Yorkshire Philosophical Society

Event Information

Updating Pevsner – Yorkshire: North Riding

Dr Jane Grenville

Dr Jane Grenville is undertaking the revision of the Yorkshire: North Riding volume in the iconic series “The Buildings of England” written by Professor Sir Nicholas Pevsner. In May she will update us on the progress of her work with particular reference to Pevsner’s passion for architecture in the region, and some of the musical highlights that she has discovered along the way.

Celebrating Yorkshire mini theme

Member’s report

This volume in Nikolaus Pevsner’s monumental Buildings of England series has not been revised since it was first published in 1966. Pevsner spent a mere five weeks, driven by his wife Lola from place to place, observing minutely, taking copious notes, and after an evening meal in their B & B writing up his daily account until midnight. Inevitably there were mistakes and omissions, now about to be, if possible, rectified. Why did he skate over the delightful Reeth? Why was he so disparaging about Thirsk? Dr Grenville concluded he was sometimes just tired and grumpy, acknowledging that she has had all the research advantages of the internet, hundreds of her own digital photographs as aide-mémoire, and five years (and nine helpful drivers) to carry out the work. There have been battles with her editor: what extra details could go in and what couldn’t when only allowed a one-third increase in word-length. With so many more buildings architecturally valued now than in Pevsner’s day, this is truly a matter of getting a quart into a pint pot.

Bob Hale