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Coordinates: 51°28′47″N 0°01′02″E / 51.4796°N 0.01733°E / 51.4796; 0.01733
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(Redirected from Woodlands Art Gallery)

51°28′47″N 0°01′02″E / 51.4796°N 0.01733°E / 51.4796; 0.01733

For the house designed by Richard Norman Shaw in Holland Park, see Woodland House.
Woodlands House

Woodlands House is a Grade II* listed[1] Georgian villa, next door to Mycenae House, Mycenae Road, in the Westcombe Park area of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, in southeast London. From 1972 to 2003 the building served as a library and art museum, known as the Woodlands Art Gallery. Today it houses a Steiner School.

History

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The building was built on a site leased in 1774 from Sir Gregory Page by John Julius Angerstein (a Lloyd's underwriter). Angerstein made his fortune in the East Indian trade as well as having West Indian business links, including a third share in a slave plantation in Grenada.[2] His art collection was bought in 1824 to form the nucleus of the National Gallery, London. Angerstein occupied a house in nearby Crooms Hill, Greenwich, while the villa was constructed over the next two years to a design by local architect George Gibson[3] and was completed in the summer of 1776.[4]

It was described in Daniel Lysons' The Environs of London (1796):

"Woodlands, the seat of John Julius Angerstein, Esq. (between East-Combe and West-Combe), occupies a situation uncommonly beautiful. The surrounding scenery is very picturesque; and the distant view of the river, and the Essex shore, is broken with good effect by the plantations near the house. The grounds were laid out, and the house built about the year 1772, by the present proprietor, who has a small but valuable collection of pictures; among which Sir Joshua Reynolds's celebrated portrait of Garrick between Tragedy and Comedy, the Venus, a well known picture, by the same artist; a fine portrait of Rubens, by Vandyke; and a very beautiful landscape, with cattle, by Cuyp, claim particular notice. The greenhouse is to be remarked for its collection of heaths."[5]

This photo of Woodlands House appeared in the November 1897 edition of Cassier's Magazine as part of an article about Alfred Yarrow.

Angerstein extended Woodlands in the late 18th century, adding a west wing, conservatory, out-buildings and a stable and riding school (most of these were demolished after the sale of the Westcombe estates in 1876). After Angerstein's death in 1823, the property became the family home of his son John Angerstein (who was elected Liberal MP for Greenwich in 1835 and devoted much of his time to development of the Angerstein estates).

In the late 1890s, the property was purchased by the shipbuilder Sir Alfred Fernandez Yarrow. It became the Yarrow family home and later, during the First World War, served as a hostel for Belgian refugees. In the 1920s, it was sold to a Catholic religious order, the Little Sisters of the Assumption, for use as a convent and novitiate; during the 1930s, an adjacent building (today Mycenae House) was constructed to expand the novitiate accommodation.[6]

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Acquired by the Royal Borough of Greenwich in 1967 after the Little Sisters relocated to Paddington, the house opened as a local history library and contemporary art gallery — known as Woodlands Art Gallery — in 1972. It held an extensive range of solo and group exhibitions.

