John Carr (“of York”, as he called himself and is still called) was born in 1723, 300 years ago, and as an architect left spectacular buildings such as the Crescent built in the 1780s in the spa town of Buxton. Its curve was deliberately made as enjoyable from the rear as at the front. Behind it are the vast colonnaded stables, built for 110 horses, and later covered by a huge dome.