St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall. Engraved Plate 1 c1787

by Grose, Francis

St.Michael's Mount, Cornwall with interesting historic text. This is the first of 2 pages on this amazing place.

Francis Grose (1731-1791) wrote “The Antiquities of England and Wales; Being a Collection of Views of the Most remarkable Ruins and antient(sic) Buildings, Accurately drawn on the spot. To each view is added An Historical Account of its Situation, when & by whom built, with every interesting Circumstance relating thereto. Collected from the best authorities.” It was published in London between 1783 and 1787 by C. Clarke for S. Hooker.

Grose also trained as an artist, exhibited his work, and proved to be a good draughtsman. His  strongly engraved views of ruins and ancient buildings, perfectly encapsulate the aura of these distinctive structures. This page is accompanied by text below the illustration, as published.

His most famous published work was a little more whimsical: In 1785 he published “A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue” which was well in advance of its time, was of some importance in the development of lexicography, and is still of considerable interest today.

Page size 12 x 9 inches or 30 x 23cm.