Love Charlie

Situated on an elevated piece of land, overlooking both greenery and historic architecture whilst taking pride of place in Wolverhampton City Centre is St. Peter's Church and if the building looks both commanding and picturesque so it should for this has been a religious site for over 1,000 years. In Pride Of Place St. Peter's Church or using its official title St. Peter's Collegiate Church is the city's most iconic building and is of Anglican faith. In AD 985 King Aetherlred II granted land to Lady Wulfrun it is upon this land that a settlement was built, known as Wulfrun Heantune (Heantune meaning high settlement) this title developed into the name Wolverhampton. In AD 994 parts of this land were put aside for the development of a church, and so a collegiate church was built, being a colligate church meant it was free from reign under a bishop, many years later in 1480 the church became a Royal Peculiar meaning it was under direct jurisdiction of the monarch and again...

LIGHTS CAMERA ODEON The former Odeon Cinema in Scarborough, built in 1936 is a prime example of the company's 1930s Art Deco designs, with it's tile and brick facade, tall tower with simple detailing, it's large, neon Odeon sign and it's many curves, taking advantage of it's corner plot is has long been admired for being a 'classic' Odeon and as the years have gone by and while many of these original cinemas have been demolished it is a testament that old buildings can be reused and have a purpose in our modern world. The former Scarborough Odeon Cinema is now the Stephen Joseph Theatre and is still entertaining audiences over 85 years since it was first built. The Odeon chain opened it's first cinema in Perry Barr, Birmingham in 1930, despite a world wide depression attendances during the 1930s were high and by the end of that decade the chain had over 250 cinemas dotted around the country. Each week millions flocked to see the latest film by their favo...

  Art Deco is a style that became popular following the Paris World Fair of 1925, it's official French title is somewhat longer, Exposition Internationale Des Arts Decoratifs Et Industriels Modernes, translating into English as the International Exhibition Of Modern Decorative And Industrial Arts, this exhibition was designed to highlight the Style Moderne and covered architecture, interior design, furniture and jewellery, it was a big success attracting over 16 million visitors during it's 7 month run. The name Art Deco which many years later became the collective term for this style came from the title of this World Fair. Art Deco Strikes Back At George's Dock Building Liverpool The style was heavily influenced by ancient cultures and archaeology taking hints from the Egyptian, Roman and the Aztec eras and by combining these with modern craftmanship together they created elaborate geometric patterns, chevrons and zig zags and often featured abstract representations of all...

Scarborough is a town situated along the North Sea Coast in North Yorkshire, England. Following the discovery of mineral water flowing from its cliffs in the 1620s the historical town became the country's first seaside resort and with beautiful sandy beaches and picturesque cliffs Scarborough continues to be a popular destination with holidaymakers to this day.  High upon the cliff head sits Scarborough Castle which has looked out across the town and sea since the 1130s, the old town is nestled below along its harbour and marina while its town centre is found adjacent on an elevated stretch of coast. Scarborough has managed to be both an evergreen tourist spot while managing to maintain a large amount of its historic architecture and it is that which this post is dedicated to, so come with me and explore some of the interesting buildings Scarborough has to offer! Information on buildings can be difficult to find especially if they aren't well known or classed as an important si...

  Photography is obviously a passion of mine and if you have looked through my blog you will we see how useful it has been combining it with my love of old architecture, in fact the two came together quite early on. For many years I had an account on Flickr, a photo sharing site which helped increase my interest in both subjects, it's always helpful to discuss and comment with others on a shared interest. Buildings in theory should be easy to photograph, as long as the light is right and you can find a good angle then it should be plain sailing, my tip is to try and find an unusual angle or something unique about the architecture to help create an interesting composition.  My passion for photography expanded to include items around the home, everyday objects that when viewed differently become interesting and with the English weather being what it is, it was also handy when it was dull outside. Many of the photographs I have taken at home are shot in my bedroom using a mirror ...

  The Grand Hotel in Scarborough is an iconic building overlooking the town's South Bay, when it first opened in 1867 it was not only the largest brick hotel in Europe but also the largest brick building on the continent. Built in the shape of a V to honour reigning monarch of the time Queen Victoria it's design is based around the theme of time with four domes representing the four seasons, twelve floors, one for each month of the year, fifty two chimneys to represent the weeks of the year and 365 rooms one for each day of the year. It's facade is influenced by the French architecture of the time known as French Second Empire  that was popular throughout Napoleon III's reign between 1851 and 1870 the characteristics of which include elaborate detail, mansard roofs and low domes. Built on an elevated stretch of land that runs just behind the seafront the sea facing facade has three extra floors than it's St. Nicholas Cliff (street) facing front.   Scarborough is kno...

Leeds Town Hall is an excellent example of Victorian Architecture and the civic pride that ensured their public buildings were as grand and as decorative as they could afford. Similar to how a company's internet or website today is their public image, the architecture of towns and cities displayed not only to it's population but to the rest of the country that their town was something to be proud of. In 1850 Leeds Council decided that with their town's growing population (Leeds became a city in 1893) and success in the area that they needed and deserved a new town hall, this combined with the desire to compete with the nearby town of Bradford which was also experiencing growth meant Leeds required something grand, something lavish, something that would indicate to the rest of the country just how important the town had become. Leeds Town Hall A Pillar Of The Community In 1852 a competition was held to design this new symbol of Leeds civic pride, the winner a Mr Cuthbert Bro...