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Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. Vanbrugh 300 is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to develop a nationwide project that aims to broaden the awareness of Vanbrugh through special displays, free education programmes and lectures, throughout his tercentenary year in 2026.
This latest VANBRUGH300 newsletter turns the spotlight on John Vanbrugh’s life in the theatre before his fame as an architect. It features Annette Rubery’s article on Vanbrugh the dramatist, exploring the wit, satire and controversy of his Restoration comedies. The newsletter also traces Vanbrugh’s continuing cultural presence through the use of his grand Baroque houses in the Netflix series Bridgerton, highlighting filming at Castle Howard, Stowe House, Blenheim Palace and Grimsthorpe Castle.
Alongside these features, the issue reflects on Professor Anthony Geraghty’s lecture on Wren, Vanbrugh and Hawksmoor and their role in shaping the English Baroque. It also introduces the major exhibition Vanbrugh: The Drama of Architecture at Sir John Soane’s Museum, showcasing rarely seen drawings and exploring Vanbrugh’s influence on later architects. The newsletter concludes with recent press coverage of the Vanbrugh300 festival and upcoming events across the anniversary programme.
