Woodlands House
(Redirected from Woodlands Art Gallery)
51°28′47″N 0°01′02″E / 51.4796°N 0.01733°E
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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
[edit]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]
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]
Woodlands Art Gallery
[edit]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.[7]
Exhibitions 1970s
[edit]| Dates | Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - 25 July 1972 | Blackheath Art Society 1947 - 1972: A Retrospective Exhibition arranged by Greenwich Libraries for the Greenwich Festival 1972[8] | |
| 19 July - 21 August 1973 | Space from the Quadrangle[9] |
|
| 27 October to 25 November 1973 | Graphothek Berlin[10] |
|
| 1974 | John Julius Angerstein and Woodlands, 1774-1974 : a bicentenary exhibition celebrating the building of Woodlands by John Julius Angerstein[11] | |
| 18 July - 6 August 1974 | Four artists from Kent[12] |
|
| 4 January to 2 February 1975 | Watercolours from 1840 to 1914 of places in the Borough of Greenwich[13] | |
| 6 February - 4 March, 1975 | Crafts from the Institutes[14] | |
| 23 August - 23 September 1975 | Drawings | Siegfried Kühl[15] |
| 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[16] | |
| 14 February - 14 March 1976 | Valentines: Greetings Cards[17] | |
| 20 March - 2 May 1976 | Design Review (V&A)[18] | |
| 6 May - 1 June 1976 | Mary Rhodes and her embroiderers and Tapestry Weavers | Mary Rhodes[19] |
| 5 - 27 June 1976 | Paintings and Drawings[20] |
|
| 9 October - 9 November 1976 | Paintings[21] |
|
| 13 November - 14 December 1976 | Paintings, drawings and prints[22] |
|
| 18 December 1976 - 18 January 1977 | Watercolours and drawings of places in the Borough of Greenwich | Llwyd Roberts[23] |
| 3 April - 1 May 1977 | Postcards | Collection of Richard Moy[24] |
| 11 June - 12 July 1977 | Women's International Art Club [25] | |
| 12 January - 14 February 1978 | Exhibition[26] |
|
| 29 April - 6 June | Retrospective exhibition of watercolours and drawings 1952-1978 | Gordon Gunn[27] |
| 1978 | Solo Show | Cristiana Angelini[28] |
| 15 July - 22 August 1978 | Sculptures and Drawings | Kinnie Calo[29] |
| Collage, Pictures and Sculptures | Myfanwy Shrapnel[29] | |
| 26 August - 26 September 1978 | Textiles, Wall Hangings and pottery[30] | |
| 30 September - 31 October 1978 | Pottery and Weaving[31][32] |
WOVEN TEXTILES FROM GREENWICH INSTITUTE
|
POTTERY FROM ELTHAM INSTITUTE
| ||
POTTERY FROM GREENWICH INSTITUTE
| ||
POTTERY FROM WOOLWICH INSTITUTE
| ||
| 4 November - 12 December 1978 | Sculpture and Drawings | Ken Bright[33] |
| 1979 | Memorial Exhibition[34] | |
| 15 December 1979 - 15 January 1980 | 'Watercolours and Etchings | Maureen Black[35][36] |
| Watercolour Drawings and Patterns | Rod Harman[37] |
Exhibitions 1980s
[edit]| Dates | Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 19 January - 19 February 1980 | Drawings and Prints |
Julie Llewellyn[38] |
| Paintings and Drawings |
David Williams[39] | |
| 23 February - 25 March 1980 | Paintings Drawings and Fabric Collages | Richard Box[40] |
| Paintings, Watercolours and Drawings 1968 - 1980 | Norman Smith[41] | |
| 29 March - 29 April 1980 | Paintings | Tony Ashton[42] |
| 3 May - 10 June 1980 | Figurative Painters[43] |
|
| 19 July - 26 August 1980 | Paintings | Arthur Cotterell[44] |
| Watercolours | Pat Tucker[45] | |
| 30 August - 30 September 1980 | Pottery | Ray Auker[46][47] |
