as rare surviving reminders of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and significant landscape features including the commonly-held waterfront, specimen trees, and generous landscaping.

 

All create a distinct sense of place, recalling a significant period in the history of Queens.

 

- From the 1997 NYCLPC Historic District Designation Report

Pemberton lobby view.

Brunnera macrophylla, with its particularly attractive foliage, features large heart-shaped silver leaves edged and veined with green. Commonly called 'Siberian Bugloss' or 'Jack Frost', it is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial that blossoms in early to mid-spring with clouds of small bright blue flowers. After the flowers have faded, in late spring, they are followed by this bold and luminous foliage that has a rough and hairy texture. This dense and incredibly beautiful foliage remains attractive during the whole growing season.

Lincoln & Powell-Norton bathroom view

Some cell phone pics of my ears for anyone to use for anything! I took them to study ear anatomy.

The main features of the refurbished sanctuary are the alter, tabernacle, carved ecclesiastical chairs, bronze & glass screen to the rear and other fittings. The centrepiece alter is a 7.5 ton solid block of Carrera marble finished by Dublin artist, Thomas Glendon. The tabernacle was designed and created by Imogen Stuart and Vicki Donovan which is finished in sculpted hammered silver sheet depicting Celtic motifs and inset with hand-carved crystal cabochons. The seats are by Irish Contracting Seating Ltd of Dromod in County Leitrim, who also manufactured and supplied all the pews. The flooring area is finished in polished marble.

 

St Mel’s of Longford town is the cathedral church for the diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise. Ambitious plans for a fine church building in Longford began to take form after the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829 and became a reality when sufficient funds had been collected. Construction began in 1840 with the laying of the foundation stone which was taken from the original cathedral of St. Mel at Ardagh, only a few miles from Longford. The main body of the new cathedral was completed in 1856 to a neo-classical design by the architect Joseph Benjamin Keane, work having been delayed during the period of the Great Famine (1846 and recommenced 1853). After Joseph’s death in 1849, work was continued after by his assistant John Bourke (d.1871) who was also responsible for the belfry tower completed in 1860, but with major alterations to its original design. The neo-classical portico was designed by George Coppinger Ashlin (1837-1921) and completed in 1889 with its pediment and sculpted tympanum depicting the enthronement of St. Mel as Bishop of Ardagh along with three statues above the pediment. By this time, the cathedral building has taken on its definitive form with no further major alterations until its refurbishment after the devastating fire of 2009.

 

On 25th December 2009, the entire building was gutted by a fire which accidently started within the boiler chimney flue at the rear and quickly spread. The alarm was raised just after 5am but fire-fighting attempts were hampered by frozen pipes as the country was in the grip of one of its worst and prolonged periods of freezing temperatures for decades. By daylight, the entire building had been reduced to a burnt-out shell with the loss of all its furnishing, fittings and diocesan museum. The museum contained many priceless artefacts that included the Crozier of Saint Mel and the book-shrine of St. Caillin (1536), the latter damaged beyond restoration but it may be possible to conserve some of the remnants. The 28 supporting columns were also damaged beyond repair and had to replaced anew. Very little was recoverable that survived the worst of the 1,000 deg.C fire and even these suffered some degree of fire damage such as The Bell of Fenagh which is undergoing conservation treatment at the National Museum of Ireland and the original baptismal font with its brass fittings and surrounding mosaic floor. But the most puzzling of all and described by many as nothing short of a miracle was the survival of the Holy Family painting in the northern transept and the undamaged Eucharistic Host still inside the fire damaged tabernacle. The Holy Family oil painting on a cotton-based canvas should have readily gone up in flames due to its highly combustible materials but somehow survived relatively unscathed despite the intense fire around it. This painting was of Italian origins by an unknown artist and is now back on display requiring little more than a cleaning!

 

After five years of work by many expert disciplines using traditional methods, the cathedral building has been totally refurbished and which included quarried blue-limestone for 28 columns with hand-carved capitals that support the roof. Both Harry Clarke Studio windows were salvaged from the transepts and restored to their former glory by Abbey Stained Glass Ltd of Dublin, a company with much experience in the restoration of stained glass windows. Other replacements such as the wooden pews, alter, stained glass, Stations of the Cross tablets, pipe-organ, fixtures and fitting were all made in a modern style to the best materials and craftsmanship available. It is also planned to open a diocesan museum in the cathedral’s new crypts. The total cost of refurbishment and fitting out came to around €30 million, funded mostly from the insurance cover and after five years of hard work the cathedral was reopened for services at Christmas 2014.

 

Photos taken Thursday 22nd January 2015.

  

References:

 

www.facebook.com/StMelsRestoration (St Mel’s Cathedral restoration – Facebook page).

 

www.rte.ie/news/special-reports/2014/1215/667007-longford... (RTE News article about TV program The Longford Phoenix).

 

www.longfordtourism.ie/event/st-mels-cathedral-rise-from-...

 

irishcatholic.ie/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/... (Sculptor Ken Thompson working on one of his Stations of the Cross panels).

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mel%27s_cathedral,_Longford

 

l7.alamy.com/zooms/5e9904767cdb4317b39e15ee189488c3/shrin... (Image of St. Caillin book shrine created in 1536 before it was damaged beyond repair in the 2009 fire at St. Mel’s cathedral).

 

www.alamy.com/stock-photo-st-mels-crozier-longford-cathed... (Image of the 10th century St. Mel’s Crozier and sadly, completely destroyed in the cathedral fire of 2009).

 

Example of feature-rich and experience poor.

 

Douglaston Historic District, Douglaston, Queens, New York City, New York, United States

 

Date: 1906

Architect: Wilbur S. Knowles Original Owner: Solomon Mayer Type: Freestanding house

Style: Arts and Crafts/Colonial Revival Structure/material: Frame with wood shingle siding

Notable building features: Hipped roof with overhanging eaves; stucco-covered chimney with brick coping; hipped dormers; round, projecting bay at corner; wrap-around porch, partially enclosed, with Doric columns, central pediment, brick steps, and wood railings; multi-paned entrance vestibule (added after 1962); first-story oriel.

 

Alterations: Most windows are non-historic replacements; bases of porch and conservatory covered with concrete; through-the-wall air conditioners; chimney covered with stucco after 1962.

 

Related structure on lot: Attached, rear conservatory with polygonal plan and monitor roof, added in 1916; matching two-car garage, entered from Shore Road, contemporary with the house.

 

Notable site features: Mature trees; stucco-covered retaining walls with brick coping; brick garden walls with cast concrete balusters; brick steps and posts; cobblestone-framed sidewalks, driveway and curbs.

  

INTRODUCTION

 

The Douglaston Historic District contains more than 600 houses set along landscaped streets on a mile-long peninsula extending into Little Neck Bay, at the northeastern edge of Queens adjoining Nassau County.

 

Its history over the past four centuries ranges from a native American settlement to an eighteenth-century farm, a nineteenth-century estate called Douglas Manor, and an early twentieth-century planned suburb, also called Douglas Manor.

 

The Douglaston Historic District encompasses the entire Douglas Manor suburban development, plus several contiguous blocks. Most of the houses in the proposed district date from the early- to mid-twentieth century, while a few survive from the nineteenth century, and one from the eighteenth century.

 

The landscape includes many impressive and exotic specimen trees planted on the mid-nineteenth-century estate, as well as a great white oak, located at 233 Arleigh Road, believed to be 600 years old.

 

Douglaston's location on a peninsula jutting into Flushing Bay at the eastern border of Queens County is an important factor in establishing the character of the district. The very early buildings surviving in the district include the c.1735 Van Wyck House, the c. 1819 Van Zandt manor house (expanded in the early twentieth century for use as the Douglaston Club), and the Greek Revival style c. 1848-50 Benjamin Allen House.

 

Much of the landscaping, including the specimen trees, survives from the estate of Douglas Manor, established by George Douglas and maintained by his son William Douglas.

 

Most of the houses in the historic district were built as part of the planned suburb of Douglas Manor, developed by the Rickert-Finlay Company, that was part of the residential redevelopment of the Borough of Queens following its creation and annexation to the City of Greater New York in 1898.

 

A set of covenants devised by the Rickert-Finlay Company helped assure a carefully planned environment, including a shorefront held in common, winding streets following the topography of the peninsula, and single-family houses ranging in size from substantial mansions along Shore Road on the west to more modest cottages closer to Udalls Cove on the east.

 

The houses of the historic district, which are representative of twentieth-century residential architecture, were designed in a variety of styles including the many variants of the Colonial Revival, many houses in the English manner incorporating Tudor Revival, English cottage, and Arts and Crafts motifs, as well as the Mediterranean Revival. In most cases, they were designed by local Queens architects, including over a dozen who lived in Douglaston itself.

 

The district includes three houses of the Craftsman type pioneered by Gustav Stickley. Eight of the houses in the district were designed by Josephine Wright Chapman, one of America's earliest successful women architects, and they constitute an important body of her work.

 

The Douglaston Historic District survives today as an important example of an early twentieth-century planned suburb adapted to the site of a nineteenth-century estate. The stylistically varied suburban residences, the distinctive topography, the landscaped setting, and the winding streets create a distinct sense of place and give the district its special character.

 

HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL BACKGROUND OF THE DOUGLASTON HISTORIC DISTRICT

 

Native American and Colonial antecedents

 

The Native American presence on the Little Neck peninsula today known as Douglaston included the Matinecoc,1 one of a group on western Long Island linked by culture and language to others in the area surrounding Manhattan Island (including the Nayack, Marechkawieck, Canarsee, Rockaway, and Massapequa). A number of finds from those settlements have been identified at various sites on the peninsula.2 The Matinecoc, who fanned the peninsula and apparently also produced wampum, were summarily evicted in the 1660s by Thomas Hicks, later Judge Hicks, in what has been described as the only such seizure of property recorded in Flushing town records. In the 1930s, according to local histories, a Matinecoc burial ground was destroyed to make way for a widening of Northern Boulevard, and the remains reinterred in the cemetery of Zion Church.3

 

The property seized by Thomas Hicks in the 1660s passed through the hands of several of his family members, and several subsequent sales to other families, before being acquired in 1813 by Wynant Van Zandt. In 1819 Van Zandt bought an adjoining farm from the Van Wyck family. Both tracts had been farmed during the eighteenth century. The Van Wycks built and lived in a shorefront house which still stands (the Cornelius Van Wyck House, at 126 West Drive aka 37-04 Douglaston Parkway, a designated New York City landmark).

 

Nineteenth-century country seat: Wynant Van Zandt. George and William Douglas, and Douglas Manor

 

Wynant Van Zandt (1767-1831) kept his property in agricultural use. Unlike his predecessors, mostly local formers, Van Zandt was a prominent New York City merchant, active in New York civic affairs. As a city alderman, Van Zandt served as chairman, starting in 1803, of the building committee for City Hall, and in 1804 as chairman of a committee on water supply, among other duties. Van Zandt established his Queens County property as a country estate, and built himself a manor, or country seat, in 1819; the building survives, with additions, as the Douglaston Club.

 

In May 1835, following Wynant Van Zandt's death, George Douglas acquired the estate from Robert B. Van Zandt; the deed identifies Van Zandt as a "farmer" and Douglas as a "gentleman."5 One obituary, in the Flushing Journal Weekly, described Douglas as "what the world would call an eccentric man."6 Another, in the New York Evening Post, described him as a wealthy young man from Scotland, who during a fifteen-year stay in Europe "collected some very valuable pictures," and later turned to philanthropy.7

 

Douglas's son, William Proctor Douglas, inherited the property after his father's death in 1862. The younger Douglas served as vice-commodore of the New York Yacht Club in 1871-74. During his tenure, Douglas Manor became a center for New York society yachting and polo. In later years, Douglas rented out the estate house to a variety of well-connected tenants, including European royalty.8

 

In 1869, Douglas hired landscape architect William McMillen to, in the words of McMillen's daughter, "superintend the Estate, improve driveways, and lay out plantings and trees and ornamental shrubs."9 McMillen was later associated with Frederick Law Olmsted and his work on the park system in Buffalo, New York.10 Although McMillen spent six years working on the estate, it is not known exactly what he undertook for Douglas. From turn-of-the-century photographs and other records analyzed in a landscape history undertaken in 1994, it appears that under Douglas's

 

ownership the landscape was characterized by "an informal 'English' look...with English ivy, winterberry, Boston ivy and wisteria."11

 

It was also during Douglas's tenure that a number of exotic specimen trees were planted on the property. Local histories suggest a connection with Samuel Parsons (1819-1906), a pioneer horticulturist with a nursery in Flushing; Parsons owned land near the Douglas Estate. The trees have been a distinguishing characteristic of Douglas Manor since William Douglas's day.12

 

Early suburban subdivision

 

Although the suburban development called Douglas Manor dates from 1906, William Douglas apparently attempted a suburban subdivision half a century earlier south of Douglas Manor. The dominant force propelling development was the gradual extension of the Long Island Railroad, which ran as far as Flushing until 1866 (with stage coach connections for points east), when its extension to Great Neck opened. Even in the 1850s, anticipating the railroad's extension to the Little Neck peninsula, William Douglas had subdivided part of his property (the area today known as "the Hill").

 

Douglas donated land for the railroad's right of way, and later, according to local histories, relocated one of his farm buildings to be used as a railroad station, asking in exchange that the new village be called "Douglaston" (instead of Marathon, a competing name).13 He named a number of new streets after the abundant trees on his property (Pine, Poplar, Willow, Cherry).

 

The Rickert-Finlav Realty Company

 

Besides the three early surviving houses already mentioned (the Van Wyck House, the Douglaston Club, and the Allen House), almost all the rest of the houses in the historic district were built as part of the early twentieth-century planned suburb of Douglas Manor, named for Douglas's estate, laid out by the Rickert-Finlay Realty Company. The redevelopment of Douglas Manor was part of the vast transformation of much of the newly created Borough of Queens into new residential neighborhoods. In 1906, the year Rickert-Finlay bought Douglas Manor, several major transportation projects to speed connections between Manhattan and Queens were underway: the Pennsylvania Railroad and Long Island Railroad tunnels under the East River, and the Queensborough Bridge at 59th Street.14 According to the Real Estate Record and Guide of that year:

 

The development of numerous farms into building lots and the erection of hundreds of new buildings have necessarily advanced the value of real estate in that section of Greater New York. It is said that more than 8,000 new apportionments have been made in the Borough of Queens during 1906, and that considerably more than 10,000 acres of land have been cut up into lots....

 

Chief among the new developments cited:

 

Title has just been taken to the Douglass [sic] homestead of about 180 acres by the Douglass Manor Co. This will probably be the highest class development on the island. It has a mile of water front and most magnificent shade trees. This property will be subdivided immediately.16

 

The Rickert-Finlay Realty Company, which bought Douglas Manor, was active in real-estate development in Queens and Nassau Counties in the early years of the century, buying up large farms and estates on the north shore of Long Island, preferably those with attractive topographical features, and subdividing them into new suburban communities. Their projects included Norwood in Long Island City, Broadway-Flushing in Flushing, Bellcourt in Bayside, Douglas Manor in Douglaston, and Westmoreland in Little Neck.17 By 1908, the company, with offices at 45 West 34th Street in Manhattan,18 was advertising itself as "The Largest Developers of Real Estate in Queens Borough ~ over 10,000 lots within the limits of New York City."19

 

The company's typical strategy for selecting development sites was described by E.J. Rickert in a 1914 article in Architecture and Building: "It was selected because it was on high ground, with a splendid outlook . . . and only four blocks from a railway station. It was . . . noted for the magnificent row of maples and lindens, nearly a mile long, extending through the entire property."20 The company then developed each tract according to a formula based on past successes. E.J. Rickert described the progression of the firm's ideas:

 

The first property developed was Bellcourt in Bayside, which was improved along the same lines as had heretofore prevailed on Long Island — that is, gravel sidewalks were laid, streets were graded and shade trees were set out, no other improvements being made. In the sale of Bellcourt, however, it was found that there was a demand for better improvements, and, consequently, when Douglas Manor was developed, cement sidewalks were laid, macadam roads were built and trees and hedges were set out. Broadway-Flushing and Westmoreland, which came next, were developed to about the same extent as Douglas Manor, all then being considered the best improved properties on Long Island.

