Enfilade

Sir John Vanbrugh, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, 1705–22. Seat of the Dukes of Marlborough.

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From The Georgian Group, in anticipation of Vanbrugh300 in 2026:

Christine Stevenson | John Vanbrugh and the Art of Client Management

The Georgian Group, 6 Fitzroy Square, London, 21 October 2025, 6.30pm

The early eighteenth-country houses designed by John Vanbrugh (1664–1726), including Blenheim in Oxfordshire and the now-lost Claremont in Surrey and Eastbury in Dorset are, or were, remarkable for their bold forms and unorthodox ornament. Yet in one respect Sir John’s work was supremely delicate: the ways in which he persuaded clients that boldness and unorthodoxy were the most economical routes to displays appropriate to their status. His arguments are gossipy, funny, and often suspect. They present the architect less as a designer than as a hedge against financial and reputational risk. At the same time, they offer us a fascinating insight into the sometimes-fraught social and familial relationships in play when it came to spending money on a house. Georgian Group members, £15 / non-members, £18; tickets include a glass of wine.

Booking is available here»