Frances Stackhouse Acton

{{short description|British botanist, archaeologist and artist (1794–1881)}}

Frances Stackhouse Acton (née Knight; 7 July 1794 – 24 January 1881) was a British botanist, archaeologist, writer and artist. Her father was noted botanist, Thomas Andrew Knight, who encouraged her education and included her in his experiments. She married an older land owner and, as they had no children, when he died she pursued her own interests, which included archaeology and architecture. She excavated a Roman villa, built a number of buildings and saved others in need of repair. She was keen on painting buildings and eventually went on to publish a charitable book, The Castles & Old Mansions of Shropshire.

Early life

File:The Hall, Acton Scott (geograph 3093030).jpg

Stackhouse Acton was born Frances Knight, better known as Fanny,{{Cite journal |last=Mowl |first=Tim |date=2005 |title=The Old Houses of Shropshire in the 19th Century: The Watercolour Albums of Frances Stackhouse Acton |url= |journal=Garden History |language=en |volume=33 |issue=2 |pages=306 |doi=10.2307/25434196 |jstor=25434196}} on 7 July 1794 in Elton Hall near Elton, Herefordshire. Her parents were Thomas Andrew Knight, a noted botanist, and his wife Frances Knight, whose family owned the Elton estate. She was the eldest daughter of the family, with two sisters, Elizabeth and Charlotte Knight, along with a brother, Thomas. Around 1808, her family moved to Downton Castle in Herefordshire, which had been built by her great-grandfather, Richard and was owned by her uncle Richard Payne Knight.{{Cite ODNB|id=15737|title=Knight, Thomas Andrew (1759–1838), horticulturist and plant physiologist}} Her father strongly encouraged her and her siblings' education, and she is quoted as remembering "the hours spent with him in his study, or in his garden, as amongst the happiest recollections".

In January 1812 when she was 18, she married the 43-year-old Thomas Pendarves Stackhouse in Old Downton Church in Downton.{{cite book|last1=Ionides|first1=Julia L.|last2=Howell|first2=Peter G.|title=The old houses of Shropshire in the 19th century : the watercolour albums of Frances Stackhouse Acton|date=2006|publisher=Dog Rose|location=Ludlow|isbn=978-0952836742|page=19}}{{cite book|last1=Burke|first1=Bernard|title=A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain & Ireland|date=1871|publisher=Harrison|page=741|edition=5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=161CAAAAYAAJ}} The couple moved into Acton Scott Hall, which was owned by Stackhouse's mother,{{cite book|author1=Baggs, A. P.|author2=Baugh, G. C.|author3=Cox, D. C.|author4=McFall, Jessie|author5=Stamper, P. A.|title=A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 10|date=1998|publisher=Victoria County History|location=London|pages=9–22|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/salop/vol10/pp9-22|accessdate=2 January 2016|chapter=Acton Scott}} though it was in a poor condition."The small paned leaded windows with no shutters let in wind and rain so that the candles blew out unless protected by a screen. The drawing room carpet was often soaked with the rain that beat in during the night. In winter the only habitable room was the Smoking Room" - Frances Stackhouse Acton describing the Acton Scott Hall. {{cite web|title=Acton Scott Hall: An architectural history|url=http://www.discovershropshire.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/theme:20090204153932|website=Discover Shropshire|accessdate=2 January 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100347/http://www.discovershropshire.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/theme:20090204153932|url-status=dead}} Thomas Stackhouse inherited Acton Scott Hall from his mother when she died in 1834, and the couple became Mr. and Mrs. Stackhouse Acton. Her husband died the following year and as the couple had no children, Stackhouse Acton inherited his estate.

