We learn relatively little about Richard Griffin (formerly Richard Aldworth Neville, 1750-1825), second Baron Braybrooke, when we visit or read about Audley End House. He seems to have spent limited time at the house and left it largely unchanged on his death. Recent work in the library by researchers from Cambridge University has thrown fascinating new light on this family member, including a European tour that was initiated in the wake of a bereavement and left a lasting personal and cultural legacy at Audley End. Richard’s experiences abroad have much to tell us about the importance of multiculturalism and multilingualism in eighteenth-century England.
The lecture was presented by Dr Abigail Brundin & Dr Dunstan Roberts. Abigail Brundin is a specialist in Italian and continental literature and culture, and Dunstan Roberts specialises in English literature and the history of libraries, both at the University of Cambridge. They are currently working on a project funded by the University of Cambridge to explore the early holdings in the library at Audley End House.