 

The next development, Kensington, saw the addition of complete "sanitary sewer system, water mains and underground conduit for street lighting."

 

The new suburb of Douglas Manor

 

The qualities of the nineteenth-century Douglas Manor on which the Rickert-Finlay development capitalized included its hilly topography, its mile-long waterfront accessible to the entire narrow peninsula, and its lush plantings, especially the specimen trees planted during Douglas's tenure. The development also based its new road system on the major farm roads already in place, which became West, East, and Centre [Center] Drives.23

 

The company then established a series of protective covenants to guarantee a certain manner of development and density within the new suburb. In an era pre-dating the adoption of zoning regulations,24 the character of a new development could be guaranteed in no other way.

 

The covenants affected the architectural character of the houses only peripherally — by prohibiting flat roofs, thereby encouraging a more romantic roofline. Instead, they focused on the kind and size of houses and the nature of the landscaping of the new development. They required all houses to be single-family residences, with the sole exception of the Douglaston Club (commercial uses and two-family buildings and flats were specifically prohibited). They encouraged an economically mixed development, with a boulevard of substantial mansions along the Shore Road waterfront, while smaller, less expensive houses would predominate on the peninsula's east. (Such conditions were guaranteed by requiring houses of a certain cost and lots of a certain size). A verdant landscape was ensured by requiring houses to be set back 20 feet, leaving room for greenery, and by prohibiting fences and encouraging hedges, creating vistas not of individual, fenced-off gardens, but rather of a continuous, green, park-like, landscaped environment.

 

Rickert-Finlay went even further, taking steps to protect that environment and shape the community's social character by creating, in 1906, the Douglas Manor Association. Its stated objectives were the creation and maintenance of a club house to promote "social intercourse" among the residents, and to preserve and protect the development's physical amenities, including the roads, parks, shorefront, and plantings.26

 

Selling Douglas Manor

 

Promotional brochures prepared by Rickert-Finlay characterized the new neighborhood as a private community of houses, nestled in a landscape similar to Central Park, surrounded with a mile of shorefront, just blocks from each home.27

 

Douglas Manor's convenience to Midtown Manhattan via the Long Island Railroad was compared favorably to subway commutation to new Bronx neighborhoods. The commute was touted at "only 33 Minutes to Manhattan, 52 Trains a Day," and predicted to become "20 Minutes to Herald Square, when Pennsylvania-Long Island Tunnels are completed." The neighborhood was just three blocks from the Douglaston station, itself very near the Long Island Sound, "being the only station on the line near enough to the Sound to bring the shore front within easy walking distance. "28 The history and character of the old Douglas estate were emphasized, especially the trees planted by Douglas: "Scotch Holly, Magnolia, Japanese Maidenhair, Chinese Cypress, European Beech, Scarlet Maple, Horse Chestnut, Tulip, Lime, evergreens... Even Central Park does not possess a greater variety of rare trees....

 

" This park-like effect would be "preserved and increased by setting out hedges along winding roads, following the natural contour of the land as much as possible.... The shore drive, curving along the bay for over a mile, will be made the finest boulevard on Long Island." To all these suburban advantages, Douglas Manor also boasted the services provided by the City of New York: "city water, stone sidewalks, macadamized streets" and the "full benefit of all departments of the city government, including schools, water, police and fire protection."

 

From 1906 through the Depression, several hundred houses were erected in Douglas Manor, following the plan suggested by the Rickert-Finlay covenants. In general, the lots along Shore Road on the west were developed first, with larger, more substantial houses, followed by the more modest

 

homes to the east towards Udalls Cove. Property owners often acquired lots adjacent to those on which their houses were built to accommodate more generous lawns or gardens. The mile-long waterfront remained undeveloped, held in common by the Douglas Manor Association. The large caliper specimen trees planted in Douglas's day remained in place. The grounds of the various houses were separated by perimeter hedges only — no fences. Two smaller lots formed by irregular street intersections were planted as small parks, maintained by the Association. Together, the parks, commonly held shorefront, specimen trees, and hedged gardens created something close to Rickert-Finlay's version of Central Park, surrounded by water, with several hundred houses nestled in the landscape.

 

The Architecture of the Douglaston Historic District

 

The architectural styles of the over 600 houses and some 150 related structures (mostly garages) in the historic district reflect three centuries of Douglaston's built history. From the eighteenth-century colonial Van Wyck House, to the early nineteenth-century Van Zandt House and mid-nineteenth-century Allen House, to the twentiethth-century suburban houses of the Rickert-Finlay development, to the additions of the post-World War II period, they tell the story of the development of this part of eastern Queens, part of the larger developmental story of New York City and the country as a whole.

 

The Cornelius Van Wyck House, at 126 West Drive, survives as the oldest extant house in the district, and one of the oldest in New York City (it is a designated New York City landmark). Built c.1735 for an early Dutch settler as a farmstead, the house reflects eighteenth-century New York colonial styles. Douglas, who transformed the farm to Douglas Manor, is said to have used the house as an "entrance lodge to his estate.w29 In 1907, one year after the acquisition of the Manor by the Rickert-Finlay Company, the Douglaston Country Club enlarged the building for use as a clubhouse. In 1921, the Van Wyck House passed back into use as a single-family residence, and its owner, E.N. Wicht, hired Frank J. Forster, designer of Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival style houses in the new Douglas Manor development, to restore it to its original Dutch Colonial appearance.

 

The Wynant Van Zandt House, at 600 West Drive, reflects both the older and the newer history of Douglaston. Built in 1819 as a home for Wynant Van Zandt, it was significantly altered after 1906 for use as the Douglaston Club, but still reflects some of the character of Van Zandt's original two-story Greek Revival manor house.

 

The Benjamin P. Allen House (a/k/a the Allen-Beville House, a designated New York City landmark) at 29 Center Drive, built c. 1848-50, is another rare Queens farm house. Predominately Greek Revival in style, it also shows the influence of the newly fashionable Italianate style, especially in its cornices and brackets.

 

Almost all the other buildings in the district date from the twentieth century, and the greater number of them from its first three decades, when Douglas Manor was developed by the Rickert-Finlay Company. Douglas Manor is a contemporary of several other planned communities in New York City, notably Fieldston in the Bronx and Forest Hill Gardens in Queens, all three of which began as subdivisions in the first decade of die century, and blossomed in the late teens and twenties. Like them, Douglas Manor was developed with houses based on historic styles of the past.

 

The first few decades of the century constituted a period of ferment and development in the design of American single-family houses. The epoch has been characterized as "a resurgence of individualism and an indulgence in residential architecture, a reaction to the standardization of the previous two decades. Fanciful cottages in fairy-tale styles were part of that image."30 In some ways, that approach is a logical continuation of late nineteenth-century architectural eclecticism, characterized in the 1890s as "rampant eclecticism in all fields of life and taste, of triumphant individualism, when authority sits so lightly on men's interests and lives; in this age of archaeology, when the different periods of history are made to live again in our imagination. "31 At the same time, residential architecture was affected by notions of progress and efficiency, and a drive toward simplicity and sanitary conveniences in home design.

 

Rickert-Finlay's protective covenants left the architectural character of the buildings almost entirely in the hands of owners and architects, requiring only that building roofs not be flat.32 The result was a collection of early twentieth-century eclectic residential styles, ranging from grand Colonial Revival mansions on the Shore Road waterfront, to picturesque Tudor Revival or Mediterranean Revival houses or houses in the English cottage manner or Colonial Revival houses on the blocks between West and East Drives, to modest cottages near Udalls Cove. Houses were sited in harmony with the topography, which tends to get hillier in the southeastern section of the peninsula.

 

One Douglas Manor architect, Alfred Scheffer, expressed his point of view in an article published in 1929. He described the Tudor Revival house he designed for himself at 216 Beverly-Road — a particularly useful indication of both the architect's and the client's point of view. Tellingly, the very first observation he makes is about the siting of the house, overlooking Long Island Sound: "The water is only a stone's throw — of a conservative marksman — from our front door and the second floor bay window has a certain suggestion of the forecastle deck of a ship, for the intervening land and highway are quite lost to sight and I can get a fine sense of sailing the seas, when I stand there." Only then does he turn to the formal style of the design, and sums up in a sentence the attitude of his day towards historically-inspired styles: "The construction is quite definitely in the English manner although / was not concerned with making it exact or authentic [emphasis added]

 

Scheffer then lists the elements that make his house "English": "stucco and halftimber walls with slate roof . . . The substantial chimney of common brick is typical of many English country houses. . . . The main entrance doorway of the house, at the end of a narrow flagstone walk, forms a Gothic arch of oak timber, framing a paneled oak door with iron straps and two small leaded glass windows, the effect completed by a semi-circular stone stoop. Beside the door is a lantern of pierced wrought-iron in the shape of an inverted tunnel, with wrought-iron bracket." Clearly it is details like the paneled oak door and leaded glass windows which give the house the English "effect" Scheffer wanted. But when he turns to describing the interior, practical matters take precedence: "The interior of the house was designed to take full advantage of our gorgeous outlook over the water."

 

Historical details are listed — "The walls are of rough English hand finished plaster" - but so are the "built-in bookshelves," "built-in comer cabinets," and "convenient and numerous closets and the very large closet and bathroom which join the master bedroom and add much to its convenience." "The interior of the house," concludes Scheffer," will probably grow from year to year. Things will be taken out and others put in until eventually, it comes near to realizing my mental image of what it ought to be. Already, I think, it has the liveable quality which is most essential of all."33

 

The majority of houses in the historic district reflect a variety of styles, loosely adapted by architects like Frank Scheffer, typical of suburban residential architecture across the country. The predominant style is the Colonial Revival in several variants, ranging in date from c.1910 to the present. Most are of frame construction with shingle and/or clapboard siding. Besides a generic Colonial Revival style, the district has such distinctive variations as the Dutch Colonial Revival, New England Colonial Revival, and Cape Cod Colonial Revival. Colonial Revival houses of brick, or frame with brick facing, often have a more formal neo-Georgian appearance. The English manner, the other major stylistic mode, is expressed with Tudor Revival, English cottage, or Arts and Crafts details. These houses, too, are often of frame construction with stucco facing and brick and/or stone trim. The Mediterranean Revival style was also popular.

 

These houses usually have stucco facing and tile roofs. The district also has a handful of houses of the Craftsman type pioneered by Gustav Stickley. Suburban houses of the type found in the district were judged by their picturesque qualities. The Architectural Forum, for instance, featured a Douglas Manor house by Frank Forster, the same architect who restored the Van Wyck House to something approaching its original Dutch colonial appearance. The writer praised Forster's "excellent use of half-timber in connection with brick or stucco," but more importantly his "rare skill in grouping, which creates a picturesque and architectural composition, wholly unaffected or exaggerated and involving no sacrifice in the matter of interior planning to secure this effect."

 

An additional group of houses in the historic district, on the south side of Bay Street, predates the Douglas Manor development by several years. Designed c.1900, they are excellent examples of the Colonial Revival and Queen Anne styles popular at the end of the nineteenth century.

 

Playing an important role in the historic district are the many related garage structures, often designed in architectural styles compatible with the houses they serve. Some were constructed originally as carriage houses and stables, often with residential accommodations, and later converted for garage use. By about 1920, the automobile had supplanted the horse, and garages were built as freestanding structures, some with chauffeur's quarters at the second story, usually situated close to a side or rear lot line. By the late 1920s, some houses were constructed with attached garages, or garages were constructed later, atttached to earlier houses. After World War II, many houses were built with basement garages, while other earlier houses were modified to provide basement garages.

 

The Douglas Manor Architects

 

A few prominent New York City architects with Manhattan offices received commissions in the new neighborhood; however, the vast majority of Douglas Manor houses were designed by local Queens and Brooklyn architects, and a surprisingly large number by architects who themselves lived in Douglas Manor or had offices nearby.35

 

Among the better known firms from outside the neighborhood who worked in the historic district, Buchman & Fox, architects of many Manhattan office buildings, designed 1008 Shore Road, a substantial Colonial Revival mansion overlooking the Bay. George Keister, whose practice included churches, hotels and Broadway theaters, designed 24 Knollwood Avenue, an Arts and Crafts style house, and 104 Hollywood Avenue, a Colonial Revival house. Diego DeSuarez, who planned villa gardens at both La Pietra, outside Florence, and Vizcaya, outside Miami, designed a one-story Mediterranean fantasy at 231 Beverly Road. Lionel Moses, of the firm of McKim, Mead & White, designed a house in the English cottage manner at 1102 Shore Road overlooking Little Neck Bay. The architectural firm of McKim, Mead & White is credited with the formal French Renaissance Revival style house at 4 Ardsley Road. Dating from 1919, it is constructed of hollow terra-cotta block, a form of fireproof construction, and faced with stucco.36

 

Architects from Brooklyn and Queens represented in the historic district include Arthur H. Allen, an architect very active in Forest Hills (a Colonial Revival house at 217 Ridge Road); Philip Resnyk (Tudor Revival, English cottage manner, and Colonial Revival houses on Warwick, Beverly, Grosvenor, Hollywood, Knollwood, Richmond, Kenmore, Richmond and Manor); Benjamin Dreisler (an Arts and Crafts/Colonial Revival house at 243 Forest Road); Louis Feldman (English cottage type houses at 211 and 217 Forest Road); J. Sarsfield Kennedy (a Tudor Revival house at 369 Beverly Road and a grand English bungalow/Arts and Crafts house at 1114 Shore Road), and Shampan & Shampan (a Colonial Revival house at 110 Arleigh).

 

Almost 60 of the over 600 houses in the historic district, built in the first decades of the century, are known to be the work of fourteen Douglaston architects.37 Alfred Scheffer, whose views are quoted above, designed at least ten, most in the Colonial Revival style or English cottage manner with Tudor Revival or Arts and Crafts detail.

 

John C.W. Cadoo designed at least sixteen houses, mostly Colonial Revival in style. Frank Forster designed at least three houses, one Colonial Revival, the others in the English cottage manner, as well as overseeing the restoration of the eighteenth-century Van Wyck House. Albert Humble designed at least ten houses, most in the Colonial Revival style.

 

Josephine Wright Chapman

 

Eight houses in the historic district are known to have been designed in the 1910s and 1920s by one of America's earliest successful women architects, Josephine Wright Chapman (1867-?). Chapman was professionally active from 1892 to 1927, but little is known about her education or commissions.

 

She pursued her interest in a career in architecture over opposition from her family, working from 1892 to 1897 as a draftsman in the office of Boston architect Clarence H. Blackall. Very few academically trained women became architects in the last two decades of the nineteenth century, and Chapman may have entered the profession as an apprentice.

 

By 1898 she was listed in the Boston City Directory as an architect, and developed a successful practice, despite the rejection of her application for membership in the American Institute of Architects.

 

Chapman's first major project was the New England Building at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo in 1901. Other known work includes the Craigie Arms Apartments (1897) in Cambridge, Mass., the Episcopal Church in Leominster, Mass., and the Women's Clubs in Worcester and Lynn, Mass.

