Discover how the Picturesque transformed architecture in late 18th-century Britain and influenced the development of country houses, villas and the emerging suburb.
During the evening we will also announce the winner of the 2026 Stephen Croad Prize.
About the lecture
We are delighted to welcome Dr Rosemary Yallop as the guest speaker for our 2026 Annual Lecture.
In her lecture, Sublime and Ridiculous: The Picturesque and the Architecture of Gentility, Dr Yallop will explore the emergence of the Picturesque as a new aesthetic movement in late 18th-century Britain. Moving beyond the formal rules of classicism, the Picturesque embraced expressive freedom, irregularity and visual drama. First seen in elegant country houses, its influence soon extended to villas and the expanding suburbs of the 19th century.
The lecture will examine how this imaginative architectural approach shaped ideas of gentility and domestic design, before later attracting criticism from Victorian commentators who dismissed it as theatrical and a ‘canon of the fantastic’.
As part of the evening, we will also announce the winner of the 2026 Stephen Croad Prize. The winning entrant will give a short presentation introducing their prize-winning essay and research.
