Certificate of Higher Education in Historic Environment Designed landscapes from Romans to the Restoration (core course E garden history) Credit / award 20 credits at FHEQ 4 Start date 20 September 2010 End date 13 December 2010 Day Mondays Time 7.15pm 9.15pm Venue ACE Centre, Mary Allan Building, Homerton College, Hills Road, Cambridge Tutor Dr Kate Harwood No of meetings 11 meetings plus a fieldtrip (16 October 2010) Fee 300 Course code 1011CCR541 For further information on this course, please contact Academic Programme Manager or Administrative Secretary (emm30@cam.ac.uk or cak34@cam.ac.uk) or 01223 746226/237 To book See: www.ice.cam.ac.uk or telephone 01223 746262 Tutor biography Kate Harwood is a lecturer, researcher and writer on Garden History. She lectures for the University of Cambridge and Birkbeck College, London University. She leads the Conservation and Planning group of the Hertfordshire Gardens Trust and is a member of the national Association of Gardens Trusts Conservation Group. Her special interests include the influence of India on English gardens. Course syllabus Aims To enable students to gain competence in the general recognition of historic gardens in the period under consideration To familiarise students with specific features and styles which might be encountered within historic gardens of the period under consideration To encourage students to explore the political, cultural and religious symbolism within garden design of this period, and to set this very generally within the social context of the period under consideration To encourage students to begin to gain the skills and knowledge necessary for undertaking site-
specific or thematic research within garden history of this period Content From the Romans to the Restoration, garden design may be explored under the dual themes of formality and symbolism: formal in design, symbolic in meaning. This course will explore the arenas of both garden design and of meaning, whilst familiarising students with the features and elements used within the gardens of each period under study. The course has a chronological framework, commencing with Roman gardens in England and the continent, and going on to examine the parks and gardens of the medieval, Tudor and Elizabethan periods before looking at the influence of the Renaissance and the impact of the Commonwealth. The magnificent gardens of the Restoration will be examined within the context of their period and the influence and input of French gardening. The course will conclude with an overview of the Dutch - inspired gardens of William and Mary. Various themes will be examined within this chronological framework. These include religious symbolism during the Roman and medieval periods, political meaning and impact (in particular during the 17th century), and the links between plant introduction and garden design. Specific site studies will be used to explore more general issues of design, and case studies will be supported by a field visit to relevant historic gardens, garden sites or museums during the course. Presentation of the course All students will be expected to access the online Virtual Learning Environment and to submit assignments by uploading them to the VLE. The course will be taught through tutor presentations, supported by powerpoint and handouts. There will be participative elements to the sessions with group and individual exercises and group discussions. A fieldtrip to historic gardens within the Cambridge area will form an integral part of the course. Further trips may be arranged outside of the course in the summer months. Students will also be expected to carry out independent reading and research. Provisional lecture list Week 1 Introduction to the earliest gardens: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece Week 2 Roman gardens: sources, types, symbolism, planting. Their influence on later gardens. Examples from Italy, Germany, Portugal and England Week 3 Monastic and domestic gardens to c.1550. Productive gardens to c.1550 Week 4 The Medieval Noble and Royal Gardens: Hortus Conclusus: Larger Medieval designed landscapes, Hunting parks, Warrens and pleasaunces Week 5 Royal and Courtier Gardens of the Tudor period No class Half-term break - 25 October 2010 Week 6 Impact of the printing press on garden design: Thomas Tusser, Thomas Hill; William Lawson; Gervase Markham. Herbals Plant Introductions of the Tudor and Elizabethan period: William Coys, L Obel, Goodyer, Gerard, and The Tradescants Week 7 The Italian Renaissance Gardens, Neoplatonism, Ovid s Metamorphoses The Impact of the Renaissance: How was it expressed in England? Mannerist and Renaissance symbolism: Pagan, political and religious: Edzell Castle Walled Garden and Heraldry Week 8 Salomon and Isaac de Caus, automata, grottoes, waterworks etc
Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Denmark House, Wilton, the Houses of the Cecils etc Commonwealth: Orchards and the Second Coming: Parliamentary Surveys and Commonwealth gardens: Samuel Hartlib and John Beale John Evelyn: Sylva, Elysium Britannicum, Sayes Court, Wotton, Albury Restoration gardens: Formality and Symbolism An overview of the French influence followed by an examination of royal and courtier gardens in England The Glorious Revolution: The Dutch influence in design and planting. The effect of the East India Companies on plant collecting Student assignments As this is a Certificate of Higher Education course (equivalent at least to first-year undergraduate standard) it will require a commitment to reading and pre-class preparation. Student contributions within class time will be expected, as outlined above, and will form an important part of the learning process. In addition, students may be asked to complete tasks between sessions in order to contribute to the following session. Students who wish to achieve credit will need to complete written work to