Saving a Century: Pevsner, Conservation and the Victorians. A Lecture Presented by The Arts Society Ealing on Monday 28 April 2025

'Unbeautiful but of value': Victorian buildings embodied many of the characteristics that Pevsner most deplored – rampant individualism, unnecessary ornament, historical fancy dress. He reserves some of his best adjectives for Victorian architecture – 'hamfisted', 'distressing', 'flabby', 'noisy', 'rum'. But he also considered it indispensable as the most vivid record of a period when Britain led the civilised world. Under his leadership the Victorian Society fought to conserve it, so hard that they would be credited with having saved a whole century. This lecture looks at Pevsner's views on the Victorians, the battles he won – and those he lost. 

Our lecturer, Susie Harries, is a writer, editor and lecturer specialising in 20th century culture and the arts. She has published eight books on subjects including official war art, opera and the composer Elisabeth Lutyens, as well as the biography of Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, published in August 2011.She lectures to a range of audiences, from the Imperial War Museum and British Museum to the Twentieth Century Society, the RSA, the Cheltenham and Bridport Literary Festivals, and the Victorian Society.

This talk is at 7:30pm on Monday 28th April at St Barnabas Church Hall, Pitshanger Lane, Ealing W5 1QG.

Visitors are welcome to attend at £8 per lecture (£3 for students); payment can be made in cash or by card on the evening.