• THE SPIRIT OF THE PLACE

    This is the first post on my first blog about the heritage of a place that has, for three-quarters of a century, delighted my spirit and stimulated my mind. Perhaps it is a good thing to begin by asking what the spirit of this fascinating place is all about. In Ancient Rome there was a belief that certain places were protected by entities called a genius loci, or Spirit of the Place. This was usually portrayed as a youth holding a cornucopia in one arm and pouring a libation to the gods with the other hand. Special places have been identified and revered since remote antiquity. This ability to recognise…