William Burges and the Maison Dieu: Reawakening a Gothic Fantasy
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- Maison Dieu
Description
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Daytime, Networking and Talk/Panel Discussion
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Tickets from £33.00
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Over 18
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Fri, 25th Sep 2026 @ 9:30 - 18:00
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09:30 - 18:00
The Maison Dieu is hosting an exciting conference on Friday 25 September 2026, exploring the life and work of William Burges (1827-1881), the talented and eccentric Neo-gothic architect and designer, who together with contemporaries such as Augustus Pugin was at the heart of the Victorian Gothic Revival.
Burges played a major role in the restoration and extension of the Maison Dieu (Dover Town Hall), as well as completing impressive schemes elsewhere in the UK and abroad.
Conference
content
The
conference will introduce William Burges and his work, before
focusing on recent conservation work at the Maison Dieu, including
the reinstatement of the William Burges decorative scheme in the
Connaught Hall and Mayor’s Parlour, as well as the painstaking
conservation of its impressive stained-glass windows and historic
furniture.
Participants will enjoy short talks, practical demonstrations and building tours, from conservators, historians, archivists and architects, including several who have been involved in the recent ‘Reawakening the Maison Dieu’ project, including experts from Arte Conservation, Easthope Stained Glass, Bainbridge Conservation and Haverstock architects.
They will discover the fascinating story of William Burges’ magnificent George and Dragon crozier, and its New Zealand and Dover links, in a talk by Cressida Williams (Archives and Library Manager at Canterbury Cathedral).
Dr Michelle Crowther from Canterbury Christ Church University, (joint lead on the Kent-Maps-Online website) will highlight Burges’ little-known work elsewhere in Kent, from his design of a sculptured diptych for St Augustine’s College, Canterbury, to stained glass window at All Saints Church, Murston and improvements to Ightham Place.
Medieval animals expert Dr Diane Heath will explore the fabulous Neo-gothic beast designs of William Burges, their symbolism and meaning, focussing on those portrayed in the stone carvings, stained glass and decorative scheme at the Maison Dieu.
The teams from Kent Archives and Dover Museum will showcase William Burges plans of the building and some fascinating masons’ marks by Dover builders, who with hundreds of talented craftspeople, made Burges’ fantastical designs a reality.
Content by talented local artists and community groups will also be on display - from colourful banners inspired by the stained-glass windows, to a multi-sensory storymat, co-created with a local special school, as well as a chance to sit in the Dover Time Machine!
The Maison Dieu engagement team will share an exciting update on the William Burges website and archive, which is being completed with other Burges sites in the UK and wider world.
The conference includes refreshments and a buffet lunch.
This special day has been been made possible through generous funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, as part of the Reawakening the Maison Dieu project.
Tickets are
£30.
Offers
Promotions
Tickets/Times
| Ticket | Event time | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 ticket - William Burges conference | 09:30 - 18:00 | £33.00 |
Location
Address
Dover Town Hall, Biggin Street, CT16 1DL
Organiser
Maison Dieu
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