Interests

Frances Stackhouse Acton's husband died when she was just 40 years old. She had no children, and was free to follow her interests.{{cite journal|last1=Davies|first1=Diane|title=Every Picture Tells A Story |journal=Friends Nation Museum Wales|date=February 2011|issue=Friends Newsletter & Magazine|page=17|url=http://friendsmuseumwales.org.uk/Magazine/2011%20February.PDF|accessdate=2 January 2016}} These included diverse memberships in societies, such as archery{{cite news|title=The Worcestershire Archery Society|url=http://find.galegroup.com/bncn/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DateAscend&prodId=BNCN&tabID=T012&subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528tx%252CNone%252C16%2529Stackhouse%2BActon%253AAnd%253ALQE%253D%2528MB%252CNone%252C16%2529%2522BLN1%2522%2BOR%2B%2522BLN2%2522%2524&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R1&displaySubject=&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm¤tPosition=3&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28tx%2CNone%2C16%29Stackhouse+Acton%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28MB%2CNone%2C16%29%22BLN1%22+OR+%22BLN2%22%24&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&inPS=true&userGroupName=lancs&sgCurrentPosition=0&contentSet=LTO&&docId=&docLevel=FASCIMILE&workId=&relevancePageBatch=R3208963738&contentSet=UBER2&callistoContentSet=UBER2&docPage=article&hilite=y|accessdate=3 January 2016|work=Berrow's Worcester Journal|date=22 August 1857}} or anti-vivisection{{cite news|title=London Anti-vivisection society|url=http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/newspaperRetrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DateAscend&tabID=T003&prodId=TTDA&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R1&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=5&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28tx%2CNone%2C16%29stackhouse+acton%24&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&userGroupName=lancs&inPS=true&contentSet=LTO&&docId=&docLevel=FASCIMILE&workId=&relevancePageBatch=CS202817355&contentSet=UDVIN&callistoContentSet=UDVIN&docPage=article&hilite=y|accessdate=3 January 2016|work=The Times|date=11 October 1880}} or making donations of Silurian rocks to the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall.{{cite news|title=Royal Geological Society of Cornwall|url=http://find.galegroup.com/bncn/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DateAscend&prodId=BNCN&tabID=T012&subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528tx%252CNone%252C16%2529Stackhouse%2BActon%253AAnd%253ALQE%253D%2528MB%252CNone%252C16%2529%2522BLN1%2522%2BOR%2B%2522BLN2%2522%2524&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R1&displaySubject=&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm¤tPosition=2&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28tx%2CNone%2C16%29Stackhouse+Acton%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28MB%2CNone%2C16%29%22BLN1%22+OR+%22BLN2%22%24&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&inPS=true&userGroupName=lancs&sgCurrentPosition=0&contentSet=LTO&&docId=&docLevel=FASCIMILE&workId=&relevancePageBatch=R3211368350&contentSet=UBER2&callistoContentSet=UBER2&docPage=article&hilite=y|accessdate=3 January 2016|work=The Cornwall Royal Gazette, Falmouth Packet and Plymouth Journal|date=20 October 1837}}

=Botany=

Stackhouse Acton was encouraged into botany by her father, who included her in his horticultural experiments in the grounds Downton Castle.

She illustrated two of her fathers publications including three illustrations in Pomona Herefordiensis{{cite news|title=Pomona Herefordiensis|url=https://news.herefordshire.gov.uk/leisure/51406.asp|accessdate=2 January 2016|publisher=Hertfordshire Council|date=10 January 2011|archive-date=31 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031160446/http://news.herefordshire.gov.uk/leisure/51406.asp|url-status=dead}} and, seventy years later, jointly contributed to apple drawings in Herefordshire Pomona.{{cite journal|title=Herefordshire Pomona: Register of Plates|journal=Journal of Horticulture|year=1876|url=http://www.lindleylibrary.org.uk/docs/Herefordshire_Pomona.pdf|accessdate=2 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813212819/http://www.lindleylibrary.org.uk/docs/Herefordshire_Pomona.pdf|archive-date=2019-08-13}}{{cite journal|editor1-last=Elliot|editor1-first=Brent|title=Occasional Papers: Robert Hogg's Fruit Manual: 150th anniversary issue|journal=The RHS Lindley Library|date=October 2010|volume=4|pages=41–43}} She was regarded to be an "accomplished botanist and botanical artist", who influenced her cousins Emily and Charlotte to paint botanical subjects.{{cite book|last1=Evans|first1=Clifford|title=A Passion for Nature: 19th-century Naturalism in the Circle of Charles Alexander Johns|date=2008|publisher=Hypatia Publications|isbn=9781872229584|page=175|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UerqmuVgg8kC|chapter=A botanist who painted: Emily Stackhouse (1811–1870)}}

