Georgian House Trail. Tom and Lizzie s

Transcription

1 Tom and Lizzie s Georgian House Trail Hi, I m Tom and we are going to help you find out how a Georgian house was built and decorated. If you work out the mystery words at the end you will win a sticker! Hello, I m Lizzie. Try on our clothes which are hanging up if you d like to. We can t afford silk and lace but we keep ourselves neat and tidy.

2 Bath is a World Heritage Site which means it is very important, largely due to its beautiful buildings, many of which were built in the Georgian period ( ). First of all, go to the back of the Museum and look at the big model of the city. Press the button marked Queen Square to see where the Georgian style of Architecture began in Bath. Try the other buttons - can you find some more buildings which look similar to those in Queen Square? Now, take a look at the model of 26 Great Pulteney Street (to the right of the city model). It s a very grand house isn t it?! Which rooms could be the bedrooms? Or a Library? Why do you think that? 2

3 Can you name these materials used to build houses? (the answers are on the last page) What is the colour of the front door of No. 26? Now, find this object and try it on. What do you think it is used for? What s inside? It s a wicker panier and I use it to carry heavy loads of stone, called ashlar, up to the top of very wobbly scaffolding. 3

4 Can you find these objects? What are they called? Along with chisels, these are the tools we use to cut and shape ashlar to build a house. It can take two years just to finish the walls and add a roof! 4

5 Bath is built out of golden oolitic limestone quarried from the hills around the city. It s surprisingly soft and easy to carve. This piece of ashlar has been carved to look like a giant version of a small seed from a tree. What is its name? What does the acorn feel like when you touch it? I carved it, can you see me in the painting close by? I am using my dividers and working in the open air. Sometimes, I get very sunburnt! Can you see this object? It s called a Mason s Drag. What do you think it was used for? 5

6 Find these two ashlar blocks. What is the surprising object helping to stop the top block crushing the bottom one? (Clue: it came from the sea). Oysters might be expensive for you but they are a cheap snack for us! Two architects called John Wood the Elder and his son John Wood the Younger used a strict style called Palladian to design buildings. Detail from Four Bath Worthies, Bath in Time/Bath Preservation Trust Can you name this object? It was used to measure the height of a building. 6

7 Bath s houses often look the same on the outside because three Orders of Architecture are used. These are columns topped with different patterns. Can you find them in the Museum and name them? Although the houses have to look the same, you can still choose your own style of door. Find these photos and decide which is your favourite. Why? 7

8 Don t forget that your house will need wooden joists (to support the floors) and floorboards on top. Can you find this object? It s called a plumb level. How did it help a carpenter? What are these? Find this sash window. Try lifting it up (but gently does it!). Why doesn t it fall down again? Sash windows are very fashionable because they let lots of light into a room. Hidden on both sides are metal weights on a cord which balance the window so it doesn t fall down. Very clever! More woodwork now! Look for this beautiful picture on the wall. It s of our friend John the Cabinet maker who made this chest lid himself using marquetry. This is the craft of sticking thin pieces of wood together for decoration. What tool is John holding in his hand? 8

9 What other tools can you see? Use the tools on display below the lid to help you. John also has a pint of frothy beer in his other hand. Georgians drank a lot of beer as it was safer than water which was often dirty. Now, let s get decorating! Can you see this wooden mirror frame? It shows all the stages of carving and gilding (to make it shiny). Can you name the material used to decorate frames? (Clue: it is as thin as paper and is applied with a brush) What is the name of this gilded bird? 9

10 We love decorating houses with patterns, especially colourful plants and flowers. Can you find this pattern which was used on walls and ceilings? Why do you think it s called egg and dart? Find and take a close look at these pieces of wood and marble stone. Are they what they seem or is there a clever decorating trick involved? (Clue: a brush is involved) You might know about stencilling. It s very popular in Bath. Take a look at the patterns and paint colours. Which are your favourites? 10

11 Draw your own stencil pattern here Can you see a dish labelled white lead? It was an ingredient in Georgian paint but it s very poisonous so it s no longer used. This white lead is actually ordinary white paint so don t worry! Sometimes I have to boil dead cochineal beetles in water to make a paint colour, it s a bit unpleasant! Can you find the dried cochineal beetles on display and name the colour they made? 11

12 Congratulations! Now that you know how to build and decorate a Georgian house, you could work with us! If you put all the letters in the shaded boxes together in order, can you make the mystery words? Then, go to the ticket desk to claim a sticker! The mystery words are: Please put our clothes back for the next visitors then you could make a Georgian house out of Lego or play with the Dolls House. Don t forget to ask for your sticker at the ticket desk! Thanks for visiting the Museum of Bath Architecture With thanks to the South West Museum Development programme for supporting this trail. Please look out for exciting family events at Answers: Page 3. Metal, Stone, Wood, Glass; White. Page 4. Stone Axe, Mason s Mallet, Mason s Dividers. Page 5. Acorn; to smooth the surface of the ashlar. Page 6. Oyster shell; Theodolite. Page 7. Doric, Ionic, Corinthian. Page 8. It helped make sure the floor was level; Nails; Hammer. Page 9. Trammels, Compasses, Planes, Brace, Saws, Square, Mallet, Axe (and a pot of glue); Gold leaf; Swan. Page 10. Because it has egg and little arrow shapes in it; they are painted to look like wood and marble because it was much cheaper. Page 11. Red