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Gary Curtis

@theoldbuilding

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Celebrating historic architecture 🏛️
All photography my own I DM me to collaborate
Buy my book, ‘Stamford 2018-2023’ - link below.

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Hello! My name is Gary Curtis, better known as @theoldbuilding and I thought I’d take a moment to tell you a little about myself.

I started this account in 2018 to share my love of historic architecture and celebrate the world I so deeply enjoy. I’m passionate about our built environment and how experiencing beautiful places can enrich our lives — something I hope comes through in everything I post.

I live in the charming market town of Stamford in Lincolnshire, UK, a place jam packed with handsome Georgian buildings and timeless character. You’ll often find me wandering its streets with my trusty iPhone, capturing the charm and beauty around me.

I also love to travel, exploring and photographing the grand houses and historic streets of Britain and across Europe. Paris remains my favourite city — it never fails to enchant me with its elegance and character.

I’m also proud to be an affiliate of @heritagexplore and a member of @thegeorgiangroup @the_victorian_society and @londontopsoc

Thank you all for your support — I’m thrilled to share this passion with you.

DM to collaborate.

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#selfie #historicarchitecture #theoldbuilding taken in Stamford, Lincolnshire by @theoldbuilding

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7 months ago

Without doubt one of the most famous and photogenic streets in Britain.

I managed to take these photographs at 6.20am, before the crowds arrived, and wanted to take a little time to simply soak up the history of this extraordinary medieval street.

Had I visited the Shambles 800 years ago at 6.20am, however, the experience would have been very different — and probably quite the sensory overload. Here’s why!

The Shambles dates back over 900 years, with the street recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Its name comes from the Anglo-Saxon fleshammels, meaning “flesh-shelves”, reflecting its long history as York’s butchery quarter.

It was once known as the Great Flesh Shambles, lined with butchers’ shops and slaughterhouses. The narrow street helped keep direct sunlight away from the meat, while hooks and wooden shelves were used to display cuts outside the shops.

Some of those original hooks and shelves can still be seen today — little reminders of the very different life this famous street once had.

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#york #historicarchitecture #history taken in York, England by @theoldbuilding

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2 hours ago

A few shots from my visit to Sandringham House in Norfolk a few years ago. Always worth another look.

There is something wonderfully timeless about Sandringham. The estate has a history stretching back over a thousand years, but the house we see today is very much a Victorian creation.

Bought by Queen Victoria in 1862 for her eldest son, the future Edward VII, the earlier Georgian house was swept away and replaced by this extraordinary Jacobean revival mansion.

For generations it has been a place of family, Christmases, country life and some rather important moments in royal history. King George V famously said Sandringham was the place he loved more than anywhere else in the world. Both he and his son, George VI, died here.

And yet, despite all that history, it still feels wonderfully like a country house — tucked away amongst the Norfolk landscape, surrounded by gardens, trees and centuries of stories.

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#norfolk #historicarchitecture #sandringhamestate taken in Sandringham Estate by @theoldbuilding

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a day ago

It’s been a week of work and sickness for me!

I returned from a little trip away to see the wonderful Lucy Worsley and promptly came home with a sore throat, a cold and two rather large deadlines. So, sadly, time in my beautiful town has been limited mostly to evenings.

On the plus side, this has meant I’ve been able to enjoy those lovely autumn (woooo 🍂) vibes, with beautiful skies and Stamford looking particularly gorgeous in the evening light.

I have a few exciting things coming up over the next couple of weeks, which should hopefully lead to some great content.

For now, I hope everyone had a lovely weekend and has a gentle week ahead.

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#stamford #historicarchitecture #history taken in Stamford, Lincolnshire by @theoldbuilding

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2 days ago

A visit to the magnificent Peterborough Cathedral. There is something about this amazing building that always makes me wonder why it is here!

Peterborough expanded enormously after the war, and sadly not always in the most sympathetic way, yet the cathedral still sits proudly in what would once have been a much more modest town. Somehow, that makes it feel even more remarkable.

And what a gem it is. The magnificent Norman cathedral, with its extraordinary Gothic West Front and vast painted medieval ceiling, sits within beautiful historic grounds — a little haven away from the busy Cathedral Square and shoppers just beyond its gates.

Founded as a monastery in 655 AD, the present cathedral was largely rebuilt in the 12th century. It is also the final resting place of Catherine of Aragon and once housed the remains of Mary, Queen of Scots.

A remarkable piece of history that is well worth a visit.

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#peterborough #peterboroughcathedral #historicarchitecture #normanarchitecture taken in Peterborough Cathedral by @theoldbuilding

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2 days ago

The sun catching the stone facade of the absolutely beautiful St George’s, Hanover Square. ☀️

This historic parish church in Mayfair was designed by architect John James and completed in 1725 as part of a national project to build new churches for London’s growing population.

