Pevsner series editor and author of the newly published Pevsner Architectural Guide to Surrey, Charles O’Brien, has offered an insight into his research trip essentials, along with a selection of must-see architectural gems which you can read about in the guide.
image: Pevesner Architectural Guides
… you can use this checklist to ensure you’re ready for the trip…
Pevsner Architectural Guides writes:
We hope this inspires you to pack your bag and pick up your copy of the new Surrey guide, to go and visit some of the special sites featured in the new edition.
When embarking on a research trip, or a serious sightseeing expedition, it’s important to be prepared! While you may not need as many essentials as our Pevsner author, Charles O’Brien, you can use this checklist to ensure you’re ready for the trip – or perhaps just have a nosey at what Charles has in his kit bag…
Checklist
- Netbook – a lightweight laptop to use for writing wherever you are
- Clipboard for paper – easy note taking on the go
- Preliminary research file – to keep those notes organised!
- The Pevsner text for the county – to look up landmarks (and for Charles, to assess updates for the new edition)
- Street atlas for the County
- Pens (and not to forget a couple of pencils for use in the rain)
- Two kinds of shoes – a clean pair for visiting inside buildings, and a pair of boots for any sites off the beaten track
- Thermos – for those important tea breaks
- Smart phone – useful all-in-one tool for listening to the Radio, as a Sat Nav or Compass, or as a torch in dark churches!
- Binoculars – to get a good look at high up details or distant views of inaccessible buildings
- Coins for church boxes
- Dictaphone for recording and note taking (a smart phone can also replace this)
Planning your trip
With your bag packed and Pevsner guide in hand, it’s a good idea to plan which sites you want to visit.
To celebrate the release of the newly revised Pevsner Architectural Guide to Surrey, the Pevsner team has highlighted some ‘must see’ highlights and some lesser known architectural gems. We’ve put together a google map link which you can use to help plan your own trip, or you can go analogue with a physical map.
See the Interactive Google Map
See Charles O’Brien on how the Pevsner series began, and the big part Surrey had to play in Nikolaus Pevsner’s conception of the series HERE
See past issues HERE
