Bowes Museum

Coordinates: 54°32′31″N 1°54′55″W / 54.54194°N 1.91528°W / 54.54194; -1.91528

The Bowes Museum has a nationally-renowned art collection and is situated in the town of Barnard Castle, Teesdale, County Durham, England.

The museum contains paintings by El Greco, Francisco Goya, Canaletto, Jean-Honoré Fragonard and François Boucher, together with a sizable collection of decorative art, ceramics, textiles, tapestries, clocks and costumes, as well as older items from local history. The early works of French glassmaker Émile Gallé were commissioned by Joséphine, wife of the founder John Bowes. A great attraction is the 18th-century Silver Swan automaton, which periodically preens itself, looks round and appears to catch and swallow a fish.

History

The Bowes Museum was purpose-built as a public art gallery for John Bowes and his wife Joséphine Chevalier, Countess of Montalbo, who both died before it opened in 1892. Bowes was the illegitimate son of John Bowes the 10th Earl of Strathmore, and Kinghorne.

Bowes

Coordinates: 54°30′58″N 2°00′32″W / 54.516°N 02.009°W / 54.516; -02.009

Bowes is a village in County Durham, England. Located in the Pennine hills, it is situated close to Barnard Castle. It is built around the medieval Bowes Castle.

Geography and administration

Civic history

Bowes lies within the historic county boundaries of the North Riding of Yorkshire, but along with the rest of the former Startforth Rural District it was incorporated into the non-metropolitan county of Durham for administrative purposes on 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972.

The A66 and A67 roads meet at Bowes.

History

The Roman name for Bowes was Lavatrae. A Roman army station was located there.

The only pub in the village, The Ancient Unicorn, is reputed to be haunted by several ghosts. The pub has closed down as of 2014. This 17th-century coaching inn famously played host to Charles Dickens as he toured the local area. Dickens found inspiration in the village academy, which he immortalised as Dotheboys Hall in Nicholas Nickleby; and the graves of two of the people who inspired characters portrayed by the great author remain in Bowes churchyard to this day.

Bowes (disambiguation)

Bowes is a village in County Durham, England.

Bowes may also refer to:

See also

Bowes (surname)

Bowes is a surname shared by several notable people. In Ireland, it is an anglacised form of Ó Buadhaigh.