Riverside Palaces : Town houses of the nobility on the Thames at Westminster during the seventeenth century.
During the seventeenth century landed gentry (M. Girouard, 1978) the great farmers of the shires during their winter season would remove themselves as described in the diary of Lady Anne Clifford (R.T. Spence, 1997) with an entourage or suite to the city.
No longer would it be
sufficient to maintain and manage large country estates, an agrarian landlord may accumulate wealth in the shires, though if he were to gain influence in court (promote his education and perhaps invest in some international trade) a place in the cultural, social and political whirl of the winter ‘season’ in the city would promote his place. Some mixture of socio-political interests enabled by a culture of hospitality, a courtly demonstration of wealth which needed a town house, commodious and reflecting a social intention.
With political
influence may flow appointments, offices and lead to his own patronage of a
flourishing culture. Arising from the medieval guilds and their observance of hospitality
during festivals, was a culture in development.
During the early
seventeenth century the court no longer proceeded to visit the noble residence of a courtier in the shires (J. Nichols, 1977) instead Jacobean court habits were urban and attracting participation in the city and its growing social influence.
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