| Watercolours and Ceramics | Dave Edmunds[47] | |
| Paintings, Prints, Drawings and Constructions | Inger Lawrance[47] | |
| 4 October - 4 November 1980 | Paintings and Drawings | |
| 8 November - 9 December 1980 | Photographs | Peter Johns[50] |
| Sculpture, Pottery, Paintings, Drawings and Stained Glass | Catherine Armstrong[51] | |
| 13 December 1980 to 20 January 1981 | New pictures for the Art Gallery collection[52] | |
| Pastel Pictures | Frances Treanor[53] | |
| 24 January - 24 February 1981[54] | Paintings | Penny Carey |
| Icon Paintings | Jasmina Draskovic-Johnson | |
| Paintings and Watercolours | Charlotte Forman | |
| Sculpture | Sue Lamb | |
| 13 June - 14 July 1981 | Solo Show | Victor Pasmore[55] |
| 18 July - 25 August 1981 | Group ’77 Printmakers[56] | |
| 29 August - 29 September 1981 | Paintings | Doris Little[64] |
| 3 October - 3 November 1981[65] | Batik Paintings and Drawings | Barbara Huish |
| Paintings and Drawings | Bill Huish | |
| 1982 | Solo Show | Zadok Ben-David[66] |
| 1982 | Public Views | Stephen Rumney[67] |
| 1982 | Artists in Adult Education | |
| 1983 | Goldsmiths’ show | |
| 20 August - 20 September 1983 | Textiles | Maria-Theresa Fernandez[87] |
| 24 September - 18 October 1983 | Have You Seen Sculpture from the Body[88] |
|
| 10 November - 4 December 1984 | Work by Beckenham Textile Studio[89][90] |
|
| 7 - 31 March 1985 | Photographs[91] |
|
| 6 July - 6 August 1985 | Norfolk House SPACE studios at Woodlands[92] |
|
| 14 September - 8 October 1985 | Group Exhibition[93] | Dave Mabb |
| Andrew Carmichael | ||
| Sue Kelly | ||
| John Wood | ||
| 12 October - 5 November 1985 | Retrospective Show | Rowland Hilder[94][95] |
| 1986 | Solo Show | Manuel Aja-Herrara[96] |
| 8 August - 2 September 1986 | Solo Show | Pierre Vivant[97] |
| 2nd - 26th May 1987 | Paintings and Prints | Martyn Brewster[98] |
| Paintings and Drawings | William Mills[99] | |
| 25 June - 26 July 1988[100] | Prints | Kathleen Crozier |
| Drawings | Richard Evans | |
| Paintings and Prints | Avis Thornton | |
| Paintings & Sculpture | Kim Tong |
Exhibitions 1990s
[edit]| Dates | Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 August - 9 September 1990 | Creative Textiles and Ceramics[101] | |
| 1991 | Solo show | Kathryn Ensall[102] |
| 1992 | Retrospective (1942-92) | Pedro Friedeberg[103] |
| 26 November 1994 - 14 January 1995 | Abstract paintings and prints of painters' painter | Albert Irvin[104] |
| 8 December 1995 - 16 January 1986 | A retrospective exhibition of oil paintings and collages | John Christopherson[105][106] |
| 24 October - 21 November 1998 | Wide Time[107][108] |
|
Exhibitions 2000s
[edit]| Dates | Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 19 October - 12 November 2000 | Enclosures/Disclosures (mixed media work, paintings, sculpture and photography) | Artists including Paul Rooney[109] |
| 20 January - 4 February 2001 | Sculpture and drawings | Carl Plackman[110] |
| 22 March - 15 April 2001 | Collection of diverse recent paintings [111] |
|
| 2 - 24 June 2001 | The London Group[112] | |
| 16 February - 15 March 2003 | The London Group 90th Anniversary[113] | |
| 23 Mar-12 Apr 2003 | Greenwich open studios[117] |
In 1996, John Christopherson died with instructions for donations to Woodlands Art Gallery.[118]
In October 2003, the local history library was moved to a new site on the Royal Arsenal site in Woolwich[119] – now the Greenwich Heritage Centre,[120] and the gallery subsequently closed.
