An Exploration of Stylistic Synthesis in Elizabethan Country Houses (2015)

Undergraduate: Kristin Kent

Faculty Advisor: Tania String
Department: Art

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The architecture of the Elizabethan era presents an intriguing stylistic conundrum defined by a unique mixing of architectural forms within individual buildings. Elizabethan patrons built enormous country houses with the hopes of one day entertaining Queen Elizabeth. The houses are united by the fusion of traditional gothic elements, native to England, Italian Renaissance forms, and Mannerist ideas from the low countries. This presentation will explore the unprecedented combination of architectural styles in Elizabethan manor houses, how these architectural choices came to be made, and the impact these unique homes had on the greater cultural landscape of the Elizabethan Era. Four houses, Burghley House (1587), Longleat House (1580), Wollaton Hall (1588), and Hardwick Hall (1593), will be used as case studies. Results from on-site visits to major Elizabethan houses will be included and the presentation with be supplemented by a Powerpoint featuring high-quality images.