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Smithsonian magazine offers a summary of the topic: “Ornamental Hermits Were 18th-Century England’s Must-Have Garden Accessory.” Includes many illustrations and a short video of Gordon Campbell’s comments.
Smithsonian on ornamental hermits
“Life As a Hermit” –for kids
This fall, University of Oxford’s Social Sciences departments presented a series of educational programs for “family-friendly audiences,” that included a program titled “Life as a Hermit,” presented by faculty of the Schoool of Archaeology.
From the website: “Hermits are people living in solitude. How does your life differ to theirs?In this activity, inspired by findings from Byzantine hermitages in Cyprus, enter our ‘cave’ to experience life as a hermit! You will ‘meet’ a male and a female hermit, handle objects used by hermits, explore why people chose to live as hermits, and challenge some stereotypes.”
Garden gnomes (and hermits) as art
ArtNews offers an entertaining and informative article on the history of the garden gnome, complementing the comprehensive 2013 book by Gordon Campbell titledl The Hermit in the Garden: From Imperial Rome to Ornamental Gnome.
URL: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/brief-history-of-hermits-in-art-2558476
Bogancloch (2024 film)
Bogancloch is a 2024 documentary film about the Scotish hermit Jake Williams, directed by Ben Rivers. Boganbloch is the name of Williams’ dwelling. The video is one hour and a half in length; the trailer is about one minute and a half.
URL (trailer): https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x93gswu
Positive solitude
Here are some recent articles presenting a favorable view of solitude and aloneness.
“Sweet Solitude, Part 1: Two Meanings of Alone,” in Psychology Today.
URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-single/201103/sweet-solitude-part-1-two-meanings-of-alone
“[Sweet] Solitude, Part 2: The Benefits It Brings, and the Special Strengths of the People Who Enjoy It,” in Psychology Today.
URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-single/201103/solitude-part-2-the-benefits-it-brings-and-the-special-strengths-the
“How to Design for Solitude,” in Psychology Today. Reminds us that the art of solitude is a skill of observation and deliberate decision-making.
URL: https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/designed-for-happiness/202409/how-to-design-for-solitude
“Spending time alone can change your life,” in America, the Catholic Jesuit magazine; a reliigous perspective on the topic.
URL: https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2024/09/06/alone-reflection-prayer-solitude-248736
“The Beauty of Being Alone,” in TIME Magazine. About well-crafted use of one’s time.
URL: https://time.com/7064919/alone-time-benefits-essay/