Anne Boleyn’s coat of arms.
15th Apr 2012✧00:3316 notes
anne boleyntudorcoast of armsheraldrycourt
A delicate mid-19th century gown.
14th Apr 2012✧22:2911 notes
clothingvictorian
Clawfoot tubs were luxury items in the late 19c. They were typically made from cast iron and porcelain, and required more water than regular tubs.
29th Mar 2012✧15:2115 notes
furniturehealthvictorianwant
The Pharos Lighthouse, also known as the Lighthouse of Alexandria, was the tallest man-made structure of its time and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It was built between 280 and 247 BC on the orders of Ptolemy I, who thought it would protect sailors from the rocky Pharos Island. Pharos was linked to the mainland and the city of Alexandria. It was somewhere between 393 and 450 ft. tall and made of pale stone. It was topped with four triton sculptures, a mirror for the sun’s reflection in the day, and a fire at night. When the Muslims took Egypt, they may have made it into a mosque. It was damaged horribly in the earthquakes of 956, 1303, and 1323, after which it was uninhabitable; it was finally destroyed utterly in 1480, when it was replaced by a medieval fort built by Sultan Qaitbay. Today, it is possible to dive and see the remnants. Note- the Egyptian government wants to rebuilt the Lighthouse, which I think is awesome; however, reports state that they want to put a shopping mall inside it. Considerably less awesome.
29th Mar 2012✧15:164 notes
ancientEgyptArchitecture
Westminster Abbey is one of the most famous churches in all of England, as it is the burial and coronation site of most British monarchs, as well as the site of many royal weddings. It was built in Westminster, London, England in the Gothic Style. Traditionally, it is claimed that the site was founded in the time of Mellitus, the bishop of London, when a fisherman Aldrich saw a vision of St. Peter on the site. This is the explanation of why the Fishmonger’s society and Medieval fisherman gave gifts of salmon to the Abbey every year. It was positively founded by the 970’s, when St. Dunstan and King Edgar installed a group of Benedictine monks here. Edward the Confessor built the first church on the site in the Norman Romanesque style and consecrated it around 1065; he himself was buried there, and the chair he used for his coronation is still there, used for each successive coronation up to the present day. The first documented coronation in the Abbey was of William the Conqueror in 1066. The only image of the Abbey as it stood then is preserved in the Bayeux Tapestry. Construction of the present Abbey was begun in 1245 by Henry III. He rebuilt it in honor of Edward the Confessor; it was completed under Richard II. Henry VII added the chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In 1940, it suffered minor damage during the Blitz but survived. Many royal weddings happened here, including Henry I and Matilda, Richard II and Anne, Queen Elizabeth II, Andrew Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson, and most recently, Prince William and Kate Middleton. The number of famous people buried here is staggering. Here is a partial list: Edward the Confessor and wife, Edith; Henry III; Edward I and Eleanor; Edward III and Philippa of Hainault; Richard II and Anne; Henry V and Catherine; Edward V; Richard III’s wife Anne Neville; Henry VII and Elizabeth; Edward VI; Anne of Cleves; Mary I; Elizabeth I; James VI and Anne; Charles II; Mary II; William III; George II and Caroline; Mary, Queen of Scots; Neville Chamberlain; Charles Darwin; Sir Isaac Newton; William Gladstone; William Wilberforce; Robert Browning; Geoffrey Chaucer; Charles Dickens; Thomas Hardy; Rudyard Kipling; Laurence Olivier; Alfred Tennyson; and Henry Purcell.
29th Mar 2012✧15:022 notes
ArchitecturemedievalroyaltycourtWeddingburialreligionchurch
This is a photo of a hansom cab, taken in 1877. Hansom cabs served as a sort of taxi for Victorian clientele; they were invented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, an architect from York, and quickly outstripped other modes of transportation in popularity due to how fast and light they were. They also only required one horse, making them cheaper; around 30 cents for a mile. They sat 2-3 passengers.
28th Mar 2012✧12:496 notes
transportationvictorian
A small silk bag from 1900; the forerunner of the purse.
13th Mar 2012✧13:501 note
clothingvictorian
A mother-of-pearl and lace fan from the end of the 19th century
13th Mar 2012✧13:5012 notes
victorianclothing
A gentleman’s silk waistcoat from the 1870’s-1880’s.
11th Mar 2012✧13:351 note
clothingvictorian
A brooch from 7th century Ireland made of copper and red enamel; it would have been used as a garment fastener. This looks like Ned Stark’s cloak clasp as Hand of the King in HBO’s Game of Thrones!
11th Mar 2012✧13:232 notes
clothingjewelry
Opaque  by  andbamnan