Steiner School
[edit]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.[121]
References
[edit]- ^ Historic England. "The Woodlands (1078946)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ A Virtual Tour of the Black and Asian Presence, 1500 - 1850. Retrieved: 30 December 2019.
- ^ Rhind, N. (1983) Blackheath Village & Environs, 1790–1970, Vol 2 (Bookshop Blackheath, London), p.274.
- ^ "Woodlands, Mycenae Road, Blackheath, c. 1790 | | Ideal Homes". ideal-homes.gre.ac.uk. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ 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."
- ^ "History". Mycenae House. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ Waddell, Heather (1985). The artists directory. London : Art Guide Publications. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-946716-00-5. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ Blackheath Art Society 1947 - 1972 (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1972.
- ^ Space from the Quadrangle (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1973.
- ^ Graphothek Berlin (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1973.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Artists show local scenes". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 27 July 1974. p. 14. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Crafts from the Institutes (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1975.
- ^ Siegfried Kuhl: Drawings (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1975.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Art books 1950-1979, p.1080
- ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 47. March–April 1976. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 46. May–June 1976. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Art books 1950-1979, p.360
- ^ Art books 1950-1979, pp.670, 783
- ^ Art books 1950-1979, p.812
- ^ Art books 1950-1979, p.520
- ^ "Card show". The Observer. 3 April 1977. p. 31. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "Spare Rib Magazine". Spare Rib Magazine (59): 25. June 1977. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "Exhibition Clem Beer and Roger Butlin". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 28 December 1977. p. 44. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ Gordon Gunn: Retrospective exhibition of watercolours and drawings 1952-1978 (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1978.
- ^ Buckman, p.70.
- ^ a b "Exhibitions". The Artist. 93 (8): 4. August 1978.
- ^ "Crafts". reader.exacteditions.com: 15. July–August 1978. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "Exhibitions". The Artist. 93 (6): 4. June 1978.
- ^ "Pottery and Weaving | Exhibition". ArtFacts. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
- ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 15. November–December 1978. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Buckman, p.54
- ^ Buckman, p.154
- ^ Maureen Black: Watercolours and Etchings (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1979.
- ^ Rod Harman: Watercolour Drawings and Patterns. Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1979.
- ^ Julie Llewellyn: Drawings and Prints(catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ David Williams: Paintings and Drawings (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Richard Box: Paintings Drawings and Fabric Collages (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Norman Smith: Paintings, Watercolours and Drawings 1968 - 1980 (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Tony Ashton: Paintings (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Figurative Painters (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Arthur Cotterell: Paintings (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Pat Tucker: Watercolours (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 15. September–October 1980. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ a b c Ray Auker, Dave Edmonds and Inger Lawrance (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ John Mallcott-Mills: Paintings and Drawings (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Martin Ward: Paintings and Drawings (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Peter Johns (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Catherine Armstrong: Sculpture, Pottery, Paintings, Drawings and Stained Glass (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Frances Treanor: Pastel Pictures (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1980.
- ^ Group exhibition (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1981.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Group '77 Printmakers. Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1981.
- ^ Buckman, p.62
- ^ Buckman, p.192
- ^ Buckman, p.582
- ^ Buckman, p.504
- ^ Buckman, p.1058
- ^ Buckman, p.1200
- ^ a b Buckman, p.1292
- ^ Doris Little: Paintings (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1981.
- ^ Barbara and Bill Huish (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1981.