 

In 1905, Chapman began to devote herself to the design of houses. She preferred the "English type," long, low and rambling, with gables and timber and plaster detailing. In 1907 she moved to New York, where she was listed in directories as an architect until 1925. Among her few published works was a sixteen-story apartment building on Park Avenue, described as demonstrating "the feminine idea of correct planning . . .and many innovations were to be introduced."

 

While in New York, she also received the commission for Hillandale, an Italian Renaissance style villa in Washington, D.C., built 1922-25. In the words of historian Gwendolyn Wright: "Neither Chapman's early public success in Boston nor her conversion to professional pursuit more appropriate for a woman qualified her for coverage in the architectural press.

 

But her career was remarkable, for few women had the financial independence to experiment with their own offices."

 

Chapman's known Douglaston houses, which date from 1909 to 1917, are in the historic district's two prevalent stylistic modes — five Colonial Revival and three in the English cottage manner.

 

They share picturesque silhouetttes with rooflines that feature gambrel or gabled roofs with hipped or shed dormers, and exposed brick chimneys; and distinctive entry and porch details, including one with Tuscan columns, one with a pointed-arch batten door, and one with a panelled entrance with side-lights and transom.

 

The Craftsman style houses

 

Several Craftsman style houses, including No. 122 Arleigh Road, 140 Prospect Avenue, and 111 Hollywood Avenue, may be one of the largest such collections in any New York City neighborhood.

 

Furniture designer Gustav Stickley of Rochester, New York, created the Craftsman architectural movement and disseminated it throughout the country via his Craftsman magazine.

 

The Craftsman aesthetic drew on the English Arts and Crafts movement, California Mission design, Japanese architecture, and Native American design, and was supported by an ideology influenced by concepts of socialism, the nobility of work, and the value of manual training.

 

Stickley developed his interest in architecture in the years 1902-05, initially as a way of creating the proper environment for his furniture. He hired architect Harvey Ellis to help develop a Craftsman architecture, and the Craftsman magazine began publishing prototype houses initially designed by Ellis, encouraging the public to take them as models for their own homes.

 

The published houses included floor plans, sketches, renderings of room schemes, elevations, and descriptions of appropriate rugs, fabrics, furniture, and color schemes. Stickley then encouraged his readers to alter the plans to suit local conditions.

 

In 1909, Stickley became involved in the actual construction of houses when he organized the Craftsman Building Company, which constructed houses in New Jersey and on Long Island.

 

The company was active for just under a year; the exact number of houses built is unknown. Most "Craftsman" houses were built by contractors using Craftsman plans.

 

The Craftsman house embodies a number of characteristics in its exterior. It is generally designed to take advantage of its site and views. Picturesque in its composition, it incorporates an "honest" expression of its materials and structure.

 

It makes use of exposed or emphasized structural elements, especially a broad, overhanging roof, often supported by large, open rafters extending beyond the eaves.

 

There may be wooden elements including curved roofs, or exotic piled capitals. Often such houses include pergolas, porches, balconies or verandas. Windows are grouped together to create large openings.

 

Craftsman houses use a variety of materials, preferably local. Stonework is often textured and ornamental, with variegated colors and shapes. Other common materials include clinker brick, and stucco, often mixed with rough sand or bits of glass.

 

Historical and Architectural Introduction

 

No. 111 Hollywood Road was designed by the Craftsman architects in 1914.55 The interior follows the Craftsman aesthetic, while the exterior borrows the distinctive eyebrow window and brick Tudor arched entrance from neighboring houses.

 

No. 122 Arleigh Road corresponds to Craftsman plan number 70, a "Ten-Room House for Town or Country Life" published originally in the Craftsman in July 1909 and again in More Craftsman Homes. Its horizontal orientation, large living porch, emphasis on structural elements including low, spreading, overhanging eaves and extended rafters, and central entrance and symmetrical facade with grouped windows, all reflect the Craftsman mold.

 

No. 140 Prospect Road correspond to Craftsman plan number 85, a "Small Two-Story Cement House with Recessed Porch and Balcony," published originally in the Craftsman in March 1910 and again in More Craftsman Homes. Its low-pitched roof revealing the rafters, porch and balcony, decorative use of structural elements, and grouping of windows and openings, all fit the Craftsman aesthetic.

 

A number of other houses in the historic district reflect the Craftsman aesthetic, even though they do not follow published Craftsman plans.

 

Prominent residents and later history

 

The first residents to move into the new Douglas Manor development, in 1907, were "the Misses Butler, of Flushing." They were followed by a number of newspapermen including "Mr. Mayer, World cartoonist, on Shore Road and Knollwood Ave.," "George C. Minor, of the New York Herald" on West Drive and Knollwood, and "Arthur Greaves, city editor of the New York Times" on West Drive, as well as a Mr. Slater of Manhattan and a Mr. Burtis, "manager of the Brooklyn branch of Swift & Co."56 Country Life in America the following year showed houses for sale in Douglas Manor priced at $8500 and $10,000.

 

Over the years, the historic district has attracted many famous residents, including a number of people in theater and the arts. Besides the above mentioned Herbert Mayer, cartoonist for The World, and architect Elbert McGran Jackson, who also illustrated covers for the Saturday Evening Post, artists included Percy Crosby, author of the "Skippy" comic strip; Robbie Robinson, another

 

illustrator for the Saturday Evening Post, Norwegian born sculptor Trygve Hammer, whose house is at 329 Forest Road,59 and satirist George Grosz.

 

Douglaston's location on the Long Island Rail Road, which made it convenient to the Astoria Studios in Long Island City, an early movie center, attracted many actors in the days before the ascendancy of Hollywood.

 

Residents have included Ginger Rogers, Hedda Hopper, Richard Dix, Ward Bond, Bonita Granville, Clifton Webb, Arthur Treacher, Jack Donahue, and William Collier Sr., as well as Ziegfeld Follies star Margaret Corry.

 

Other notable residents have included author Ring Lardner, as well as Olympic swimmer Annette Kellerman, tennis pro John McEnroe, Jr., and pianist Claudio Arrau.

 

Douglaston resident Anne E. Hayes was one of the first women to attend Cornell University's medical school, and later became a clothing designer.

 

In the half century since the end of World War II, the Douglaston Historic District has seen numerous houses altered or demolished, and much new construction. Some of the new houses have maintained the scale and repeated the materials and styles of earlier houses; others have not.

 

They have ranged in style from ranch houses to modern versions of the Colonial Revival. Overall, however, the Douglaston Historic District survives, maintaining much of its original architectural character as a planned suburban community, as well as rare surviving reminders of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and significant landscape features including the commonly-held waterfront, specimen trees, and generous landscaping.

 

All create a distinct sense of place, recalling a significant period in the history of Queens.

 

- From the 1997 NYCLPC Historic District Designation Report

This photo features two wireframe sculptures resembling human figures. The sculptures are composed of interwoven metal rods or wires, forming abstract yet recognizable shapes of a male and female figure. The image is in black and white, creating a stark contrast between the sculptures and the background.

 

The figures are positioned against an overcast sky, contributing to a dramatic and somewhat melancholic atmosphere. The background includes silhouetted trees and foliage, adding depth to the composition.

 

Overall, the photo conveys a sense of abstraction and introspection, emphasizing the interplay between the human form and its environment.

The main features of the refurbished sanctuary are the alter, tabernacle, carved ecclesiastical chairs, bronze & glass screen to the rear and other fittings. The centrepiece alter is a 7.5 ton solid block of Carrera marble finished by Dublin artist, Thomas Glendon. The tabernacle was designed and created by Imogen Stuart and Vicki Donovan which is finished in sculpted hammered silver sheet depicting Celtic motifs and inset with hand-carved crystal cabochons. The seats are by Irish Contracting Seating Ltd of Dromod in County Leitrim, who also manufactured and supplied all the pews. The flooring area is finished in polished marble.

 

St Mel’s of Longford town is the cathedral church for the diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise. Ambitious plans for a fine church building in Longford began to take form after the Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829 and became a reality when sufficient funds had been collected. Construction began in 1840 with the laying of the foundation stone which was taken from the original cathedral of St. Mel at Ardagh, only a few miles from Longford. The main body of the new cathedral was completed in 1856 to a neo-classical design by the architect Joseph Benjamin Keane, work having been delayed during the period of the Great Famine (1846 and recommenced 1853). After Joseph’s death in 1849, work was continued after by his assistant John Bourke (d.1871) who was also responsible for the belfry tower completed in 1860, but with major alterations to its original design. The neo-classical portico was designed by George Coppinger Ashlin (1837-1921) and completed in 1889 with its pediment and sculpted tympanum depicting the enthronement of St. Mel as Bishop of Ardagh along with three statues above the pediment. By this time, the cathedral building has taken on its definitive form with no further major alterations until its refurbishment after the devastating fire of 2009.

 

On 25th December 2009, the entire building was gutted by a fire which accidently started within the boiler chimney flue at the rear and quickly spread. The alarm was raised just after 5am but fire-fighting attempts were hampered by frozen pipes as the country was in the grip of one of its worst and prolonged periods of freezing temperatures for decades. By daylight, the entire building had been reduced to a burnt-out shell with the loss of all its furnishing, fittings and diocesan museum. The museum contained many priceless artefacts that included the Crozier of Saint Mel and the book-shrine of St. Caillin (1536), the latter damaged beyond restoration but it may be possible to conserve some of the remnants. The 28 supporting columns were also damaged beyond repair and had to replaced anew. Very little was recoverable that survived the worst of the 1,000 deg.C fire and even these suffered some degree of fire damage such as The Bell of Fenagh which is undergoing conservation treatment at the National Museum of Ireland and the original baptismal font with its brass fittings and surrounding mosaic floor. But the most puzzling of all and described by many as nothing short of a miracle was the survival of the Holy Family painting in the northern transept and the undamaged Eucharistic Host still inside the fire damaged tabernacle. The Holy Family oil painting on a cotton-based canvas should have readily gone up in flames due to its highly combustible materials but somehow survived relatively unscathed despite the intense fire around it. This painting was of Italian origins by an unknown artist and is now back on display requiring little more than a cleaning!

 

After five years of work by many expert disciplines using traditional methods, the cathedral building has been totally refurbished and which included quarried blue-limestone for 28 columns with hand-carved capitals that support the roof. Both Harry Clarke Studio windows were salvaged from the transepts and restored to their former glory by Abbey Stained Glass Ltd of Dublin, a company with much experience in the restoration of stained glass windows. Other replacements such as the wooden pews, alter, stained glass, Stations of the Cross tablets, pipe-organ, fixtures and fitting were all made in a modern style to the best materials and craftsmanship available. It is also planned to open a diocesan museum in the cathedral’s new crypts. The total cost of refurbishment and fitting out came to around €30 million, funded mostly from the insurance cover and after five years of hard work the cathedral was reopened for services at Christmas 2014.

 

Photos taken Thursday 22nd January 2015.

  

References:

 

www.facebook.com/StMelsRestoration (St Mel’s Cathedral restoration – Facebook page).

 

www.rte.ie/news/special-reports/2014/1215/667007-longford... (RTE News article about TV program The Longford Phoenix).

 

www.longfordtourism.ie/event/st-mels-cathedral-rise-from-...

 

irishcatholic.ie/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/... (Sculptor Ken Thompson working on one of his Stations of the Cross panels).

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mel%27s_cathedral,_Longford

 

l7.alamy.com/zooms/5e9904767cdb4317b39e15ee189488c3/shrin... (Image of St. Caillin book shrine created in 1536 before it was damaged beyond repair in the 2009 fire at St. Mel’s cathedral).

 

www.alamy.com/stock-photo-st-mels-crozier-longford-cathed... (Image of the 10th century St. Mel’s Crozier and sadly, completely destroyed in the cathedral fire of 2009).

 

Sylvester, 2 Feb 2014

Pemberton bathroom view.

Lincoln & Powell-Norton floor lounge view.

This is a Cancun model Viking Pool. It is a 16' by 35' pool with a depth range of 3'6" to 5'6". The dealer who installed this pool is Pool Crafters from Palm Beach Gardens, FL. It features a Granite crystite finish, a luxury landscape, creative water features, and a Mystic Spa. To see more Cancun model Viking Pools visit www.vikingpools.net/free-form.php#cancun

TOKYO, JAPAN - JUNE 08: Matias "Saadhak" Delipetro of LOUD at VALORANT Masters Tokyo Features Day on June 8, 2023 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Lee Aiksoon/Riot Games)

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - OCTOBER 16: T1 at the League of Legends World Championship 2023 Swiss Features Day on October 16, 2023 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Lee Aiksoon/Riot Games)

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 30: Team Sentinels' Tyson "TenZ" Ngo poses at the VALORANT Champions Features Day on November 30, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 28: Jason "f0rsakeN" Susanto of Paper Rex poses at VALORANT Champions 2022 Istanbul Features Day on August 28, 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)

Features include decorative woven wire screen, living roof, egg harvesting door and clear cedar siding.

Olympus PEN® E-P2: Back In Black

 

Exclusive New Kit Features Black PEN E-P2 Body, Black 17mm M.Zuiko Lens and Black FL-14 Flash

 

CENTER VALLEY, Pa., August 31, 2010 – In the past year, the Olympus PEN family has won a series of high profile awards, including the CEA CES Innovations Award, the EISA Best European Camera and the Red Dot Design Award. Today, meet the newest member of the world-renowned family: the Olympus PEN E-P2 black-on-black kit. For the first time, the PEN E-P2’s stylish retro black metal body is complemented by a black M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 17mm lens and a black FL-14 flash in an exclusive, limited availability kit.

 

Look what you can do with a PEN E-P2 kit. Just like the original, it blends high-quality still images like those taken with a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) with High Definition (HD) video, stereo linear PCM audio recording and In-Camera Creativity inside an ultra-portable body.

 

“The PEN E-P2 kit’s edgy black styling gives the camera a discreet, more professional look. Perfect for photographers who want to capture the action without being a distraction,” said Katie Roseman, product manager, Olympus Imaging America Inc. “Photo enthusiasts will appreciate the camera for its excellent image quality, HD video, creative functions and high-end stereo sound, while design aficionados will relish its sleek black profile.”

 

The powerfully simple PEN E-P2 is compatible with an array of Micro Four Thirds lenses, including the newly announced M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75-300 MM F4.8-6.7 and M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 40-150MM F4.0-5.6, which feature a high-speed, silent autofocus during still shooting and HD movie capture. It is part of a new generation of system cameras.

 

The black Olympus PEN E-P2 kit will cost $999.99 and will be available at select photo specialty stores beginning in October, 2010. The kit includes the PEN E-P2 Body, black M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 17mm lens, black FL-14 flash, USB Cable, Video Cable, Li-Ion Battery Pack, Li-Ion Battery Charger, Shoulder Strap, OLYMPUS [ib] software CD-ROM, Manuals and Registration card.

 

More information:

www.olympusamerica.com/oai_HeadlinesDetails.asp?pressNo=794

REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - APRIL 8: Jake "Boaster" Howlett of team Fnatic poses for the VALORANT Masters Features Day on April 8, 2022 in Reykjavik, Iceland. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)

This shot from Danforth Johnson earned an honorable mention, and a third place.

 

Judge's comment (3rd): Perfect time with some good light.

  

The postcard features a man in the gardens at Reservoir Park located in Bartonville near Crown Point in East Hamilton.

 

The postcard is addressed to Miss Lillian Bull, Box 68, Brampton, Ont. Canada. The verso has a 2 cent red Canadian stamp featuring King Edward VII with wavy cancellation marks. The return stamp is dated [1907], Hamilton. The recto has the following transcription written on the top "There are other pretty places you have not seen, love R.L." The postcards corners are worn and bent.

 

Ontario Engraving Co.