Exhibitions

[edit]
Dates Title Artist(s)
1974 John Julius Angerstein and Woodlands, 1774-1974 : a bicentenary exhibition celebrating the building of Woodlands by John Julius Angerstein[7]
25 July - 6 August 1974 Four artists from Kent[8]
  • Dorothy Fairweather-Walker
  • Julia Easterling
  • Brian Hargreaves
  • Joyce Hargreaves
4 January to 2 February 1975 Watercolours from 1840 to 1914 of places in the Borough of Greenwich[9]
10 January - 10 February 1976 Victorian Street Scenes: Mr Coulthurst's Salford, 1889-1894, Mr Spurgeon's Greenwich, 1884-1887 (a Magic Lantern Lecture): An Exhibition of Photographs[10]
14 February - 14 March 1976 Valentines: Greetings Cards[11]
20 March - 2 May 1976 Design Review (V&A)[12]
6 May - 1 June 1976 Mary Rhodes and her embroiderers and Tapestry Weavers Mary Rhodes[13]
5 - 27 June 1976 Paintings and Drawings[14]
  • Jean Cooke
  • Diana Cumming
9 October - 9 November 1976 Paintings[15]
  • Ian McGugan
  • Ed Perera
13 November - 14 December 1976 Paintings, drawings and prints[16]
  • Frederick Palmer
  • Max Middleton
18 December 1976 - 18 January 1977 Watercolours and drawings of places in the Borough of Greenwich Llwyd Roberts[17]
3 April - 1 May 1977 Postcards Collection of Richard Moy[18]
11 June - 12 July 1977 Women's International Art Club [19]
12 January - 14 February 1978 Exhibition[20]
  • Clem Beer
  • Roger Butlin
1978 Solo Show Cristiana Angelini[21]
26 August - 26 September 1978 Textiles, Wall Hangings and pottery[22]
30 September - 31 October 1978 Pottery and Weaving[23]
4 November - 12 December 1978 Sculpture and Drawings Ken Bright[24]
1979 Memorial Exhibition[25]
Jan 1980 Solo Show Maureen Black[26]
1 - 30 September 1980 Pottery [27]
  • Ray Auker
  • Dave Edmunds
13 December 1980 to 20 January 1981 New pictures for the Art Gallery collection[28]
13 June - 14 July 1981 Solo Show Victor Pasmore[29]
1981 Group ’77 Printmakers
1982 Solo Show Zadok Ben-David[37]
1982 Public Views Stephen Rumney[38]
1982 Artists in Adult Education
1983 Goldsmiths’ show
  • Christopher Andrews
  • Kerry Andrews[51]
  • Philip Bird[52]
  • Graham Coupe[53]
  • Pamela Day[54]
  • Alan Franklin[55]
  • Martin Spanyol[56]
  • Victor Willis[57]
20 August - 20 September 1983 Textiles Maria-Theresa Fernandez[58]
10 November - 4 December 1984 Work by Beckenham Textile Studio[59] Beckenham Textile Studio
6 July - 6 August 1985 Norfolk House SPACE studios at Woodlands[60]
  • Manuel Aja-Herrera
  • Jobe Berrington
  • Niamh Collins
  • Joan Diamantis
  • Linda Dodd
  • Paul Donnelly
  • Ken Janks
  • Philip Hodgetts
  • Sophie Horton
  • Sally Kidall
  • Susan Kinley
  • Laura Knoblock
  • Robert Koenig
  • Peter Maris
  • Gerda Rubinstein
  • Julieta Rubio
  • Rita Smith
  • Steven Veldkamp
  • Jean Wilson
12 October - 5 November 1985 Retrospective Show Rowland Hilder[61][62]
1986 Solo Show Manuel Aja-Herrara[63]
8 August - 2 September 1986 Solo Show Pierre Vivant[64]
11 August - 9 September 1990 Creative Textiles and Ceramics[65]
1991 Solo show Kathryn Ensall[66]
1992 Retrospective (1942-92) Pedro Friedeberg[67]
26 November 1994 - 14 January 1995 Abstract paintings and prints of painters' painter Albert Irvin[68]
December 1995 Retrospective John Christopherson[69]
24 October - 21 November 1998 Wide Time[70][71]
  • Susan Hinks
  • Ian Bottle
  • Gareth Edwards
19 October - 12 November 2000 Enclosures/Disclosures (mixed media work, paintings, sculpture and photography) Artists including Paul Rooney[72]
20 January - 4 February 2001 Sculpture and drawings Carl Plackman[73]
22 March - 15 April 2001 Collection of diverse recent paintings [74]
  • Rosemary Morison
  • Ruth Sumner
  • Val Flack
  • Bruce Williams
2 - 24 June 2001 The London Group[75]
16 February - 15 March 2003 The London Group 90th Anniversary[76]
  • Peter Clossick[77]
  • Anthony John Plowden Eyton[78]
  • Alfred Harris[79]
23 Mar-12 Apr 2003 Greenwich open studios[80]

In 1996, John Christopherson died with instructions for donations to Woodlands Art Gallery.[81]

In October 2003, the local history library was moved to a new site on the Royal Arsenal site in Woolwich[82] – now the Greenwich Heritage Centre,[83] and the gallery subsequently closed.

