Layer Marney 1857

Alfred Capel Cure made this photograph of Layer Marney Tower in Essex, England, using the collodion process. The photograph pictures a large, Tudor-era brick building, whose architecture is somewhat dilapidated. Cure's image encapsulates several significant shifts of the 19th century. The vogue for picturesque ruins, the pride in English heritage, and the growing interest in photography all come together here. The photograph is also evocative of the Victorian period, marked by rapid industrialization and the decline of the landed aristocracy. The image appears to signal a kind of historical awareness, which might be seen as socially conservative. But equally, it acknowledges the passage of time and the transience of social structures. To understand the cultural significance of this image, we might consult publications of the Essex Archeological Society to explore more of the nuances of the building's history.