 

Postcard Collection HPL_PC_s18_104v_32022206616142

 

Cite Hamilton Public Library, Local History & Archives

 

Solution pockets are variably-shaped cavities extending into the walls of limestone caves. They are dissolutional features, usually preferentially developed along certain bedding planes (most likely representing minor unconformities). They are also often developed along joints in cave ceilings. Solution pockets principally form during high-flow events (floods), which result in slightly acidic water being forcefully infiltrated along bedding planes and joints. Deeply-penetrating solution pockets form anastomoses in the limestone, which are exposed after undercutting and breakdown.

 

These examples are along the wall of the Rotunda in western Kentucky's Mammoth Cave, the longest cave on Earth. As of fall 2023, 426 miles have been explored and mapped. The rock walls here are limestones of the Paoli Member of the Girkin Limestone (lower Upper Mississippian). This portion of the Mammoth Cave system is at level B, the 2nd-oldest and 2nd elevationally-highest set of passages in the system. Level B passages started forming during the Pliocene, 2 to 4 million years ago. A subterranean river used to flow through here.

 

Solution pockets like these in the walls of nearby Broadway Avenue have been called "Pigeon Boxes".

 

Locality: northern wall of the Rotunda, Mammoth Cave National Park, western Kentucky, USA

 

The postcard features the Gore Park fountain in the centre with the Right House department store to the left. The image faces east.

 

The postcard is addressed to Mr. Jeffery Bull, Hawthorne Lodge, Brampton, Ont. The transcription reads: "Suppose you got home O.K. old man, and found the estate in good order? I have just finished phoning your sister on West Ave. She is in great demand here, it seems. Mother had a little evening for Dr. Rose and family and very kindly invited Florence without me knowing it it was quite a surprise. You'll have to excuse this scribble. I have just been promoted to a better position at the foundry with an increase in pay. Tell Lillian its her turn now to come to H. directly after Flo leaves. Yours t. A.L.R. Have just had a Prince from [N.Z.] to dinner. I met him in Kingston at Queen's." The recto has "Summer Scene" written underneath the image. The verso has a 1 cent green Canadian stamp with wavy cancellation marks. The return stamp is dated January 11, [1906], Hamilton. The number 1876 is printed on the recto. The postcard corners are slightly bent.

 

Warwick Bro's & Rutter, Limited, Publishers, Toronto

 

Postcard Collection HPL_PC_s18_74r_32022206615821

 

Cite Hamilton Public Library, Local History & Archives

  

I have been to St Mary on at least four previous occasions, but the last of which was some three or so years ago, and as I had revisited the others in the Nailbourne Valley, I thought we would go here too.

 

Just as well we did, as I saw so many other features and interesting details, and met a nice chap who was on his way to visit friends.

 

There is the most amazing glass here, and wall paintings, complete with the best rose window outside of Barfrestone.

 

-------------------------------------------

 

A charming village church with a greater number of interesting furnishings than is usual in this part of the county. There are twelfth-century window openings in the chancel, whilst a lavish south doorway tells of an extremely wealthy medieval church. Next to it are the remains of eight mass dials - which must be a record! Inside the south, or Bifrons, chapel is separated from the aisle by a screen and steps and there is a plain hagioscope to the chancel. Many mural tablets catch the eye and tell of the long association with the village of the Conyngham family. However, it is the stained glass which really deserves our attention at Patrixbourne. Set among very basic nineteenth-century glass are many panels of seventeenth-century Swiss origin, including scenes of the Garden of Gethsemane, St Elizabeth of Hungary and the Raising of Lazarus. With the exception of Temple Ewell. this is the largest collection of pictorial Swiss glass in a Kent church. By way of contrast, the north aisle displays an excellent twentieth-century window by G.C. Abbs.

 

www.kentchurches.info/church.asp?p=Patrixbourne

 

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LOCATION: Situated to the west of centre of the (later) village near the Court Lodge, with Bifrons (now demolished) not far to the north-west. The park was immediately beyond the churchyard on the west with its own gate. It is at c. 70ft above OD on Head brickearth (over chalk) with the road and Nailbourne to the south-east.

 

DESCRIPTION: The coursed whole flints in the west wall of the nave of this church suggest that its earliest fabric may date from the late 11th/early 12th century, though there is no certain evidence for this. A church is mentioned in Domesday Book (1086), so the nave of this church (or the west end of the nave) may well be the early Norman one.

This church is well-known because of its fine late 12th century south doorway under an unusual contemporary south tower-porch. There is also a fine wheel-window in the east gable of the chancel of the same date, as is the chancel arch and other windows in the chancel. The church and particularly the late 12th century features have been discussed and described in various articles (see references below), so will only be briefly described here. As usual, it is Livetts' paper of 1909 (though unfortunately the outside walls were almost completely covered in ivy at that time), and the brief notes of Stuart Rigold (1970) that are most useful for the building history. The various 19th century rebuildings (in c. 1824, 1849 and 1857), however, complicate matters.

As Stuart Rigold suggests, the church was perhaps rebuilt in the 1190s as a cell for the Augustinian canons of Merton Priory, Surrey. The elaborate chancel and the lean-to south aisle, straddled by the tower-porch were both built at about this time, no doubt for the canons (as well as parochial) use. Externally the chancel has been heavily restored with knapped flint and Bathstone, but the general form of all the windows on a string-course must be original, as is the small late 12th century south doorway with scalloped capitals and chevron mouldings. However early 19th century views show the south-east chancel window with 2-lights with trefoiled heads (?13th century), cutting the string-course. There is also a late 13th century piscina below it (and an aumbry) inside the chancel. The simple roof trusses over the chancel are also of later medieval date.

As Livett has ably shown, the tower porch on the south was originally flanked by a contemporary aisle on either side with a shed roof, probably continuing the line of the nave roof. There is external evidence for this at the west end of the aisle, where the lower part of the wall can still be seen to be original. There is also an original west window, and the lower part of a blocked south window (a new two-light window was inserted in the 15th century when the aisle wall was heightened. The heavy knapped flint gable on the west is 19th century. As Livett has also suggested, there was probably a similar aisle on the east side of the tower, but this was completely replaced in the 15th century when the new chapel of ?St John was built.

The tower itself is a fine late-12th century structure with a magnificent monumental decorated south doorway, last restored in 1939, when the flanking brick sloping buttresses were removed, and ties were put in. The upper part of the squat tower has a string-course with, above it, small round belfry windows. There is a later medieval shingled spire on top of it, and a 19th century clock inside (with south clock face). Beneath the tower, there is an original half-round arch into the south-west aisle, and simple pointed arches (?13th century) into the nave and south-east chapel. The chancel arch is also late 12th century but the arcades were replaced by Scott in 1857. A plain late 12th century north doorway to the nave (and the decorated window to the west on it) were reset in the north wall of the c. 1824 north aisle.

The church underwent a major rebuilding in the 15th century when a five-bay crown-post roof was put on the nave, and a 3-light perpendicular window, with its new gable above, was put into the west wall (below it are traces of a filled-up earlier west doorway). Two western buttresses, with plinths, were added, and, as we have seen, the south-west aisle was heightened and given a new 2-light south window with a square hood-mould. The south-east chapel was also rebuilt at this time, but this may be a rebuilding of an earlier rebuilding. The east window of this chapel replaced a simpler perpendicular window with a square hood-mould in the 19th century when the fireplace and chimney flue above (in the gable) were put into the Conyngham `pew'. This chapel has a tomb recess in its south wall, and externally there are two south buttresses and a continuous plinth, but it too has been heavily restored and refaced externally (and given a new roof). There is a squint into the chancel from this chapel, and a reused 12th century niche in the south-east corner.

The fine south door is 17th century (restored in the 19th century).

The north aisle was built in c. 1824 and has triple course of buff-bricks half way up, and reused Caenstone quoins; also cement render around the windows, and some reused windows and doorway (see above). The chancel was restored by Mr Marshall of Canterbury in 1849, when the triple east windows and the south doorway were reopened. (Fine 16th-17th century glass was then put into the windows, and the Conyngham vault was made beneath the chancel. Finally (Sir) Gilbert Scott was brought in, in 1857 to restore the whole church, and he created new arcades in the nave, paid for by the Conynghams. (The screen at the west end of the nave was originally from behind the 19th century high altar - was it first a Rood screen?)

In 1939, the brick buttresses were removed, and metal ties were put into the tower.

 

BUILDING MATERIALS (Incl. old plaster, paintings, glass, tiles etc.): The west wall has coursed whole flints, and all the late 12th century work is in fine quality Caenstone, with Ragstone quoins being used in the 15th century for quoins, etc.

 

There are some brick repairs, but much 19th century knapped flintwork with Bathstone dressings. The east quoins of the chancel appear to be of Tunbridge Wells sandstone, as well as the original Caenstone.

 

EXCEPTIONAL MONUMENTS IN CHURCH: Various Conyngham monuments of the 19th century.

 

CHURCHYARD AND ENVIRONS:

Size & Shape: Rectangular area to south and west of church with small 19th century extensions to south and west.

 

Condition: Good

 

Boundary walls: 19th century iron-railings and low flintwall to road on south east.

 

Exceptional monuments: Some good 18th century headstones and memorials.

 

Ecological potential: ? Yes, but mostly now neatly mown. Line of fastigiate yews from south door to iron gate into Bifrons grounds. [It is worth noting that on 19th December 1668 (according to the Registers) the vicar had some Ash trees planted in the churchyard, to replace two very old rotten ash trees.]

 

HISTORICAL RECORD (where known):

Earliest ref. to church: Doomsday Book, where it is just called Bourne.

 

Evidence of pre-Norman status (DB, DM, TR etc): Possibly an early Minster church; it had the Chapelry of Bridge attached to it after the Norman Conquest.

 

Late med. status: Vicarage, appropriated from 1258, with the Chapelry of Bridge attached to it.

 

Patron: Given by the Lord of the Manor to Beaulieu Priory (near Rouen in Normandy) c. 1190. In c. 1410 it was transferred to Merton Priory in Surrey. After the Dissolution to the crown. Then to the owners of Bifrons.

 

Other documentary sources: Hasted IX (1800), 284-6. Test. Cant. (E Kent, 1907), 245 mentions lights of Our Lady and the Holy Cross; also the chapel of St John (? that on the south east).

 

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD

Finds within 0.5km: Pagan Anglo-Saxon cemetery on the higher ground _ mile to the south.

 

SURVIVAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL DEPOSITS:

Inside present church: Good.

 

Outside present church: Good, except ? disturbed on the north by new aisle.

 

Quinquennial inspection (date/architect): JUNE 1993 A Clague

 

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL ASSESSMENT:

The church and churchyard: An important church because of its late 12th century rebuilding with high quality sculpture. It was, however, over-restored in the 19th century (and given a new north aisle in c. 1824). There was a major rebuilding in the 15th century when the nave was rebuilt along with the south east chapel.

 

The wider context: One of a small group of churches in East Kent showing high quality later 12th century architectural sculpture.

 

REFERENCES: Note by S Rigold Arch J 126 (1970), 214-5 + plan. Note by G M Livett Arch J 86 (1930), 316-7 + plan. W A Scott Robertson `Patricksbourne Church, and Bifrons' Arch. Cant. 14 (1882), 169-184 (with list of vicars). G M Livett `Architectural notes on Patrixbourne church? Arch. Cant. 28 (1909), 305-310. S R Glynne Notes on the Churches of Kent (1877), 26-7 (He visited before 1849).

 

Guide book: Recent leaflet (undated and anon) - not very accurate.

 

Plans and early drawings: Early 19th century view from SE in V+A Museum (nave is covered in ivy). Also Petrie view from SE in 1807 (No Ivy!). Also engravings of Norman doorways in Antiquarian Itinerary, Vol VI.

 

DATE VISITED: 22nd August 1993 REPORT BY: Tim Tatton-Brown

 

www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/01/03/PAT.htm

 

-------------------------------------------

 

PATRIXBORNE

IS situated the next parish southward from Bekesborne last-described. It is called in Domesday, Borne, which name it took from the bourn or stream which runs through it; and it was afterwards called Patrixborne, to distinguish it from the neighbouring parishes of Borne, situated on the same stream. There are two boroughs in this parish, viz. of Marten, alias Cheney, and of Patrixborne.

 

The PARISH is pleasantly situated in a fine healthy country; the bourn or stream of the Little Stour runs through this parish, close to it in the valley is the village, with the church, court-lodge, and vicarage near together, the latter a neat genteel habitation; opposite to them is a house called Heart-hall, formerly belonging to the family of Sabine, or Savin, but now to Mr. Taylor, of Bifrons. The upper, or north part of the village, is in the parish of Bekesborne, in which is a house, formerly the residence of the Coppins, now the property of Mr. Milles, of Nackington; and further on, one formerly owned by the Pordages, and afterwards by Mr. Litheridge. Eastward this parish extends up the hill, over the high downs, to within one field of Ileden, and from the village southward, across the Dover road, to a wild hilly country, as far as Whitehill wood, part of which is within this parish. It is well cloathed with trees along the valley, where the soil is fertile, especially towards Hoath, for both hops and corn, but the hill parts round the outskirts, are in general poor chalky land, covered with stones. There is no fair.

 

AT THE TIME of taking the survey of Domesday, in the year 1084, this parish was chiefly owned by Odo, bishop of Baieux, under the general title of whose lands it is thus described in that survey;

 

In Brige hundred, Richard, son of William, holds of the bishop, Borne. It was taxed at six sulings. The arable land is eight carucates. In demesne there are three carucates, and forty-four villeins, with three borderers having ten carucates. There is a church, and one servant, and four mills of sixteen shillings and eight pence. A fishery of six-pence. Pasiure, of which the foreign tenants have plougbed six acres of land. Wood for the pannage of four hogs. In the time of king Edward the Confessor it was worth eighteen pounds, when be received it ten pounds, now nineteen pounds.

 

Four years after the taking of this survey, the bishop was disgraced, and this manor, among the rest of his possessions, escheated to the crown. After which it appears to have been divided into moieties, one of which, called afterwards THE MANOR OF PARTIXBORNE MERTON, was held by Margerie de Bornes, who carried it in marriage to John de Pratellis, or De Pratis, as he was sometimes written, a Norman, who soon after the year 1200, gave it to his new-erected priory of Beaulieu, or De Bello loco, in Normandy, to which it afterwards became an alien cell. (fn. 1) In which state this manor continued till the 11th year of king Henry IV. when it was, with the king's licence, alienated to the priory of the same order of Augustine canons of Merton, in Surry, whence it acquired the name of Patrixborne Merton; and with this priory it remained till the suppression of it by the act of the 31st of king Henry VIII. when this manor coming into the hands of the crown, was granted that year, together with the rectory and advowson of the vicarage of Patrixborne, and all liberties, free-warren, &c. to Sir Thomas Cheney, to hold to him and his heirs male in capite, as of the castle of Rochester. After which, king Edward VI. by new letters patent, in his 4th year, regranted the whole of them, to hold to him and his heirs for ever. He was succeeded in it by his only son Henry Cheney, esq. afterwards lord Cheney; (fn. 2) and he soon afterwards alienated it to Sir Thomas Herbert, who in the 21st year of that reign sold it to Thomas Smith, who passed it away before the end of the same reign to William Partherich, and his grandson Sir Edward Partherich, of Bridge, alienated it in 1638 to Mr. afterwards Sir Arnold Braems, of that parish, the heirs of whose son Walter Braems, sold it in 1704 to John Taylor, esq. of Bifrons, in this parish, in whose descendants it continued down to Edward Taylor, esq.' the present possessor of this manor, with the rectory and advowson of the church of Patrixborne.