=Archaeology=

A Roman villa was discovered in the grounds of Acton Scott Hall. In 1844, Stackhouse Acton excavated the villa, along with numerous other Roman remains, writing about the project in detail to the Dean of Hereford.{{Cite journal |doi = 10.1017/S0261340900012480|title = Description of a Roman Villa discovered at Acton Scott, near Church Stretton, in Shropshire, in 1817; with an account of further researches made in July, 1844: Communicated in a Letter from Mrs. Frances Stackhouse Acton to the Very Reverend the Dean of Hereford|journal = Archaeologia|volume = 31|pages = 339–345|year = 2012|last1 = Acton|first1 = Frances Stackhouse|url = https://zenodo.org/record/2061659}} The building appeared to be a 31 metres long and 12.5 metres wide{{cite book|last1=Hannaford|first1=H. R.|title=Second interim report on investigations at the Acton Scott Roman Villa, Acton Scott, Shropshire|date=December 2010|publisher=Acton Scott Heritage Project|url=http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-1096-1/dissemination/pdf/archaeol4-89795_1.pdf|accessdate=2 January 2016}} aisled barn which was converted into a house, including rooms heated by a hypocaust, probably a bath house.{{PastScape|num=108871 |accessdate=2 January 2016}} Stackhouse Acton drew up plans of the villa which included details of the hypocaust heating system.{{cite web|title=Acton Scott Roman Villa plan (image)|url=http://www.shropshirehistory.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/resource:20080118130035|website=Shropshire Council|accessdate=2 January 2016|archive-date=7 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180907221431/http://www.shropshirehistory.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/resource:20080118130035|url-status=dead}} Later, she went on to reconstruct part the villa's hypocaust system in a nearby quarry. A 2009 investigation found evidence of the villa, but not in the precise location that Stackhouse Acton had described.

=Buildings=

Stackhouse Acton's primary interest lay in buildings. She would frequently paint historical buildings such as abbeys and stately homes, often leaving the people or animals in the image unfinished.{{cite web |url= http://www.discovershropshire.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/theme:20090121140302 |title= Frances Stackhouse Acton |website= Discover Shropshire |publisher= Shropshire Council |accessdate= 1 May 2014}} She repaired a significant number of cottages on her estate and built a school. She also created a secret garden in the quarry where she had built the hypocaust system.{{cite news|title=Parish History|url=http://actonscott.com/welcome/parish/parish-history|accessdate=3 January 2016|publisher=Acton Scott}} Near to the secret garden, she built a Swiss-style chalet.{{cite news|title=Acton Scott Hall, Acton Scott, Shropshire, England|url=http://www.parksandgardens.org/places-and-people/site/4389?preview=1|accessdate=3 January 2016|publisher=Parks & Gardens|date=11 July 2008|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063206/http://www.parksandgardens.org/places-and-people/site/4389?preview=1|url-status=dead}} Stackhouse Acton also spent some time updating Acton Scott Hall, replacing and extending windows, as well as bringing in some 17th-century woodwork.{{cite book|last1=Newman|first1=John|title=Pevsner Architectural Guides: The Buildings of England Pevsner architectural guides The buildings of England|date=2006|publisher=Yale University Press|isbn=9780300120837|pages=93–96|edition=Illustrated|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3Zqbit3opjQC|chapter=Acton Scott}}

