18th-century culture - Morning

Course Programme

10:00 Art   Dr Sarah Pearson

'The Architecture of the 18th Century': the 18th Century was a time of restraint and elegance in European architecture as the excesses of the Baroque style gave way to the orderly use of the classical language and  a simplicity of form.

11:15 Coffee

11:45 Literature  Dr Louise Joy

'Eighteenth-century women's writing': a significant proportion of the literature produced in Britain during the eighteenth century was authored by women. Female writers were responsible for some of the most popular works of the period and for some of the most influential. Until recently, though, history has not been kind to these writers, and works authored by women largely disappeared into critical oblivion, remaining out of print and unremembered for decades. Recent research has brought long-forgotten works written by women back into circulation and enabled us to read them with fresh eyes. This session will open up a discussion about how we read critically-neglected works by the period's many female authors, asking whether it is necessary or even useful to position them as women's writing.

13:00 Finish

Lunch

A selection of sandwiches will be available to purchase in the Terrace Bar.

Additional requirements

ICE is committed to providing equality of opportunity and to a proactive and inclusive approach to equality. We aim to support and encourage under-represented groups, promote an inclusive culture, and value diversity.

Further information about student support.

Entry requirements

No academic qualification is required, and most courses are suitable for students who are new to the subject.

All teaching is in English (unless a foreign-language course). If your first language is not English, you need to satisfy yourself that you have the required near-native command of the language to get the maximum benefit from studying with ICE.

This course takes place at Madingley Hall, home to the University of Cambridge Institute of Continuing Education.

About Madingley Hall

Madingley Hall itself is an impressive manor house dating back to the mid-16th century. The decoration of the Saloon and the formal Stair Hall was carried out 200 years later, and the whole fabric was renovated with great care around 1900. About four miles from the centre of Cambridge, the Hall stands in several acres of beautifully-maintained gardens and overlooks a landscape which has changed relatively little since it was laid out by Capability Brown. It is just four miles from the centre of Cambridge, and only 60 minutes from London, with excellent links to London airports.

Getting here

For more information see directions to Madingley Hall

We now have a mini-bus service which runs between the station and Madingley Hall. For the timetable and further information, please see our Lifelong Learning page or contact the reception desk at ICE.