Steiner School

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The council sought proposals to redevelop Woodlands House, the adjacent Mycenae House and surrounding grounds, with a proposal incorporating premises for a local Steiner School being approved in July 2006.[84]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Historic England. "The Woodlands (1078946)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  2. ^ A Virtual Tour of the Black and Asian Presence, 1500 - 1850. Retrieved: 30 December 2019.
  3. ^ Rhind, N. (1983) Blackheath Village & Environs, 1790–1970, Vol 2 (Bookshop Blackheath, London), p.274.
  4. ^ "Woodlands, Mycenae Road, Blackheath, c. 1790 | | Ideal Homes". ideal-homes.gre.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  5. ^ From: 'Greenwich', The Environs of London: volume 4: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent (1796), pp. 426–93. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=45486&strquery=Woodlands%20Blackheath. Date accessed: 24 September 2007."
  6. ^ "History". Mycenae House. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  7. ^ "John Julius Angerstein and Woodlands, 1774-1974 : a bicentenary exhibition celebrating the building of Woodlands by John Julius Angerstein : [catalogue]". Kent Libraries. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  8. ^ "Artists show local scenes". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 27 July 1974. p. 14. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  9. ^ "Watercolours from 1840 to 1914 of places in the Borough of Greenwich : a catalogue of pictures in the collection of Woodlands Art Gallery produced to coincide with an exhibition held from 4th January to 2nd February 1975". Kent Libraries. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  10. ^ Victorian Street Scenes: Mr Coulthurst's Salford, 1889-1894, Mr Spurgeon's Greenwich, 1884-1887 (a Magic Lantern Lecture): An Exhibition of Photographs 10 January-10 February 1976 [at] Woodlands Art Gallery. Greenwich: Woodlands Art Gallery. 1976. ISBN 9780950403373.
  11. ^ Art books 1950-1979, p.1080
  12. ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 47. March–April 1976. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  13. ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 46. May–June 1976. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  14. ^ Art books 1950-1979, p.360
  15. ^ Art books 1950-1979, pp.670, 783
  16. ^ Art books 1950-1979, p.812
  17. ^ Art books 1950-1979, p.520
  18. ^ "Card show". The Observer. 3 April 1977. p. 31. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  19. ^ "Spare Rib Magazine". Spare Rib Magazine (59): 25. June 1977. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  20. ^ "Exhibition Clem Beer and Roger Butlin". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 28 December 1977. p. 44. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  21. ^ Buckman, p.70.
  22. ^ "Crafts". reader.exacteditions.com: 15. July–August 1978. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  23. ^ "Exhibitions". The Artist. 93 (6): 4. June 1978.
  24. ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 15. November–December 1978. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  25. ^ Buckman, p.54
  26. ^ Buckman, p.154
  27. ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 15. September–October 1980. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  28. ^ "New pictures for the Art Gallery collection : a catalogue of local pictures in the collection of Woodlands Art Gallery produced for an exhibition held from 13th December 1980 to 20th January 1981". Kent Libraries. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  29. ^ Babington Smith, V. (Veronica) (1982). International directory of exhibiting artists, 1982. Oxford : Clio Press. pp. 298–299. ISBN 978-0-903450-61-4. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  30. ^ Buckman, p.62
  31. ^ Buckman, p.192
  32. ^ Buckman, p.582
  33. ^ Buckman, p.504
  34. ^ Buckman, p.1058
  35. ^ Buckman, p.1200
  36. ^ a b Buckman, p.1292
  37. ^ From two worlds. London : Trustees of the Whitechapel Art Gallery. 1986. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-85488-069-0. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  38. ^ "BLITZ 9 Feb 1983". BLITZ: 14–15. January 1983. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  39. ^ Buckman, p.52
  40. ^ Buckman, p.102
  41. ^ Buckman, p.246
  42. ^ a b Buckman, p.430
  43. ^ Buckman, p.466
  44. ^ [Buckman, p.558
  45. ^ Buckman, p.696
  46. ^ Buckman, p.814
  47. ^ Buckman, p.1110
  48. ^ Buckman, p.1124
  49. ^ Buckman, p.1140
  50. ^ Buckman, p.1188
  51. ^ Buckman, p.68
  52. ^ Buckman, p.150
  53. ^ Buckman, p.298
  54. ^ Buckman, p.338
  55. ^ Buckman, p.444
  56. ^ Buckman, p.1130
  57. ^ Buckman, p.1288
  58. ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 59. July–August 1983. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  59. ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 57. November–December 1984. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  60. ^ "Norfolk House SPACE studios at Woodlands – [ SPACE ]". spacestudios.org.uk. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  61. ^ Buckman, p.580
  62. ^ "Kent scenes". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 27 September 1985. p. 22. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  63. ^ Buckman, p.58
  64. ^ "Building Design Supplement , 1986, UK, English". 8 August 1986. p. 12. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  65. ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 85. July–August 1990. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  66. ^ "Homemade and uneasy". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 27 March 1992. p. 12. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  67. ^ The dictionary of art. New York : Grove. 1998. p. 775-6. ISBN 978-1-884446-00-9.
  68. ^ "Albert Irvin". The Independent. 26 November 1994. p. 22. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  69. ^ "Independent , 1996, Ireland, English". p. 16. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
  70. ^ "Wide Time". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 22 October 1998. p. 6. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  71. ^ "Painting". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 19 November 1998. p. 6. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  72. ^ "Enclosures". Evening Standard. 19 October 2000. p. 129. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  73. ^ "Carl Plackman". The Independent. 20 January 2001. p. 111. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  74. ^ "Woodlands Art Gallery". Evening Standard. 22 March 2001. p. 131. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  75. ^ "The London Group". The Independent. 2 June 2001. p. 131. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  76. ^ "The London Group". The Independent. 15 February 2003. p. 128. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  77. ^ Baile de Laperriere, p.135
  78. ^ Baile de Laperriere, p.234
  79. ^ Baile de Laperriere, p.313
  80. ^ "Greenwich open studios". www.newexhibitions.com. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  81. ^ "John Christopherson Death Notice". The Independent. 2 September 1996. p. 16. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  82. ^ Combined Services, 30 July 2003. This is Local London. Accessed: 23 August 2015
  83. ^ Greenwich
  84. ^ lease

Sources

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