The first stone was laid in 1721 by General William Stewart, who had donated the site. Built in classic Georgian style, the church is particularly handsome, with its magnificent portico of six Corinthian columns and elegant tower.

One of those Georgian London buildings that is difficult not to stop and admire, one of the best!

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#london #historicarchitecture #history taken in London, United Kingdom by @theoldbuilding

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3 days ago

A few of my favourite buildings and places I’ve discovered over the last few years, away from Stamford.

There’s no particular order here — just 20 wonderful heritage gems that I’ve had the pleasure of exploring and photographing along the way. Some grand, some hidden away, and all memorable for one reason or another.

1. Kimpton Fitzroy, London
3. Petit Palais, Paris
3. Waddesdon Manor, Buckinghamshire
4. Gibson Hall, City of London
5. Biblioteca Marciana, Venice
6. Belton House, Lincolnshire
7. Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
8. The Admiralty, Trafalgar Square
9. Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Paris
10. Elder Street, Spitalfields
11. Bramble & Moss, Richmond
12. Musée du Louvre, Paris
13. Orangery, Wrest Park
14. King’s College Chapel, Cambridge
15. Bedford Square, London
16. Budapest State Opera, Budapest
17. St Pancras International, London
18. Park Square, London
19. Brompton Oratory, London
20. St Paul’s Cathedral, London

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#historicarchitecture #travel #history taken in Europe by @theoldbuilding

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4 days ago

One of my favourite, and perhaps best-known, buildings in Cambridge — the wonderful Senate House.

Designed by James Gibbs and built between 1722 and 1730, this magnificent Grade I listed building is one of the great pieces of English Neoclassical architecture.

With its pale Portland stone, giant Corinthian columns and elegant pediments, it was originally built as the meeting place of the University Senate. Today, it is perhaps best known as the setting for Cambridge’s graduation ceremonies.

You may notice in the first photograph, taken a few years ago now, that the building had been covered in paint during a protest. When I returned last year, thankfully it had been beautifully cleaned and was looking as good as new again.

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#cambridge #historicarchitecture #history taken in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire by @theoldbuilding

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5 days ago

A visit to the wonderful @barnsdalegardens in Rutland and getting back to nature and quiet.

Established in 1983 by the legendary Geoff Hamilton, Barnsdale became the setting for Gardeners’ World and the place where he developed his pioneering approach to organic, sustainable gardening.

What began as just a few acres of farmland has grown into eight acres of beautifully individual gardens, each with its own character and ideas. Geoff’s influence is still very much present today, with his son Nick continuing to run the gardens and maintain those same principles.

For anyone who remembers Geoff and Gardeners’ World, there is something rather special about wandering around a place that was once his great gardening experiment — and seeing how it has evolved into such a beautiful garden in its own right. 🌿

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#rutland #gardens #nature taken in Barnsdale Gardens by @theoldbuilding

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5 days ago

Golden evenings at @burghleyhouse . I often run in the park and often catch the most beautiful light on this magnificent house. These were from a couple of months ago and I am very happy to report the grass is now much greener!

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#burghleyhouse #historicarchitecture #stamford taken in Stamford, Lincolnshire by @theoldbuilding

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6 days ago

A few shots from my little visit to Cheltenham a couple of years ago.

I’d always known the town was famous for its Regency architecture, so I wanted to go and have a proper look for myself. And there is plenty to discover — beautiful houses, elegant terraces and some wonderfully preserved streetscapes.

Even with the traffic and bustle of a busy modern town, there are moments when you can still catch a glimpse of Cheltenham as it must have felt two centuries ago, when the Regency fashion for elegant architecture and fashionable society was at its height.

A little bit of elegance from another time.

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#cheltenham #historicarchitecture #travel taken in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire by @theoldbuilding

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6 days ago

One of my favourite places to wander in Paris, the magnificent Luxembourg Palace.

Built between 1615 and 1645 for Marie de’ Medici, widow of Henri IV and mother of Louis XIII, the palace was designed by Salomon de Brosse and inspired by the Palazzo Pitti in Florence — a deliberate reminder of Marie’s Italian upbringing.

The palace has had a fascinating history since then, including a brief life as a prison during the French Revolution. Today it is home to the French Senate, meaning the interiors are generally closed to the public, although there are occasional opportunities to visit during the European Heritage Days.

The palace sits within the beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg, with its formal gardens, tree-lined promenades and the famous Medici Fountain.

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#paris #historicarchitecture #frencharchitecture by @theoldbuilding

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7 days ago