 

The OTHER MOIETY of the manor of Patrixborne, called afterwards THE MANOR OF PATRIXBORNE CHENEY, after the bishop's disgrace, came into the possession of the family of Say, in which it continued till Sir William de Say, in Henry III.'s reign, gave it to Sir Alexander de Cheney. He afterwards resided here, whence it gained the name of Patrixborne Cheney; but his son William having married Margaret, daughter and heir of Sir Robert de Shurland, of Shurland, in Shepey, removed afterwards thither. After which it remained in his descendants down to Sir T. Cheney, K. G. of Shurland, who having obtained from Henry VIII. in his 31st year, a grant of the other moiety of the manor of Patrixborne, as above-mentioned, became possessed of the whole of this manor, which, notwithstanding, continued as two separate manors, in both which he was succeeded by his son Henry Cheney, (afterwards created lord Cheney, of Tuddington) who in the beginning of that reign alienated them to Sir Thomas Herbert. Since which they both remained in the same succession of ownership, as has already been mentioned before, in the description of the manor of Patrixborne Merton, down to Edward Taylor, esq. the present possessor of both these manors; which appear now to be united, as one court only is held for both of them, stiled, the court leet and court baron of the manors of Patrixborne Merton and Cheney.

 

BIFRONS is a seat in this parish, situated at a small distance westward from the church, which was originally built by Mr. John Bargar, or Bargrave, whose ancestors were originally of the adjcining parish of Bridge. Robert Bargrave, of Bridge, died in 1600, leaving a numerous issue; of whom John, the eldest son, was the builder of Bifrons, and Isaac, the sixth, was dean of Canterbury, and ancestor of Isaac Bargrave, esq. of Eastry, where further mention will be made of him. They bore for their arms, Argent, on a pale, gules, a sword with the point upwards, the pomel, or, on a chief, azure, three bezants. His grandson John Bargrave, esq. sold it in 1662 to Sir Arthur Slingsby, knight and baronet, descended of a younger branch of the Slingsbys, of Scriven, in Yorkshire, and created a baronet at Brussells in 1657; his arms were, Gules, a chevron, between two leopards faces, in chief, and a bugle born, in base, argent. His son and heir Sir Charles Slingsby, bart. in 1677, alienated it to Mr. Thomas Baker, merchant, of London, (fn. 3) on whose death it came to Mr. William Whotton, gent. of London, and he in 1680 passed it away to Thomas Adrian, esq. who kept his shrievalty here in 1690. He alienated it in 1694 to John Taylor, esq. the son of Nathaniel Taylor, barrister at law, descended of a family at Wlitchurch, in Salop, whose arms were, Gules, three roses, argent, a chief chequy, argent and sable. He died in 1729, leaving four sons and four daughters. Of the former, Brook, the eldest, was LL.D. and F. R. S. a learned and ingenious gentleman, who, among other treatises, wrote one on perspective. He died in 1731, leaving an only daughter Elizabeth, married to Sir William Young, bart. Herbert, in holy orders, of whom hereafter; Charles, a merchant at Moscow; and Bridges. Of the daughters, Mary died unmarried, at Bridge-place, in 1771, and Olive married John Bowtell, D. D. vicar of Patrixborne. The eldest son Dr. Brook Taylor succeeded his father in this seat, but dying without male issue in 1731, his next brother the Rev. Herbert Taylor became possessed of it, and resided here. He died in 1763, leaving by Mary, one of the daughters of Edward Wake, clerk, prebendary of Canterbury, and first-cousin to the archbishop, two sons, Herbert and Edward, the eldest of whom succeeded him in this seat, with his other estates in this county, but dying unmarried in 1767, his brother, the Rev. Edward Taylor, succeeded him in it, and afterwards rebuilt, nearly on the old scite, this seat of Bifrons, so called from its double front, and the builder of it, in commendation of his wife, placed this motto on the fore front: Diruta ædificat uxor bona, ædificata diruit mala. It was a handsome spacious house, the front of which had a very grand and venerable appearance. He died in 1798, leaving by Margaret his wife, daughter of Thomas Turner Payler, esq. of Ileden, who died at Brussells in 1780, four sons and three daughters, of whom Edward, the eldest, is a captain in the Romney fencible dragoons; Herbert is a captain likewise in the army, private secretary, and aid de camp to the duke of York; Brook is private secretary to the secretary of state for foreign affairs; and Bridges, the youngest, is a lieutenant in the navy. Of the daughters, the eldest, Mary Elizabeth married Edward-Wilbraham Bootle, esq. M. P. Charlotte married the Rev. Mr. Northey, and Margaret. Edward Taylor, esq. the esdest son, succeeded on his father's death to this seat, and continues owner of it.

 

HODE, now usually called Hothe, and Hothe-house, in this parish, was antiently part of the possessions of the family of Isaac, who bore for their arms, Sable, a bend, in the sinister point, a leopard's head, or; one of whom, John Isaac, held it in the 20th year of king Edward III. His descendant Edward Isaac had his lands disgavelled by the act of 31 Henry VIII. and his descendant of the same name, at length leaving only three daughters his coheirs, this estate went in marriage by Jane, his only daughter by his first wife, first to Martin Sidley, esq. of Great Chart, and secondly to Sir Henry Palmer, of Howlets, who by his will in 1611, gave it to his son in-law Sir Isaac Sidley, bart. and he conveyed his right in it to his brother-inlaw Sir Henry Palmer, from whose descendant it went by sale to Merriweather, and Edward Merriweather, about the year 1680, alienated it to Thomas Adrian, gent. who conveyed it, with Bifrons and other estates in this parish, in 1694, to John Taylor, esq. in whose descendants it has, in like manner, continued down to Edward Taylor, esq. the present possessor of it.

 

RENVILLE is a manor, in this parish, which formerly belonged to owners of the name of Crippen, one of whom, Thomas Crippen, died possessed of it in the beginning of king James I.'s reign, leaving an only daughter and heir Joane, who carried it in marriage to Robert Naylor, gent. whose arms were,Argent, on a bend, sable, three covered cups of the field, their rims, or. His son John, about the year 1638, sold it to William Kingley, S. T. P. archdeacon of Canterbury, who left a numerous issue, of whom George, the eldest son, succeeded to this estate, whose only son William died in 1701, leaving William, of whom mention will be made hereafter; and Anthony, who was ancestor of Thomas Pincke Kingsley, gent. now of London. From William Kingsley, esq. the eldest son, this estate came down at length to his grandson lieutenant general William Kingsley, who resided at Maidstone, where he died in 1769 unmarried, and bequeathed this manor by will to his first-cousin Mr. Charles Kingsley, of London, for his life, (fn. 4) on whose death in 1785, it came by the entail of the above will to his second son Mr. Thomas Pincke Kingsley, now of London, who is the present possessor of it.

 

HIGHAM is another manor, for it was formerly so accounted, though it has long since lost the reputation of having been one, situated at the boundary of this parish, upon the high grounds, at a small distance from the northern side of Barham-downs. It was antiently owned by a family of the same name, one of whom, Nicholas, son of William de Higham, by a deed of the 13th year of king Edward III. to which his seal is appendant, viz. a lion passant regardant, between six crosses formee, fitchee, appears to have held it at that time, together with the manor of Northington, in the hundred of Downhamford, not far distant. Not long after which it passed into the name of Bourne, and afterwards of Haut, of the adjoining parish of Bishopsborne, in which it remained till at length Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Sir William Haut, of Bishopsborne, carried it in marriage to Thomas Colepeper, esq. of Bedgbury, and he, in the 34th year of king Henry VIII. alienated it to Sir Anthony Aucher, in whose descendants it continued down to Sir Hewit Aucher, bart. who dying in 1726, s. p. by his will gave it to his sister Elizabeth, who entitled her husband John Corbet, LL. D. of Salop, to the possession of it. He left five daughters his coheirs, viz. Katherine, married to Stephen Beckingham; Elizabeth to Thomas Denward; Frances, to Sir William Hardres, bart. Antonina, to Ignatius Geohagan; and Hannah, to William Hougham, who became on his death jointly entitled to it. After which, Ignatius Geohagan, esq. before-mentioned, about the year 1768, built the present seat, called HIGHAM PLACE, and resided in it for some time, and then alienated his fifth part of it, as did the heirs of Katherine, Elizabeth, and Hannah, who were before deceased, their respective fifth parts, about 1781, to James Hallet, esq. who now resides in it, and has since purchased the remaining fifth part of the heirs of Frances, widow of Sir William Hardres, bart. who died in 1783. (fn. 5)

 

Charities.

SIR HENRY PALMER, of Bekesborne, by will in 1611, gave the sum of 10s. to be yearly paid out of his manor of Well-court, towards the relief of the poor of this parish, and he left the like som towards the relief of the poor of several of the neighbouring parishes, none of which has ever been paid to them.

 

The poor constantly maintained are about eight, casually 12.

 

THIS PARISH is within the ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION of the diocese of Canterbury, and deanry of Bridge.

 

The church, which is dedicated to St. Mary, consists of one middle and two smaller side isles, a high and a south chancel, having a spire steeple on the south side, in which there is only one bell. This church is but small. It seems very antient. The pillars in it are very large and clumsy, and the arches circular. In the middle isle are several memorials of the Dennes, of this parish. The south chancel, formerly called the Isaac, but now the Bifrons chancel, as belonging to that seat, is covered with pews. In it are monuments for the Taylors, of Bifrons. At the entrance a memorial for John Bargrave, builder of Bifrons. In the north isle, in a window, are the arms of Fogge. Under the steeple, on the south side, is a fine arched doorway, circular, ornamented with much carvework and emblematical figures of Saxon architecture, much like that at Barfriston, (of which a plate is given in Grose's Antiquities, vol. i. præf. p. 66); and a smaller one on the south side of the high chancel, of a similar sort, over which is a small stone figure, having on its head, seemingly, a crown, and head-dress on each side hanging down, with its hands listed up as if having had something between them, perhaps for the virgin and child; but it is so corroded by time, that what it was meant for, can only be guessed at. At the east end of the chancel is a small circular window, of different compartments, like that at Bartriston. In the west part of the church-yard, are tombs for James De Roussell, esq. a truly good and worthy man, obt. 1775, and Elizabeth his wife; and for John Bowtell, D. D. vicar of Patrixborne, and Olive his wife; and one for Mrs. Mary Taylor, who died in 1771.

 

The church of Patrixborne, with the chapel of Bridge annexed, was given and appropriated to the priory of Merton, in Surry, as early as the year 1258, anno 43 Henry III. on condition that three canons should reside, for the performance of all parochial duties; and if the profits increased, more should be sent for that purpose. (fn. 6) In which state this church continued till the dissolution of the priory, by the act of the 31st year of king Henry VIII. when it came, together with the manor of Patrixborne Merton, belonging to the priory, into the king's hands, who granted both that year to Sir Thomas Cheney. Since which they have passed, in the same tract of ownership as has been already related before, in the description of that manor, down to Edward Taylor, esq. the present owner of the appropriation and advowson of the vicarage of this church, with the chapel of Bridge annexed.

 

¶It is, with the chapel of Bridge, valued in the king's books at 5l. 7s. 3½d. and the yearly tenths at 10s. 8¾d. In 1578 here were thirty-nine communicants. In 1640 it was valued at fixty pounds, communicants fifty.

 

www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-kent/vol9/pp277-286

  

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Hunter is a Guardian class. Hunters are "quick on the trigger and deadly with a blade," so much so that they have earned a fearful reputation and are known as the "Masters of the Frontier."

The Guardians are the player characters of Destiny. They are reanimated corpses brought to life with the Traveler's Light carried by a Ghost. They are a standing army of specialized soldiers tasked with the defense of the last city on Earth. They are also responsible for exploring the remnants of human civilization abandoned throughout the solar system and investigating the remains of their Golden Age.

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The Stone Forest or Shilin (Chinese: 石林) is a notable set of limestone formations located in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, near Shilin approximately 90 km (56 mi) from the provincial capital Kunming.

 

The tall rocks seem to pray to the ground in the manner of stalagmites, with many looking like petrified trees thereby creating the illusion of a forest made of stone. Since 2007, two parts of the site, the Naigu Stone Forest (乃古石林) and Suogeyi Village (所各邑村), have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the South China Karst. The site is classified as a AAAAA-class tourist site.Features

 

Shilin National Scenic Area (昆明市石林风景区) covers an area of 350 km2 (140 sq mi) and is divided into seven scenic areas as follows:

 

Greater & Lesser Stone Forests (大、小石林) - also known as the Lizijing Stone Forest (李子菁石林)

Naigu Stone Forest (乃古石林)

Zhiyun Cave (芝云洞)

Lake Chang (长湖 literally Long Lake)

Lake Yue (月湖 literally Moon Lake)

Dadie Waterfall (大叠水)

Qifeng Cave (奇峰洞)

 

These formations, caused by the dissolution of limestone, are believed to be over 270 million years old and are a tourist attraction for both overseas and domestic tourists, with bus tours bringing tourists from Kunming. There are also a number of hotels in the area.

 

Culture

 

According to legend, the forest is the birthplace of Ashima (阿诗玛), a beautiful girl of the Yi people. After falling in love she was forbidden to marry her chosen suitor and instead turned into a stone in the forest that still bears her name. Each year on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month, many Yi people celebrate the Torch Festival (火把节 Huǒbă Jié), which features folk dances and wrestling competitions.

  

From Wikipedia

 

The Stone Forest lies about 80 miles to the southeast of Kunming. A geological phenomenon , the Stone Forest was a vast expanse of sea during the Paleozoic era —— some 270 million years ago. Later, the movement of tectonic plates altered the earth’s crust, causing the sea to recede and its limestone bottom to appear, thereby forming land. Due to the constant seeping of rain through the cracks in the limestone, some of the stone formation dissolved and the fissures broadened, producing a group of great sculptures of different shapes, all molded by nature. In the midst of the forest, there is a huge rock screen on which two words —— Stone Forest —— are engraved in official script (in a calligraphic style typical of the Han Dynasty, 206 B.C.-220 A.D.). Among the scenic sights is the " Sword Peak Pond " with jadeite-colored water so clear that one can see the bottom of the pond . Other astonishing sights include " Figure of Ashima," "Shi Ba Xiang Song" (its name originating in the Chinese love story, "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai"), and "Lotus Peak." The splendor of the Stone Forest is enhanced by the local customs of the native Sani people (who are part of the Yi minority ). Sani people are industrious and hospitable —— and unconstrained. Sani women are expert at spinning, weaving, and embroidering. They like to wear rainbow -colored headgear and bright-colored dresses. The young people especially are very good singers and dancers. Every day at sunset, under the moonlight, boys and girls gather at the village platform . While the boys play the three-stringed plucked instruments, the girls clap their hands and dance the strong-rhythmed traditional "A’Xi (Ahshi) Dance in the Moon" with great enthusiasm . If you happen to witness the event, you will be invited to join in the festivity. Note that every lunar year, on June 24th, the Sani people celebrate their national festival —— the Torch Festival. On that day, the entire Stone Forest is permeated with a celebratory atmosphere. There are traditional performances of wrestling and bull fighting. Finally, when the land is enveloped in the curtain of night, the young men (holding torches in their hands) run after the young women to propose marriage in the light of colored lanterns.

