British Culture - User contributions [en]

Nell Gwyn

2009-07-20T20:43:56Z

Cito: Created page with 'Nell [Eleanor] Gywn, (1650- 1687). “Pretty, witty Nell” as Samuel Pepys called her, was probably born near Drury-Lane, London, in 1650. There is only little known about Nell…'

Nell [Eleanor] Gywn, (1650- 1687).
“Pretty, witty Nell” as Samuel Pepys called her, was probably born near Drury-Lane, London, in 1650. There is only little known about Nell Gwyn’s family background. Her father is said to have died in a debtors’ prison at Oxford during Nell’s infancy. Her mother kept a bawdy house in the Covent District and died in 1679.
In 1664 Nell began to work as an orange-seller at the Drury-Lane-Theatre. There she attracted attention to herself and through the influence of the theatre’s leading actor Charles Hart, whose mistress she became; she began her career as an actress. Her first appearance on stage was probably in December 1665.
Being especially good in comic roles, Nell Gywn had many plays written for her. From 1666 to 1669 she continuously played in the King’s Company and created such popular roles as Florimal in John Dyrden’s Secret Love , Miridia in James Howard’s All Mistaken and Jancinta in Dyrden’s Evening’s Love. Her last stage appearance was with Hart in Dryden’s The Conquest of Granada (1670).
By that time she already was one of the 13 royal mistresses Charles II kept. As such she had a public position and at the same time was the most beloved mistress by the public. Her popularity is partly due to the disgust inspired by her rival, Louise de Querouaille, duchess of Portsmouth, and the fact that, while the Frenchwoman was a Catholic, she was a Protestant.
As Charles’ mistress Nell had been set up in a house near Windsor Castle and was paid a pension out from the Secret Service budget. She bore him two children. Her first son, born in 1670, was created 1st Baron Heddington and Earl Burford, and subsequently duke of St. Albans. The younger, James (born in 1671), Lord Beauclerk, died when he was nine.
Nell remained Charles’s mistress until his death in 1685. At that time Nell was deeply in debts. But the king’s death-bed request to his brother James II, “Let poor Nelly not starve”, avoided the worst. He paid off her debts and granted her another pension, again from the Secret Service fund.
She died in 1687 and was buried in the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Her funeral was a public event with the funeral sermon being preached by the vicar, Thomas Tension, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury.

Sources:
"Nell Gwyn." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 17. Jul. 2009 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/250188/Nell-Gwyn>.

“Nell Gywn”. BBC. 17 Jul. 2009.
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/content/articles/2008/02/15/nell_gwynne_feature.shtml>

“Nell Gywn”. Free Online Encyclopedia. 17 Jul. 2009.
<http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Nell_Gwyn>

Palladianism

2009-07-20T20:38:57Z

Cito: Created page with 'Palladianism refers to an architectural style and was evolved by the humanist and theorist from Vicenza, Andrea Palladio (1508- 80). “Palladio felt that architecture should be …'

Palladianism refers to an architectural style and was evolved by the humanist and theorist from Vicenza, Andrea Palladio (1508- 80). “Palladio felt that architecture should be governed by reason and by the principles of classical antiquity as it was known in surviving buildings and writings of the 1st-century-BC architect and theorist Vitrivius.”
Palladian style developed in England mainly in the 17th century, introduced by Inigo Jones.
Palladiansim is characterised by “clarity, order and symmetry” (as reflections of rationality), and combines this with an elaborate use of “classical forms and decorative motifs.”
Key buildings in England exhibiting this style were the Queens House of Greenwich (completed in 1635), The Banqueting House of Whitehall (1619-22), and the Queen’s Chapel at St. James Palace (1623).
In the 18th century Palladiansm experienced a second revival and spread to other European countries as well as to American colonies.

"Palladianism." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 20 Jul. 2009 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/439906/Palladianism>.

Barbara Villiers

2009-07-20T20:37:17Z

Cito: Created page with 'Barbara Villiers (Lady Castlemaine) (1641-1709), the first and at the same time one of the most important mistresses of Charles II. She was known as a political entity and especi…'

Barbara Villiers (Lady Castlemaine) (1641-1709), the first and at the same time one of the most important mistresses of Charles II. She was known as a political entity and especially known for her hatred against Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon. Her delight on his downfall (1667) is recorded in Pepys diary.
In 1670 she was created countess of Southhampton and duchess of Cleveland. In 1671, however, she had been supplanted at court by Louise de Querouaille, duchess of Portsmouth.
Barbara Villiers bore Charles three sons and either one or two daughters.

“Barbara Villiers”. Free Online Encyclopedia. 20. Jul. 2009
<http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Barbara_Villiers,_duchess_of_Cleveland>

“Barbara Villiers”. 2009, Dictionary.com. 20. Jul. 2009
<http://www.reference.com/browse/duchess>