Evoking Classicism: the Wonderful Garrick Temple

David Garrick, ah, the very name evokes classicism, the cadence of eighteenth-century music, the sweep of ladies’ gowns and the swoop of feathers on gentlemen’s hats. Shakespearean actor Garrick built his famous Villa in Hampton in 1754, by the river Thames. Nearby, he built a Temple to house his collection of Shakespeare memorabilia and to celebrate the Bard's genius. With its distinctive octagonal footprint and domed roof, the Temple cannot fail to catch the eye as you sally along the river bank. Once upon terre, the visitor climbs the steps to a front porch or portico, its columns supporting a massive pediment over the entrance door. From where did Garrick get his building references? In the 1700s', there was a surge of interest over ancient Greece and Rome. This was in part due to the Grand Tour, the trip about Europe made by young men of means in order to complete their education. One point of interest was the Villa Rotunda, begun by Andrea Palladio in 1567. Palladio based his Villa on that Roman landmark, the Pantheon. The form is quite simple; a round building or 'rotonda' fronted by a portico of Corinthian columns supporting a pediment. In spite of the simplicity of the design - or maybe because of it - the Pantheon captured the imagination of architects all over Europe and North America. The Garrick Temple is not so grand, of course. The roof is domed and its three Queen Anne windows overlook the river. Inside, a statue of Shakespeare by the French sculptor Roubiliac, is set into an alcove in the wall opposite the entrance door. The walls are hung with paintings linked to the life and work of David Garrick, several of them by Johan Zoffany. In normal times, you can see the inside of the Temple every Sunday afternoon from April to October. At present, opening hours are irregular. But the garden in which it is situated is open daily from dawn to dusk, all the year around. The exterior alone, in its exquisite riverside location, is well worth seeing. Overall, there is an air of the unexpected about the place, as if Portia might suddenly appear on the portico - or the stirrings in nearby bushes presage the appearance of Puck. If you are in or near Hampton this summer, do try to see it.