 

Notes:

1. Stone Forest 石林

2. Sword Peak Pond 剑峰池

3. Figure of Ashima 阿诗玛像

 

云南石林（路南石林）位于中國云南省石林彝族自治县，1982年11月8日经中华人民共和国国务院批准为首批国家重点风景名胜区，其时法定名称为“路南石林风景名胜区”。唯路南彝族自治县已于1998年10月8日经国务院批准同意更名为石林彝族自治县，因此现在“路南石林”名称多已不用，是否获国务院批准则不得而知。

2001年3月6日，中华人民共和国国土资源部批准石林建立“云南石林岩溶峰林国家地质公园”；2004年2月13日联合国教科文组织批准石林列入首批世界地质公园；2007年6月27日，石林作为“中国南方喀斯特”的重要组成部分成功申报世界自然遗产。

介绍

该风景区距昆明120千米，面积约40多万亩。石林是典型的喀斯特地貌，经过亿万年地质变化形成的。石林还是彝族传说中阿诗玛的故乡。石林风景区主要由大、小石林（李子菁石林），乃古石林，芝云洞，长湖，大叠水等景区组成。每年农历六月二十四的“火把节”是游览石林的最佳时间。1931年云南省主席龙云路过此处命名“石林”，周钟岳的行书题字于文化大革命时被毁。改革开放后，当地旅游部门自曲靖第一中学内所存之《爨宝子碑》上集字而成如今的匾额

 

From Wikipedia

 

石林位于昆明市东南 78 公里的石林彝族自治县境内，面积 1100 平方千米，保护区 350 平方千米， 是世界上唯一处于亚热带高原地区的卡斯特地质地貌奇观。 石林景区包括 “二林、 二湖、 二洞、 一瀑、 一园” 八个片区， 它们分别是大小石林； 长湖和月湖； 奇风洞和芝云洞； 大叠水瀑布以及圭山国家森林公园。 石林风景名胜区与 1931 年建立， 经过多年的建设发展， 现已经成为 “中国南方喀斯特” 世界自然遗产、首批世界地质公园、国家风景名胜区、 5A 级景区。 石林景区位于整个风景名胜区的中心位置，由大石林、 小石林、步 哨山、李子园箐和万年灵芝五个部分组成，是石林风景区最具代表性的组成部分。 著名的“石林湖” 。它是根据周恩来总理的建议而修建的。 1955 年 4 月，周恩来总理、陈毅元帅到石林游览，周总理看到这里的洼地里只有很少的水， 再看看石林的景观，说道“有山要有水，有水就不枯燥了！ ”听了周总理的建议，人们就把 原来的溶蚀洼地进行了人工改造， 使原来一个很小的溶蚀水池变成了今天我们多看到的 “石 林湖” 。 “狮子池”池边的大狮子在照看着池中几头嬉闹 的小狮子。这整座山也是一头大狮子，守护着神奇的石林。 狮子亭是最高的地方， 海 拔 1768.9 米，是远眺石林全景最佳位置之一。有道是“不登狮子亭，不算游石林；一蹬狮子亭，全身醉石林。 ” 石林是 典型的喀斯特地貌。 喀斯特是指水对可溶性岩石进行的以化学溶蚀作用为主而形成的地貌和 水文现象的总称。石林是怎样形成的呢？这就要追溯到 2 亿 7 千万年以前， 那时 候， 石林所在的滇东一带都是沉在海中的， 当时温暖潮湿的气候使得海洋中的生物快速生长 且种类繁多，这些动物死后其骨骼与泥沙沉积为巨厚的石灰岩。之后， 由于地壳运动， 这里 被抬升海退成陆。后来，经历的火山喷发，又经历了陷落成湖，最后，随着喜马拉雅造山运动，这里又再次被抬升。可以说，形成于海水中，考验在烈火里，石林 经历的沧海桑田的地质演变。总之，石林的形成是地质、气候、水文共同作用的结果。 世界各地的剑状喀斯特地貌，论面积之广大，保存之完好，发育之典型，年 代之古老，造型之独特，类型之齐全，云南石林首屈一指。更有胜者，当之无愧地赢得了 “ 天下第一奇观 ” 的美称。 石林胜境, “石林” 这两个鲜红的隶书大字， 是 1931 年国民党云南省政府主席龙云视察石林 时最初所提的。 而 “龙云题” 三字则是由龙云的儿子龙绳文于 1985 年 9 月 22 日来石林亲笔书写后刻上去的。 “ 天造奇观 ” 、 “ 南天砥柱 ” 、 “ 大气磅礴 ” 、 “ 万笏朝 天 ” 、 “ 顶天立地 ” 、 “ 天下弟一奇观 ”…… 这些摩崖石刻与四周奇妙的自然奇观相辉映，摄魂 夺魄，给人美与奇的感受和想象，既是石林的写照，又启迪人们要有 “ 石 ” 的风格和气魄。 在两峰之间夹有一摇摇欲坠的巨石。 这里用 “ 千 钧一发 ” 沿途走来，石峰如剑，直刺青天，游人称为刀山火海。 过一石洞， 峰回路转， “ 无欲则刚 ” 。这四个字出自林则徐的堂联 “ 海纳百川， 有容乃大；壁立千刃，无欲则刚。 ” 刻在这里，隐喻似谜，给人以联想。 剑峰池是大石林中最幽深 的地方，是地下暗河的天然露头，也是石林最神秘之处。池水来自地下，旱季不涸，在石林 深处能保留这样一处天然池水实属难得。 游罢剑峰池，我们来到 “ 极狭通人 ” 。此景名取自陶渊明《桃花源记》中 “ 初极狭，才通 人 ” 的典故。若从剑峰池继续往前游，此处是必经之道，此景名也可引申表示为通过了这狭 狭的通道，便可进入风光无限的 “ 石林桃花源 ” 。 进入“石林桃花源” ，在这里仰天俯地，上可观天，下可察地。 经过了千年古藤、 双鸟渡食、 犀牛望月、 象踞石台、 千年龟、 石钟，望峰亭建在约 30 米高石峰顶上。 “ 会当凌绝顶，一览众山小 ” 的感觉 ? 此亭初建于 1931 年，重建于 1971 年。 小石林位于大石林东北部。如果说大石林以其雄伟、诡秘取胜，小石林则以玲珑剔透、 清新俊雅著称。 如果把大石林比作阿黑哥，那小石林可就是阿诗玛了。 “ 阿诗玛 ” 彝语意思是金子般美丽的姑娘。她凝视远方，日复一日，年 复一年， 盼望阿黑哥的到来。

 

1 、 为什么石林被誉为“天下第一奇观”？ 面积广； 类型全；年代老； 造型奇； 保存好；

2 、 中国四大自然奇观？ 云南石林；长江三峡；桂林山水；吉林雾凇

3 、 首批世界地质公园？ 黄山、庐山、云台山、石林、丹霞山、张家界、五大连池、嵩山

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 06: DRX poses at the League of Legends World Championship Groups Features Day on October 5, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 06: Fnatic poses at the League of Legends World Championship Groups Features Day on October 6, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 05: Kim "Berserker" Min-cheol of Cloud9 poses at the League of Legends World Championship Groups Features Day on October 5, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 05: Ibrahim “Fudge” Allami of Cloud9 poses at the League of Legends World Championship Groups Features Day on October 5, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)

Scottish Hebrides.

The Rodin museum features some of his most famous works, including this sculpture of Balzac. Even more famous than the statue, perhaps, is a famous photo of the statue taken in black and white. Being a photographer, I should know the name of the chap that took it, but I can't recall at the moment. If you go inside the museum, you can see more information about it... this should be interesting to photography enthusiasts like me!

 

Trey's Tip: Taking photos of art is challenge. Frankly, I'm not even sure I like doing it. I used to take photos of statues all the time, but I don't do it so much any more. In a way, I feel like I am taking a photo of a painting, and that is very strange too. I can't quite figure out my role as a photographer when it comes to taking photos of other art. I try some different things -- I have failure and successes, and I'm not always sure the difference. But, I'm comfortable in this strange unknown area... I somewhat enjoy the discomfort it brings.

   

Gumayusi of T1 at League of Legends Worlds 2025 Semifinal Features on October 27, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by David Lee/Riot Games)

I am REALLY loving the panorama and content fill features that Photoshop CS5. Both do outstanding work. This is a good example - I shot the two shots stitched together here fairly badly. I didn't leave enough overlap, and I apparently lifted the camera between the two shots when I turned it on the tripod (hence the black zone in the upper left). Also that stairwell railing has a lot of repetitive detail. I didn't expect PS could knit this together, but it proved me spectacularly wrong! There was also a black zone on the lower right but I used Content Fill to fill it (you can tell where it is as the lines of detail in the carpet suddenly becomes a bit of a jumble, but still, impressive). Unfortunately, content fill couldn't do anything about the missing ceiling.

 

Anyway, this is the haunted main staircase in the Stanley Hotel. I've featured it before but I thought I'd post this as the panorama gives a very different view. The side on the left here is where the spirit of Lord Dunraven will occasionally harass female guests, groping them and stealing their jewelry as they walk up the stairs.

Faker of T1 at League of Legends Worlds 2025 Semifinal Features on October 27, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by David Lee/Riot Games)

BERLIN, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 30: Team Cloud9 poses at the VALORANT Champions Features Day on November 30, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Lance Skundrich/Riot Games)

This estate has many unusual features. Just being on a Laguna Beach ocean bluff for starters. That white sand between the points is so white, it must be imported. I don't recall any other waterfront manse with a golf course, even if it's just a large putting green. It boasts tidepools and rock formations (see the monolith shadow on the white sand?), and even spots where you could launch a small boat in calm seas.

Rizokarpaso (Greek: Ριζοκάρπασο [locally [rizˑoˈkar̥paso]]; Turkish: Dipkarpaz) is a town on the Karpas Peninsula in the Northeastern part of Cyprus. While nominally part of the Famagusta District of the Republic of Cyprus, it has been under the de facto control of Northern Cyprus since the illegal Turkish invasion of the island in 1974, being administered as part of the İskele District.

 

Rizokarpaso is one of the largest towns on the peninsula. Soil near the town consists of terra fusca, which is very fertile. Local crops include carob, cotton, tobacco, and grain. The town's surroundings are renowned for being the wildest and one of the most unspoilt parts of the island. The municipality's territory features the Karpaz National Park, home to the Karpass donkey and some of the finest beaches of the island.

 

The economy is primarily based on agriculture, husbandry, and fisheries. Since 2000, the town has embraced the concept of eco-tourism, and converted old traditional village houses into guesthouses in traditional styles. The area lacks any industrial plants.

 

Two kilometres north of the town of Rizokarpaso lies the Ayfilon Beach, administered by the municipality as a public beach. The beach takes its name from the Ayios Philon Church in the ancient town of Karpasia, which is located 500 metres away. The beach is a breeding ground for loggerhead sea turtles, and is as such a center of attention for conservationists. It is also billed in tourist guides as a "spot to watch sunsets". It hosts an annual festival dedicated to sea turtles in August featuring concerts, release of turtle hatchlings, beach clean-ups, and other environmental awareness activities on the beach.

 

The Rizokarpaso area contains some of the earliest inhabited places in the island. These include the ancient cities of Karpasia and Aphendrika. It was the seat of one of the largest Lusignan baronies.

 

In 1222, the Lusignan dynasty ruling the Kingdom of Cyprus, together with the Latin nobility, decided that the traditional Greek Cypriot bishoprics in the urban centres would be abolished. Karpasia was one of the only four Greek bishoprics in the island that were allowed to continue to function (together with Solea, Arsinoe and Lefkara), and in practice subsumed the Bishopric of Famagusta, as the Bishop of Famagusta was sent to Rizokarpaso and continued his work in St. Synesios, the main Orthodox church in the region. This arrangement was formalised by the Bulla Cypria, a papal bull issued by Pope Alexander IV in 1260. Despite the official assignment of the bishopric to Karpasia, by then the town had lost the importance it held in the Late Antique period, and it is thought to be "probable" that by 1260 the bishops did not really reside in Karpasia but kept on operating from Famagusta. According to Stefano Lusignan, the town of Rizokarpaso became a part of the feudal estate of the de Nores family, until James II of Cyprus revoked Gauthier de Nores' rights due to his support of Queen Charlotte, James' opponent.

 

The town has two churches: St. Synesios and the church of the Holy Trinity. They are examples of the typical Cypriot mixed style, combining features of the late Gothic introduced by the Lusignans with the late Byzantine style of the Orthodox tradition. These are two of the few Christian churches to operate in the northern part of Cyprus, and has allegedly had services stopped by the Turkish Cypriot police.

 

Rizokarpaso is partly located in the ancient city of Karpasia on the West coast, according to legend founded by king Pygmalion.

 

Before 1974, the town was predominantly inhabited by Greek-Cypriots. During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 20 July 1974, the peninsula was cut off by Turkish troops, and this prevented the town's Greek-Cypriot inhabitants from fleeing to the south. As a result, with 250 Greek Cypriot inhabitants, Rizokarpaso is the home of the biggest Greek population in the North. Between 1974 and 1985, however, around 2500 Greek Cypriots left the village. Although the Greek-Cypriot population is now mainly elderly and shrinking in size, they are still supplied by the UN, and Greek-Cypriot products are consequently available in some places. The town was captured by the Turkish Army during the early days of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.

 

In 1977, Turkish settlers were brought from different areas of Turkey, including Kars, Muş, Diyarbakır and Ağrı in the Eastern Anatolia Region, Mersin and Adana in the Mediterranean Region and Akkuş, Çarşamba, Akçaabat, Sürmene, Araklı and Trabzon in the Black Sea Region. In the 21st century, some Turkish Cypriots and Europeans also bought properties in the village and are now its residents.

 

The town has a Turkish Cypriot municipality, whose current mayor is Suphi Coşkun from the Republican Turkish Party. Coşkun won the post in 2014, by winning over 50% of the votes and beating his predecessor, Mehmet Demirci of the National Unity Party.

 

Turkish Cypriot Dipkarpaz Sports Club was founded in 1978; its football team in 2015 played in Cyprus Turkish Football Association (CTFA) K-PET 2nd League. Education in the town includes a primary school and the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Secondary School. The town hosts some small touristic facilities. Twenty kilometres east lies the Golden Beach, a pristine 4 km long beach, and the Apostolos Andreas Monastery.

 

Rizokarpaso is twinned with:

Turkey Ankara, Turkey (since 1986)

Turkey Pendik, Istanbul, Turkey (since 1986)

Azerbaijan Yasamal, Baku, Azerbaijan (since 2005)

Turkey Ardeşen, Rize, Turkey

Turkey Tatvan, Bitlis, Turkey

 

Northern Cyprus, officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that comprises the northeastern portion of the island of Cyprus. It is recognised only by Turkey, and its territory is considered by all other states to be part of the Republic of Cyprus.

 

Northern Cyprus extends from the tip of the Karpass Peninsula in the northeast to Morphou Bay, Cape Kormakitis and its westernmost point, the Kokkina exclave in the west. Its southernmost point is the village of Louroujina. A buffer zone under the control of the United Nations stretches between Northern Cyprus and the rest of the island and divides Nicosia, the island's largest city and capital of both sides.

 

A coup d'état in 1974, performed as part of an attempt to annex the island to Greece, prompted the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. This resulted in the eviction of much of the north's Greek Cypriot population, the flight of Turkish Cypriots from the south, and the partitioning of the island, leading to a unilateral declaration of independence by the north in 1983. Due to its lack of recognition, Northern Cyprus is heavily dependent on Turkey for economic, political and military support.

 

Attempts to reach a solution to the Cyprus dispute have been unsuccessful. The Turkish Army maintains a large force in Northern Cyprus with the support and approval of the TRNC government, while the Republic of Cyprus, the European Union as a whole, and the international community regard it as an occupation force. This military presence has been denounced in several United Nations Security Council resolutions.

 

Northern Cyprus is a semi-presidential, democratic republic with a cultural heritage incorporating various influences and an economy that is dominated by the services sector. The economy has seen growth through the 2000s and 2010s, with the GNP per capita more than tripling in the 2000s, but is held back by an international embargo due to the official closure of the ports in Northern Cyprus by the Republic of Cyprus. The official language is Turkish, with a distinct local dialect being spoken. The vast majority of the population consists of Sunni Muslims, while religious attitudes are mostly moderate and secular. Northern Cyprus is an observer state of ECO and OIC under the name "Turkish Cypriot State", PACE under the name "Turkish Cypriot Community", and Organization of Turkic States with its own name.

