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Design and unfinished design for a village, 1766, partly executed with alterations (2)

Notes

Lowther village was built adjacent to Lowther Newton from c1770, in local grey sandstone and limestone, and the cottages were roofed with Lake District grey slate. The executed scheme - while more extensive than what survives - did not comprise Adam's full design as seen in Adam volumes 33/69-70.

The use of a circus is most unusual here. The circus is usually a monumental urban arrangement, but here it takes the form of modest rural cottages. Moreover, it is one of the earliest uses of circus arrangement in Britain.

Only one half of the circus of cottages survives. It has been suggested that the mirroring two quadrant ranges were demolished during the nineteenth century, and they are now only delineated by the treeline. One half of a Greek cross-shaped court is adjacent to this, with a larger house opposite, and beyond is an open-ended rectangular court.

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Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation

If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk

Contents of Design and unfinished design for a village, 1766, partly executed with alterations (2)