Butterfield, William (1814-1900)

English Gothic Revival architect. His work is characterized by vigorous, aggressive forms and multicoloured striped and patterned brickwork. He held original views as to colour in architecture, holding that any combination of natural colours of the materials was permissible. His schools, parsonages, and cottages developed an appealing functional secular style that anticipated Philip Webb and other Arts and Crafts architects.

Butterfield was a deeply religious man, and the majority of his work was ecclesiastical. His first important building was St Augustine's College, Canterbury. The churches of All Saints, Margaret Street, London (1849-59) and St Alban's Holborn (1859-63); and Keble College and Chapel, Oxford (1868-82) are typical of his work.

In Oxford, he also built the chapel of Balliol College and extensions to Merton College. At Baldersby, Yorkshire, he designed a whole village of church, rectory, almshouse, school, and cottages (1855-7). He carried out many restorations of old buildings.