 

Several distinct periods of Cypriot intercommunal violence involving the two main ethnic communities, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, marked mid-20th century Cyprus. These included the Cyprus Emergency of 1955–59 during British rule, the post-independence Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, and the Cyprus crisis of 1967. Hostilities culminated in the 1974 de facto division of the island along the Green Line following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. The region has been relatively peaceful since then, but the Cyprus dispute has continued, with various attempts to solve it diplomatically having been generally unsuccessful.

 

Cyprus, an island lying in the eastern Mediterranean, hosted a population of Greeks and Turks (four-fifths and one-fifth, respectively), who lived under British rule in the late nineteenth-century and the first half of the twentieth-century. Christian Orthodox Church of Cyprus played a prominent political role among the Greek Cypriot community, a privilege that it acquired during the Ottoman Empire with the employment of the millet system, which gave the archbishop an unofficial ethnarch status.

 

The repeated rejections by the British of Greek Cypriot demands for enosis, union with Greece, led to armed resistance, organised by the National Organization of Cypriot Struggle, or EOKA. EOKA, led by the Greek-Cypriot commander George Grivas, systematically targeted British colonial authorities. One of the effects of EOKA's campaign was to alter the Turkish position from demanding full reincorporation into Turkey to a demand for taksim (partition). EOKA's mission and activities caused a "Cretan syndrome" (see Turkish Resistance Organisation) within the Turkish Cypriot community, as its members feared that they would be forced to leave the island in such a case as had been the case with Cretan Turks. As such, they preferred the continuation of British colonial rule and then taksim, the division of the island. Due to the Turkish Cypriots' support for the British, EOKA's leader, Georgios Grivas, declared them to be enemies. The fact that the Turks were a minority was, according to Nihat Erim, to be addressed by the transfer of thousands of Turks from mainland Turkey so that Greek Cypriots would cease to be the majority. When Erim visited Cyprus as the Turkish representative, he was advised by Field Marshal Sir John Harding, the then Governor of Cyprus, that Turkey should send educated Turks to settle in Cyprus.

 

Turkey actively promoted the idea that on the island of Cyprus two distinctive communities existed, and sidestepped its former claim that "the people of Cyprus were all Turkish subjects". In doing so, Turkey's aim to have self-determination of two to-be equal communities in effect led to de jure partition of the island.[citation needed] This could be justified to the international community against the will of the majority Greek population of the island. Dr. Fazil Küçük in 1954 had already proposed Cyprus be divided in two at the 35° parallel.

 

Lindley Dan, from Notre Dame University, spotted the roots of intercommunal violence to different visions among the two communities of Cyprus (enosis for Greek Cypriots, taksim for Turkish Cypriots). Also, Lindlay wrote that "the merging of church, schools/education, and politics in divisive and nationalistic ways" had played a crucial role in creation of havoc in Cyprus' history. Attalides Michael also pointed to the opposing nationalisms as the cause of the Cyprus problem.

 

By the mid-1950's, the "Cyprus is Turkish" party, movement, and slogan gained force in both Cyprus and Turkey. In a 1954 editorial, Turkish Cypriot leader Dr. Fazil Kuchuk expressed the sentiment that the Turkish youth had grown up with the idea that "as soon as Great Britain leaves the island, it will be taken over by the Turks", and that "Turkey cannot tolerate otherwise". This perspective contributed to the willingness of Turkish Cypriots to align themselves with the British, who started recruiting Turkish Cypriots into the police force that patrolled Cyprus to fight EOKA, a Greek Cypriot nationalist organisation that sought to rid the island of British rule.

 

EOKA targeted colonial authorities, including police, but Georgios Grivas, the leader of EOKA, did not initially wish to open up a new front by fighting Turkish Cypriots and reassured them that EOKA would not harm their people. In 1956, some Turkish Cypriot policemen were killed by EOKA members and this provoked some intercommunal violence in the spring and summer, but these attacks on policemen were not motivated by the fact that they were Turkish Cypriots.

 

However, in January 1957, Grivas changed his policy as his forces in the mountains became increasingly pressured by the British Crown forces. In order to divert the attention of the Crown forces, EOKA members started to target Turkish Cypriot policemen intentionally in the towns, so that Turkish Cypriots would riot against the Greek Cypriots and the security forces would have to be diverted to the towns to restore order. The killing of a Turkish Cypriot policeman on 19 January, when a power station was bombed, and the injury of three others, provoked three days of intercommunal violence in Nicosia. The two communities targeted each other in reprisals, at least one Greek Cypriot was killed and the British Army was deployed in the streets. Greek Cypriot stores were burned and their neighbourhoods attacked. Following the events, the Greek Cypriot leadership spread the propaganda that the riots had merely been an act of Turkish Cypriot aggression. Such events created chaos and drove the communities apart both in Cyprus and in Turkey.

 

On 22 October 1957 Sir Hugh Mackintosh Foot replaced Sir John Harding as the British Governor of Cyprus. Foot suggested five to seven years of self-government before any final decision. His plan rejected both enosis and taksim. The Turkish Cypriot response to this plan was a series of anti-British demonstrations in Nicosia on 27 and 28 January 1958 rejecting the proposed plan because the plan did not include partition. The British then withdrew the plan.

 

In 1957, Black Gang, a Turkish Cypriot pro-taksim paramilitary organisation, was formed to patrol a Turkish Cypriot enclave, the Tahtakale district of Nicosia, against activities of EOKA. The organisation later attempted to grow into a national scale, but failed to gain public support.

 

By 1958, signs of dissatisfaction with the British increased on both sides, with a group of Turkish Cypriots forming Volkan (later renamed to the Turkish Resistance Organisation) paramilitary group to promote partition and the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey as dictated by the Menderes plan. Volkan initially consisted of roughly 100 members, with the stated aim of raising awareness in Turkey of the Cyprus issue and courting military training and support for Turkish Cypriot fighters from the Turkish government.

 

In June 1958, the British Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, was expected to propose a plan to resolve the Cyprus issue. In light of the new development, the Turks rioted in Nicosia to promote the idea that Greek and Turkish Cypriots could not live together and therefore any plan that did not include partition would not be viable. This violence was soon followed by bombing, Greek Cypriot deaths and looting of Greek Cypriot-owned shops and houses. Greek and Turkish Cypriots started to flee mixed population villages where they were a minority in search of safety. This was effectively the beginning of the segregation of the two communities. On 7 June 1958, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the Turkish Embassy in Cyprus. Following the bombing, Turkish Cypriots looted Greek Cypriot properties. On 26 June 1984, the Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktaş, admitted on British channel ITV that the bomb was placed by the Turks themselves in order to create tension. On 9 January 1995, Rauf Denktaş repeated his claim to the famous Turkish newspaper Milliyet in Turkey.

 

The crisis reached a climax on 12 June 1958, when eight Greeks, out of an armed group of thirty five arrested by soldiers of the Royal Horse Guards on suspicion of preparing an attack on the Turkish quarter of Skylloura, were killed in a suspected attack by Turkish Cypriot locals, near the village of Geunyeli, having been ordered to walk back to their village of Kondemenos.

 

After the EOKA campaign had begun, the British government successfully began to turn the Cyprus issue from a British colonial problem into a Greek-Turkish issue. British diplomacy exerted backstage influence on the Adnan Menderes government, with the aim of making Turkey active in Cyprus. For the British, the attempt had a twofold objective. The EOKA campaign would be silenced as quickly as possible, and Turkish Cypriots would not side with Greek Cypriots against the British colonial claims over the island, which would thus remain under the British. The Turkish Cypriot leadership visited Menderes to discuss the Cyprus issue. When asked how the Turkish Cypriots should respond to the Greek Cypriot claim of enosis, Menderes replied: "You should go to the British foreign minister and request the status quo be prolonged, Cyprus to remain as a British colony". When the Turkish Cypriots visited the British Foreign Secretary and requested for Cyprus to remain a colony, he replied: "You should not be asking for colonialism at this day and age, you should be asking for Cyprus be returned to Turkey, its former owner".

 

As Turkish Cypriots began to look to Turkey for protection, Greek Cypriots soon understood that enosis was extremely unlikely. The Greek Cypriot leader, Archbishop Makarios III, now set independence for the island as his objective.

 

Britain resolved to solve the dispute by creating an independent Cyprus. In 1959, all involved parties signed the Zurich Agreements: Britain, Turkey, Greece, and the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, Makarios and Dr. Fazil Kucuk, respectively. The new constitution drew heavily on the ethnic composition of the island. The President would be a Greek Cypriot, and the Vice-President a Turkish Cypriot with an equal veto. The contribution to the public service would be set at a ratio of 70:30, and the Supreme Court would consist of an equal number of judges from both communities as well as an independent judge who was not Greek, Turkish or British. The Zurich Agreements were supplemented by a number of treaties. The Treaty of Guarantee stated that secession or union with any state was forbidden, and that Greece, Turkey and Britain would be given guarantor status to intervene if that was violated. The Treaty of Alliance allowed for two small Greek and Turkish military contingents to be stationed on the island, and the Treaty of Establishment gave Britain sovereignty over two bases in Akrotiri and Dhekelia.

 

On 15 August 1960, the Colony of Cyprus became fully independent as the Republic of Cyprus. The new republic remained within the Commonwealth of Nations.

 

The new constitution brought dissatisfaction to Greek Cypriots, who felt it to be highly unjust for them for historical, demographic and contributional reasons. Although 80% of the island's population were Greek Cypriots and these indigenous people had lived on the island for thousands of years and paid 94% of taxes, the new constitution was giving the 17% of the population that was Turkish Cypriots, who paid 6% of taxes, around 30% of government jobs and 40% of national security jobs.

 

Within three years tensions between the two communities in administrative affairs began to show. In particular disputes over separate municipalities and taxation created a deadlock in government. A constitutional court ruled in 1963 Makarios had failed to uphold article 173 of the constitution which called for the establishment of separate municipalities for Turkish Cypriots. Makarios subsequently declared his intention to ignore the judgement, resulting in the West German judge resigning from his position. Makarios proposed thirteen amendments to the constitution, which would have had the effect of resolving most of the issues in the Greek Cypriot favour. Under the proposals, the President and Vice-President would lose their veto, the separate municipalities as sought after by the Turkish Cypriots would be abandoned, the need for separate majorities by both communities in passing legislation would be discarded and the civil service contribution would be set at actual population ratios (82:18) instead of the slightly higher figure for Turkish Cypriots.

 

The intention behind the amendments has long been called into question. The Akritas plan, written in the height of the constitutional dispute by the Greek Cypriot interior minister Polycarpos Georkadjis, called for the removal of undesirable elements of the constitution so as to allow power-sharing to work. The plan envisaged a swift retaliatory attack on Turkish Cypriot strongholds should Turkish Cypriots resort to violence to resist the measures, stating "In the event of a planned or staged Turkish attack, it is imperative to overcome it by force in the shortest possible time, because if we succeed in gaining command of the situation (in one or two days), no outside, intervention would be either justified or possible." Whether Makarios's proposals were part of the Akritas plan is unclear, however it remains that sentiment towards enosis had not completely disappeared with independence. Makarios described independence as "a step on the road to enosis".[31] Preparations for conflict were not entirely absent from Turkish Cypriots either, with right wing elements still believing taksim (partition) the best safeguard against enosis.

 

Greek Cypriots however believe the amendments were a necessity stemming from a perceived attempt by Turkish Cypriots to frustrate the working of government. Turkish Cypriots saw it as a means to reduce their status within the state from one of co-founder to that of minority, seeing it as a first step towards enosis. The security situation deteriorated rapidly.

 

Main articles: Bloody Christmas (1963) and Battle of Tillyria

An armed conflict was triggered after December 21, 1963, a period remembered by Turkish Cypriots as Bloody Christmas, when a Greek Cypriot policemen that had been called to help deal with a taxi driver refusing officers already on the scene access to check the identification documents of his customers, took out his gun upon arrival and shot and killed the taxi driver and his partner. Eric Solsten summarised the events as follows: "a Greek Cypriot police patrol, ostensibly checking identification documents, stopped a Turkish Cypriot couple on the edge of the Turkish quarter. A hostile crowd gathered, shots were fired, and two Turkish Cypriots were killed."

 

In the morning after the shooting, crowds gathered in protest in Northern Nicosia, likely encouraged by the TMT, without incident. On the evening of the 22nd, gunfire broke out, communication lines to the Turkish neighbourhoods were cut, and the Greek Cypriot police occupied the nearby airport. On the 23rd, a ceasefire was negotiated, but did not hold. Fighting, including automatic weapons fire, between Greek and Turkish Cypriots and militias increased in Nicosia and Larnaca. A force of Greek Cypriot irregulars led by Nikos Sampson entered the Nicosia suburb of Omorphita and engaged in heavy firing on armed, as well as by some accounts unarmed, Turkish Cypriots. The Omorphita clash has been described by Turkish Cypriots as a massacre, while this view has generally not been acknowledged by Greek Cypriots.

 

Further ceasefires were arranged between the two sides, but also failed. By Christmas Eve, the 24th, Britain, Greece, and Turkey had joined talks, with all sides calling for a truce. On Christmas day, Turkish fighter jets overflew Nicosia in a show of support. Finally it was agreed to allow a force of 2,700 British soldiers to help enforce a ceasefire. In the next days, a "buffer zone" was created in Nicosia, and a British officer marked a line on a map with green ink, separating the two sides of the city, which was the beginning of the "Green Line". Fighting continued across the island for the next several weeks.

 

In total 364 Turkish Cypriots and 174 Greek Cypriots were killed during the violence. 25,000 Turkish Cypriots from 103-109 villages fled and were displaced into enclaves and thousands of Turkish Cypriot houses were ransacked or completely destroyed.

 

Contemporary newspapers also reported on the forceful exodus of the Turkish Cypriots from their homes. According to The Times in 1964, threats, shootings and attempts of arson were committed against the Turkish Cypriots to force them out of their homes. The Daily Express wrote that "25,000 Turks have already been forced to leave their homes". The Guardian reported a massacre of Turks at Limassol on 16 February 1964.

 

Turkey had by now readied its fleet and its fighter jets appeared over Nicosia. Turkey was dissuaded from direct involvement by the creation of a United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) in 1964. Despite the negotiated ceasefire in Nicosia, attacks on the Turkish Cypriot persisted, particularly in Limassol. Concerned about the possibility of a Turkish invasion, Makarios undertook the creation of a Greek Cypriot conscript-based army called the "National Guard". A general from Greece took charge of the army, whilst a further 20,000 well-equipped officers and men were smuggled from Greece into Cyprus. Turkey threatened to intervene once more, but was prevented by a strongly worded letter from the American President Lyndon B. Johnson, anxious to avoid a conflict between NATO allies Greece and Turkey at the height of the Cold War.

 

Turkish Cypriots had by now established an important bridgehead at Kokkina, provided with arms, volunteers and materials from Turkey and abroad. Seeing this incursion of foreign weapons and troops as a major threat, the Cypriot government invited George Grivas to return from Greece as commander of the Greek troops on the island and launch a major attack on the bridgehead. Turkey retaliated by dispatching its fighter jets to bomb Greek positions, causing Makarios to threaten an attack on every Turkish Cypriot village on the island if the bombings did not cease. The conflict had now drawn in Greece and Turkey, with both countries amassing troops on their Thracian borders. Efforts at mediation by Dean Acheson, a former U.S. Secretary of State, and UN-appointed mediator Galo Plaza had failed, all the while the division of the two communities becoming more apparent. Greek Cypriot forces were estimated at some 30,000, including the National Guard and the large contingent from Greece. Defending the Turkish Cypriot enclaves was a force of approximately 5,000 irregulars, led by a Turkish colonel, but lacking the equipment and organisation of the Greek forces.