- ^ From two worlds. London : Trustees of the Whitechapel Art Gallery. 1986. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-85488-069-0. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "BLITZ 9 Feb 1983". BLITZ: 14–15. January 1983. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ^ Buckman, p.52
- ^ Buckman, p.102
- ^ Buckman, p.246
- ^ a b Buckman, p.430
- ^ Buckman, p.466
- ^ [Buckman, p.558
- ^ Buckman, p.696
- ^ Buckman, p.814
- ^ Buckman, p.1110
- ^ Buckman, p.1124
- ^ Buckman, p.1140
- ^ Buckman, p.1188
- ^ Buckman, p.68
- ^ Buckman, p.150
- ^ Buckman, p.298
- ^ Buckman, p.338
- ^ Buckman, p.444
- ^ Buckman, p.1130
- ^ Buckman, p.1288
- ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 59. July–August 1983. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Have You Seen Sculpture from the Body (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1983.
- ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 57. November–December 1984. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ The Textile Studio (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1984.
- ^ Photographs (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1985.
- ^ "Norfolk House SPACE studios at Woodlands – [ SPACE ]". spacestudios.org.uk. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ^ Group Exhibition (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1985.
- ^ Buckman, p.580
- ^ "Kent scenes". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 27 September 1985. p. 22. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ Buckman, p.58
- ^ "Building Design Supplement , 1986, UK, English". 8 August 1986. p. 12. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ Martyn Brewster: Paintings and Prints (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1987.
- ^ William Mills: Paintings and Drawings (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1987.
- ^ Group Exhibition (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1988.
- ^ "Crafts Magazine". reader.exacteditions.com: 85. July–August 1990. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ "Homemade and uneasy". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 27 March 1992. p. 12. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ The dictionary of art. New York : Grove. 1998. p. 775-6. ISBN 978-1-884446-00-9.
- ^ "Albert Irvin". The Independent. 26 November 1994. p. 22. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "Independent , 1996, Ireland, English". p. 16. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- ^ John Christopherson: a retrospective exhibition of oil paintings and collages (catalogue). Greenwich: London Borough of Greenwich. 1985.
- ^ "Wide Time". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 22 October 1998. p. 6. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ^ "Painting". Sevenoaks Chronicle. 19 November 1998. p. 6. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
- ^ "Enclosures". Evening Standard. 19 October 2000. p. 129. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "Carl Plackman". The Independent. 20 January 2001. p. 111. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "Woodlands Art Gallery". Evening Standard. 22 March 2001. p. 131. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "The London Group". The Independent. 2 June 2001. p. 131. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "The London Group". The Independent. 15 February 2003. p. 128. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ Baile de Laperriere, p.135
- ^ Baile de Laperriere, p.234
- ^ Baile de Laperriere, p.313
- ^ "Greenwich open studios". www.newexhibitions.com. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
- ^ "John Christopherson Death Notice". The Independent. 2 September 1996. p. 16. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ Combined Services, 30 July 2003. This is Local London. Accessed: 23 August 2015
- ^ Greenwich
- ^ lease
Sources
[edit]- Buckman, David (1998). Dictionary of artists in Britain since 1945. Bristol : Art Dictionaries. ISBN 978-0-9532609-0-4.
- Art books 1950-1979 : including an international directory of museum permanent collection catalogs. New York ; London : Bowker. 1979. ISBN 978-0-8352-1189-5. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
- Baile de Laperriere, Charles (2004). Who's Who in Art : Biographies of Leading Men and Women in the World of Art in Britain today - Artists, Sculptors, Photographers, Critics, Writers, Lecturers and Curators. Calne : Hilmarton Manor Press. ISBN 978-0-904722-39-0.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Woodlands House at Wikimedia Commons- John Julius Angerstein & Woodlands publication details in the National Art Library
- Artsline Online — Woodlands Art Gallery
- Website Greenwich Waldorf School
Categories:
- Defunct contemporary art galleries in London
- Libraries in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
- 1776 establishments in England
- Houses in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
- Country houses in London
- Defunct museums in London
- Grade II* listed buildings in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
- Grade II* listed houses in London
- Former religious buildings and structures in London