a total of 3,000 4,000 words. Essay Titles The tutor does not set essay titles for this course, preferring that students should undertake assignments in garden history on topics of particular interest to themselves within the course remit and agreed with her. However examples of the type of assignments include: A critical evaluation of one named site through one or more contemporary illustrations, plans, or sketches The influence of Ancient Roman Gardens in the Renaissance: how did it manifest itself? God and the orchard; how important was the apple in gardening from early medieval to Civil War? A critical assessment of the role of archaeology in garden history A definition and examination of the Renaissance Garden in England: did it ever exist? Students should note that an essay should be analytical or critical in its approach, i.e. it should contain in its title (and its text!) question such as why, how, etc. Alternatively it may be a statement such as A critical assessment of the role of X in the gardens of the XX century for example. Students must discuss and agree the title of an assignment with the tutor beforehand. Students should attach to every assignment a signed and dated statement of authorship, stating that the work is their own and that they have read the Institute s guidance notes on plagiarism. This statement of authorship can be downloaded from the VLE or copied from Appendix I in the Students Handbook. Closing date for the submission of assignments: Tuesday 4 th January 2011. Outcomes As a result of the course, within the constraints of the time available, students should be able to: a) show a general familiarity with garden design and garden features from the Roman period to the Restoration, with specific focus on knowledge of a particular period chosen by the student;
b) demonstrate an understanding of the influence of politics, culture and religion in garden design in the chosen period; c) show awareness of the role of symbolism within design and planting during the chosen period; d) demonstrate relevant study skills in relation to the theme, or specific historic garden, in the period under consideration. This will usually be demonstrated by the completion of an assignment or project of 3,000 to 4,000 words undertaken and presented by the student. Student participation All students are expected to take an active part in this university-level course by handing in work for assessment to provide evidence of their learning on the course. Therefore, all students will be expected to: (i) attend at least two-thirds of the classes and the fieldtrip (ii) participate actively in class work; (iii) undertake reading and assignments set by the tutor; The award of credit depends upon the satisfactory completion of the above. The assignments will be assessed against the outcomes for the course and the generic pass criteria given in the Students Handbook. Students are expected to make sure that their assignment is supported by appropriate referencing and that there is no danger their work could be suspected of plagiarism. They should familiarise themselves with the following guidance issued by the University of Cambridge and by the Institute of Continuing Education: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/plagiarism/ http://www.cont-ed.cam.ac.uk/studying-with-us/information-for-students/plagiarism Reading and resources list Author Title Publisher Adams, W. 1980. The French Garden 1500-1800 Scolar Press Batey, M (ed) 2007 A Celebration of John Evelyn: Proceedings of a Conference to mark the tercentenary of his death Surrey Gardens Trust Campbell- Culver, M. 2001 The Origin of Plants Headline Carroll, M 2002 Earthly Paradises Ancient Gardens in History and Archaeology Croft, P (ed) 2002 Patronage, Culture and Power: The early Cecils 1558-1612 British Museum Yale Cunliffe, B. Fishbourne: A Roman Palace and Garden Farrar, L 2000 Ancient Roman Gardens Sutton
Harvey, J 1981 Medieval Gardens Batsford Harvey, J 1988 Restoring Period Gardens Shire Pub Henderson, P 2005 The Tudor House and Garden: Architecture and Landscape in the 16 th & Early 17 th Centuries Yale Hobhouse, P. 1992 Plants in Garden History Pavilion Hobhouse, P 2002 The Story of Gardening DK Holmes, C (ed) 2001 Icons of Garden Design Jacques, D and van der Horst, AJ 1988 The Gardens of William and Mary Christopher Helm Landsberg, S. 1995 The Medieval Garden British Museum Leith-Ross, P 1984 The John Tradescants: Gardeners to the Rose and Lily Queen Peter Owen Liddiard, R 2007 The Medieval Park: New perspectives Windgather Pattison, P. 1999 There by Design: Field Archaeology in Parks and Gardens Potter, J 2006 Strange Blooms: The Curious Lives and Adventures of the John Tradescants BAR British Series 267 Atlantic Ryley, C Nd Roman Gardens and their Plants Fishbourne Trust Quest, Ritson, C 2001 The English Garden Viking press Strong, R 1979/84 The Renaissance Garden in England Thames and Hudson Strong, R 2000 The Artist and the Garden Yale UP Symes, M. 1993 A Glossary of Garden History Shire Pub Taylor, C 1998 Parks and Gardens of Britain Edinburgh Univ. Press Thacker, C. 1994 The Genius of Gardening: The History of Gardens in Britain and Ireland Weiss, A. 1995 Mirrors of Infinity: The French Formal Garden and 17 th Century Metaphysics Weidenfeld and Nicholson Princeton Architectural Press
Whalley, R and Jennings, A 1998 Knot Gardens and Parterres: A History of the Knot Garden and How to Make One Today Barn Elms Williamson, T 2007 Rabbits, Warrens and Archaeology Tempus Note Students of the Institute of Continuing Education are entitled to 20% discount on books published by Cambridge University Pres (CUP) which are purchased at the Press bookshop, 1 Trinity Street, Cambridge (Mon-Sat 9am 5:30pm, Sun 11am 5pm). A letter or email confirming acceptance on to a current Institute course should be taken as evidence of enrolment. Information correct as of 25 August 2010