 

The Secretary-General of the United Nations in 1964, U Thant, reported the damage during the conflicts:

 

UNFICYP carried out a detailed survey of all damage to properties throughout the island during the disturbances; it shows that in 109 villages, most of them Turkish-Cypriot or mixed villages, 527 houses have been destroyed while 2,000 others have suffered damage from looting.

 

The situation worsened in 1967, when a military junta overthrew the democratically elected government of Greece, and began applying pressure on Makarios to achieve enosis. Makarios, not wishing to become part of a military dictatorship or trigger a Turkish invasion, began to distance himself from the goal of enosis. This caused tensions with the junta in Greece as well as George Grivas in Cyprus. Grivas's control over the National Guard and Greek contingent was seen as a threat to Makarios's position, who now feared a possible coup.[citation needed] The National Guard and Cyprus Police began patrolling the Turkish Cypriot enclaves of Ayios Theodoros and Kophinou, and on November 15 engaged in heavy fighting with the Turkish Cypriots.

 

By the time of his withdrawal 26 Turkish Cypriots had been killed. Turkey replied with an ultimatum demanding that Grivas be removed from the island, that the troops smuggled from Greece in excess of the limits of the Treaty of Alliance be removed, and that the economic blockades on the Turkish Cypriot enclaves be lifted. Grivas was recalled by the Athens Junta and the 12,000 Greek troops were withdrawn. Makarios now attempted to consolidate his position by reducing the number of National Guard troops, and by creating a paramilitary force loyal to Cypriot independence. In 1968, acknowledging that enosis was now all but impossible, Makarios stated, "A solution by necessity must be sought within the limits of what is feasible which does not always coincide with the limits of what is desirable."

 

After 1967 tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots subsided. Instead, the main source of tension on the island came from factions within the Greek Cypriot community. Although Makarios had effectively abandoned enosis in favour of an 'attainable solution', many others continued to believe that the only legitimate political aspiration for Greek Cypriots was union with Greece.

 

On his arrival, Grivas began by establishing a nationalist paramilitary group known as the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (Ethniki Organosis Kyprion Agoniston B or EOKA-B), drawing comparisons with the EOKA struggle for enosis under the British colonial administration of the 1950s.

 

The military junta in Athens saw Makarios as an obstacle. Makarios's failure to disband the National Guard, whose officer class was dominated by mainland Greeks, had meant the junta had practical control over the Cypriot military establishment, leaving Makarios isolated and a vulnerable target.

 

During the first Turkish invasion, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus territory on 20 July 1974, invoking its rights under the Treaty of Guarantee. This expansion of Turkish-occupied zone violated International Law as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Turkish troops managed to capture 3% of the island which was accompanied by the burning of the Turkish Cypriot quarter, as well as the raping and killing of women and children. A temporary cease-fire followed which was mitigated by the UN Security Council. Subsequently, the Greek military Junta collapsed on July 23, 1974, and peace talks commenced in which a democratic government was installed. The Resolution 353 was broken after Turkey attacked a second time and managed to get a hold of 37% of Cyprus territory. The Island of Cyprus was appointed a Buffer Zone by the United Nations, which divided the island into two zones through the 'Green Line' and put an end to the Turkish invasion. Although Turkey announced that the occupied areas of Cyprus to be called the Federated Turkish State in 1975, it is not legitimised on a worldwide political scale. The United Nations called for the international recognition of independence for the Republic of Cyprus in the Security Council Resolution 367.

 

In the years after the Turkish invasion of northern Cyprus one can observe a history of failed talks between the two parties. The 1983 declaration of the independent Turkish Republic of Cyprus resulted in a rise of inter-communal tensions and made it increasingly hard to find mutual understanding. With Cyprus' interest of a possible EU membership and a new UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 1997 new hopes arose for a fresh start. International involvement from sides of the US and UK, wanting a solution to the Cyprus dispute prior to the EU accession led to political pressures for new talks. The believe that an accession without a solution would threaten Greek-Turkish relations and acknowledge the partition of the island would direct the coming negotiations.

 

Over the course of two years a concrete plan, the Annan plan was formulated. In 2004 the fifth version agreed upon from both sides and with the endorsement of Turkey, US, UK and EU then was presented to the public and was given a referendum in both Cypriot communities to assure the legitimisation of the resolution. The Turkish Cypriots voted with 65% for the plan, however the Greek Cypriots voted with a 76% majority against. The Annan plan contained multiple important topics. Firstly it established a confederation of two separate states called the United Cyprus Republic. Both communities would have autonomous states combined under one unified government. The members of parliament would be chosen according to the percentage in population numbers to ensure a just involvement from both communities. The paper proposed a demilitarisation of the island over the next years. Furthermore it agreed upon a number of 45000 Turkish settlers that could remain on the island. These settlers became a very important issue concerning peace talks. Originally the Turkish government encouraged Turks to settle in Cyprus providing transfer and property, to establish a counterpart to the Greek Cypriot population due to their 1 to 5 minority. With the economic situation many Turkish-Cypriot decided to leave the island, however their departure is made up by incoming Turkish settlers leaving the population ratio between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots stable. However all these points where criticised and as seen in the vote rejected mainly by the Greek Cypriots. These name the dissolution of the „Republic of Cyprus", economic consequences of a reunion and the remaining Turkish settlers as reason. Many claim that the plan was indeed drawing more from Turkish-Cypriot demands then Greek-Cypriot interests. Taking in consideration that the US wanted to keep Turkey as a strategic partner in future Middle Eastern conflicts.

 

A week after the failed referendum the Republic of Cyprus joined the EU. In multiple instances the EU tried to promote trade with Northern Cyprus but without internationally recognised ports this spiked a grand debate. Both side endure their intention of negotiations, however without the prospect of any new compromises or agreements the UN is unwilling to start the process again. Since 2004 negotiations took place in numbers but without any results, both sides are strongly holding on to their position without an agreeable solution in sight that would suit both parties.

Postcard features individuals standing around the fountain in Gore Park In downtown Hamilton.

 

The postcard is addressed to Mrs. M. Hamill, 2 Greenlaw Ave, Paisley, Scotland. The transcription reads: "Alls well and the camps are burning bright. Hope you are all well, write soon. I am all right Robert." The verso has a 2 cent red Canadian stamp with wavy cancellation marks. The return stamp is dated October 4, 1905, 11 PM, Hamilton, and it was received in Paisley on October 14, 1905 at 9:30 AM. The upper right corner is badly bent. The transcription on the recto reads: "This is park of King St. in the centre of the town, near where I live."

 

Warwick Bro's & Rutter, Limited, Publishers, Toronto

 

Postcard Collection HPL_PC_s18_57r_32022206616167

 

Cite Hamilton Public Library, Local History & Archives

Welcome fellow Paddington Bear spotter! My photostream features all 50 Paddingtons. If you would like to shortcut to a specific one, please use the links below

 

No. 1: Love, Paddington X (Lulu Guinness) |

No. 2: Texting Paddington (Westminster Academy) | No. 3: The Mayor of Paddington (Paddington Waterside and Costain) | No. 4: Bearing Up (Taylor Wimpey) | No. 5: Brick Bear (Robin Partington & Partners) | No. 6: Futuristic Robot Bear (Jonathan Ross) | No. 7: Paddington (Michael Bond) | No. 8: Paddingtonscape (Hannah Warren) | No. 9: The Journey of Marmalade (Hugh Bonneville) | No. 10: Paws Engage (Canterbury of New Zealand) | No. 11: Flutterby (Emma Watson) | No. 12: W2 1RH (Marc Quinn) | No. 13: Paws (Sally Hawkins) |

No. 14: Goldiebear (Kate Moss) | No. 15: Sparkles (Frankie Bridge) | No. 16: Bear Humbug (Ant and Dec) | No. 17: The Spirit of Paddington (Rolls-Royce Motor Cars) | No. 18: Thread Bear (Matthew Williamson) | No. 19: Golden Paws (David Beckham) | No. 20: Parka Paddington (Liam Gallagher) | No. 21: Bearer of Gifts (Hamleys) | No. 22: Little Bear Blue (Intel) | No. 23: Bearodiversity (Peru) | No. 24: Paddington the Explorer (Ripley’s Believe it or Not! London) | No. 25: Andrew Lloyd Webbear (Andrew Lloyd Webber) | No. 26: Blush (Nicole Kidman) | No. 27: The Bear of London (Boris Johnson) | No. 28: Paddington Jack (Davina McCall) | No. 29: Good News Bear (The Telegraph) | No. 30: Paddington is GREAT (Stephen Fry) | No. 31: Special Delivery (Ben Wishaw) | No. 32: Rainbow (Darcey Bussell) | No. 33: Bear Necessities (John Hurt) | No. 34: Sherlock Bear (Benedict Cumberbatch) | No. 35: Bear in the Wood (Rankin) | No. 36: Fragile (Ryan McElhinney) | No. 37: Shakesbear (Michael Sheen) | No. 38: Good Morning, London (Michael Howells) | No. 39: RGB (Zaha Hadid) | No. 40: Taste of Peru (Peru) | No. 41 Wonders of the World (Peru) | No. 42 Paddington Who? (Peter Capaldi) | No. 43 Gravity Bear (Sandra Bullock) | No. 44 Wish You Were Here (Nick Mason) | No. 45 Toggle (Benjamin Shine) | No. 46 Primrose Paddington (Julie Walters) | No. 47 Sticky Wicket (Ian Botham) | No. 48 Chief Scout Bear (Bear Grylls) | No. 49 The Special One (Chelsea FC) | No. 50 Dapper Bear (Guy Ritchie)

The Sanctury of the St Kilda Presbyterian Church features three beautiful 1880s Ferguson and Urie stained glass windows; Faith on the left, Charity in the middle and Hope on the right. All are executed in iridescent reds, yellows, greens and blues, to reflect the colour palate used in other Ferguson and Urie windows elsewhere around the church.

 

Built on the crest of a hill in a prominent position overlooking St Kilda and the bay is the grand St Kilda Presbyterian Church.

 

The St Kilda Presbyterian Church's interior is cool, spacious and lofty, with high ceilings of tongue and groove boards laid diagonally, and a large apse whose ceiling was once painted with golden star stenciling. The bluestone walls are so thick that the sounds of the busy intersection of Barkley Street and Alma Road barely permeate the church's interior, and it is easy to forget that you are in such a noisy inner Melbourne suburb. The cedar pews of the church are divided by two grand aisles which feature tall cast iron columns with Corinthian capitals. At the rear of the building towards Alma Road there are twin porches and a narthex with a staircase that leads to the rear gallery where the choir sang from. It apparently once housed an organ by William Anderson, but the space today is used as an office and Bible study area. The current impressive Fincham and Hobday organ from 1892 sits in the north-east corner of the church. It cost £1030.00 to acquire and install. The church is flooded with light, even on an overcast day with a powerful thunder storm brewing (as the weather was on my visit). The reason for such light is because of the very large Gothic windows, many of which are filled with quarry glass by Ferguson and Urie featuring geometric tracery with coloured borders. The church also features stained glass windows designed by Ferguson and Urie, including the impressive rose window, British stained glass artist Ernest Richard Suffling, Brooks, Robinson and Company Glass Merchants, Mathieson and Gibson of Melbourne and one by Australian stained glass artist Napier Waller.

 

Opened in 1886, the St Kilda Presbyterian church was designed by the architects firm of Wilson and Beswicke, a business founded in 1881 by Ralph Wilson and John Beswicke (1847 - 1925) when they became partners for a short period. The church is constructed of bluestone with freestone dressings and designed in typical Victorian Gothic style. The foundation stone, which may be found on the Alma Road facade, was laid by the Governor of Victoria Sir Henry Barkly on 27 January. When it was built, the St Kilda Presbyterian Church was surrounded by large properties with grand mansions built upon them, so the congregation were largely very affluent and wished for a place of worship that reflected its stature not only in location atop a hill, but in size and grandeur.

 

The exterior facades of the church on Barkley Street and Alma Road are dominated by a magnificent tower topped by an imposing tower. The location of the church and the height of the tower made the spire a landmark for mariners sailing into Melbourne's port. The tower features corner pinnacles and round spaces for the insertion of a clock, which never took place. Common Victorian Gothic architectural features of the St Kilda Presbyterian Church include complex bar tracery over the windows, wall buttresses which identify structural bays, gabled roof vents, parapeted gables and excellent stone masonry across the entire structure.

 

I am very grateful to the Reverend Paul Lee for allowing me the opportunity to photograph the interior of the St Kilda Presbyterian Church so extensively.

 

The architects Wilson and Beswicke were also responsible for the Brighton, Dandenong, Essendon, Hawthorn and Malvern Town Halls and the Brisbane Wesleyan Church on the corner of Albert and Ann Streets. They also designed shops in the inner Melbourne suburbs of Auburn and Fitzroy. They also designed several individual houses, including "Tudor House" in Williamstown, "Tudor Lodge" in Hawthorn and "Rotha" in Hawthorn, the latter of which is where John Beswicke lived.

 

The stained glass firm of Ferguson and Urie was established by Scots James Ferguson (1818 – 1894), James Urie (1828 – 1890) and John Lamb Lyon (1836 – 1916). They were the first known makers of stained glass in Australia. Until the early 1860s, window glass in Melbourne had been clear or plain coloured, and nearly all was imported, but new churches and elaborate buildings created a demand for pictorial windows. The three Scotsmen set up Ferguson and Urie in 1862 and the business thrived until 1899, when it ceased operation, with only John Lamb Lyon left alive. Ferguson and Urie was the most successful Nineteenth Century Australian stained glass window making company. Among their earliest works were a Shakespeare window for the Haymarket Theatre in Bourke Street, a memorial window to Prince Albert in Holy Trinity, Kew, and a set of Apostles for the West Melbourne Presbyterian Church. Their palatial Gothic Revival office building stood at 283 Collins Street from 1875. Ironically, their last major commission, a window depicting “labour”, was installed in the old Melbourne Stock Exchange in Collins Street in 1893 on the eve of the bank crash. Their windows can be found throughout the older suburbs of Melbourne and across provincial Victoria.

 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 05: Rasmus "caPs" Borregaard Winther of G2 Esports poses at the League of Legends World Championship Groups Features Day on October 5, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)

Features the Emily Dickinson quote:

 

"The heart wants

What the heart wants."

 

Black and red woodcut font on white.

Instrumental electronic music by Eigenfrequenz. Video features model Rebecca Tun. For the full video go to YouTube or Vimeo.

 

Equipment used: Roland Juno 60, Yamaha CS15, Roland TR-606.

 

Eigenfrequenz creates electronic music based around analogue synthesisers, guitars and sounds, from melodic instrumental to abstract soundscapes, inspired by the sounds of the 70s and 80s.

 

Eigenfrequenz is also looking at moving images as a way to connect music and visuals, in a different way to the conventional ‘music video’.

 

For more of my work please go to Eigenfrequenz on YouTube, Eigenfrequenz on Vimeo, Eigenfrequenz on Facebook, Eigenfrequenz on Bandcamp or Eigenfrequenz on Soundcloud.

 

Inspirations include Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Jean Michel Jarre, Vangelis, Kraftwerk, Cluster, Neu!, Brian Eno, Cabaret Voltaire, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Human League and Gary Numan.

Features a sleek design with polished ends, ideal for any trade show or exhibit.

www.signworldamerica.com/Premium-Retractable-Roll-Up-Bann...