She took a particular interest in Stokesay Castle, which had fallen into disrepair by the first half of the 19th century. In 1853 she convinced the owner, William Craven, 2nd Earl of Craven, to pay to restore it under her supervision.{{citation |last=Summerson|first=Henry|title=Stokesay Castle |publisher=English Heritage |location=London, UK |edition=Revised |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-84802-016-0|page=38}}{{NHLE|desc=Stokesay Castle|num=1003011|accessdate=3 January 2016}} The cost was over £100{{cite web|title=History of Stokesay Castle |url=http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stokesay-castle/history/|website=www.english-heritage.org.uk|publisher=English Heritage}} (worth approximately £70,980 in 2015).Comparing average earnings on a project between 1853 and 2015, £100 is valued at approximately £70,980 by [http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/ MeasuringWorth.com] Although she managed to "clear out and secure" the castle, she did not succeed in countering the dilapidation and eventually the castle was sold.

=Writings=

When her father died, his family had many requests to publish his complete works.{{cite book|last1=Stackhouse Acton|first1=Frances|title=A selection from the physiological and horticultural papers|date=1841|publisher=Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longmans|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/74055#page/12/mode/1up}} Stackhouse Acton compiled a collection of his papers and wrote a short biography in "Sketch of his life" in the introduction.{{cite book|title=Geography and Enlightenment|date=1999|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=9780226487212|edition=Illustrated|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f0K1W_HhGTYC|pages=359–360}} Stackhouse Acton also authored a reference work, The Castles & Old Mansions of Shropshire, with the proceeds being donated to the Royal Salop Infirmary and the Eye and Ear Dispensary.{{cite book|last1=Stackhouse Acton|first1=Frances|title=The Castles & Old Mansions of Shropshire|date=1868|publisher=Leake & Evans|url=https://archive.org/details/castlesoldmansi00actogoog|accessdate=2 January 2016}} The book went on to be regarded as "very valuable" to the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society.{{cite news|title=Archaeology in Shropshire|url=http://find.galegroup.com/bncn/retrieve.do?sgHitCountType=None&sort=DateAscend&prodId=BNCN&tabID=T012&subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528tx%252CNone%252C16%2529Stackhouse%2BActon%253AAnd%253ALQE%253D%2528MB%252CNone%252C16%2529%2522BLN1%2522%2BOR%2B%2522BLN2%2522%2524&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchId=R1&displaySubject=&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm¤tPosition=13&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28tx%2CNone%2C16%29Stackhouse+Acton%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28MB%2CNone%2C16%29%22BLN1%22+OR+%22BLN2%22%24&retrieveFormat=MULTIPAGE_DOCUMENT&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&inPS=true&userGroupName=lancs&sgCurrentPosition=0&contentSet=LTO&&docId=&docLevel=FASCIMILE&workId=&relevancePageBatch=R3210565495&contentSet=UBER2&callistoContentSet=UBER2&docPage=article&hilite=y|accessdate=2 January 2016|work=The Morning Post|date=2 September 1880|location=London|page=6}}

Legacy

Frances Stackhouse Acton died on 24 January 1881 in Acton Scott at the age of 86. Her obituary in The Gardeners' Chronicle noted that she had "wide knowledge of geological, botanical, horticultural and antiquarian lore"

Notes

References

External links

[http://www.discovershropshire.org.uk/html/search/verb/GetRecord/album:20090121134627 Gallery of her watercolours of Acton Scott Hall.]
[https://archive.org/stream/PomonaHerefordi00Knig#page/n5/mode/2up Pomona Herefordiensis] preserved at the Internet Archive
{{isfdb name|id=6320|name=Frances Acton}}
{{LCAuth|nb2006007332|Stackhouse Acton, Frances|0|ue}}

: LC Catalog does contain at least one record of a publication that is hers evidently, {{LCCN|02-22232}} as by Acton, Frances Stackhouse, Mrs. For library records see WorldCat (as 30687493 below), which lists more 15 alternative names—none hyperlinked, so all known records should be gathered under the one name.

Category:1794 births

Category:1881 deaths

Category:19th-century British archaeologists

Category:English archaeologists

Category:English botanists

Category:British botanical illustrators

Category:British women illustrators

Category:English non-fiction writers

Category:English women painters

Category:English women non-fiction writers

Category:British women archaeologists

Category:British women botanists