For the first time, the history of Kings Weston house has been accurately delineated in print. A new biography of the architect Sir John Vanbrugh has just been published, one that finally sets out the dates for design and construction accurately.

Author and former director of the National Gallery Sir Charles Saumarez Smith, has been in dialogue with KWAG for the last couple of years, sharing research and thoughts on the book. We have been delighted to support his work and have been kindly mentioned in the acknowledgements.

The book focusses on Vanbrugh’s architectural work in the context of his life experiences and personality. It adds colour to the man’s character and shows how he used his charm and enthusiasm to convince patrons of his ability to execute extraordinary projects with relatively little experience.

Kings Weston is well covered in the book, with seven whole pages. With the accurate start-date of the house finally confirmed in print as 1712, this is the first book to be able to show how the design and construction fits into the wider picture.

We were delighted to be able to attend the book’s launch at Wigmore Hall in London, where Charles Sumarez Smith gave a fascinating and illuminating lecture on Vanbrugh’s transformation from playwright to architect.

The book is published by Lund Humphries and would make an ideal Christmas present for anyone interested in Kings Weston’s famous designer and the backdrop against which it was built.