English architecture: 19th century

The history of English architecture in the 19th century is more complicated than in any century that preceded it, because it includes more than one ‘revival’ of earlier styles, beginning with a lengthy competition between the Classic and Gothic schools.

As long before as 1753 Horace Walpole had built an ornate and picturesque villa in the ‘Gothic’ style (Strawberry Hill). A passion for romance and the days of chivalry arose about the same time, and rich noblemen erected sham ruins (‘Gothic’ as well as ‘Roman’) as ornamental features in their parks. Here and there a belated specimen of Gothic church architecture was built; but it was not until 1818, when Parliament voted a million pounds for building new Anglican churches, that the real Gothic boom began. Out of 214 churches provided under the Act, no less than 174 were in a Gothic or near-Gothic style (see Gothic Revival). One of the best specimens is St Luke's, Chelsea, London (1820-24).

One of the causes of this sudden change was the romantic movement in literature and art. Once started, the Gothic revival spread like wildfire; and from that date onwards, for nearly a century, most churches in England were in the Gothic style. For public buildings, however, some variety of Italian Renaissance or Roman architecture continued to be favoured. St George's Hall, Liverpool (1815), Leeds Town Hall (1853-58), and Birmingham Town Hall (1832-50) are characteristic examples; as is Charles Barry's Reform Club (1837) in London. When, however, it became necessary in 1834 to rebuild the Houses of Parliament, the proximity of Westminster Abbey induced the authorities to prescribe a Gothic or Elizabethan style; and a Gothic design by Barry won the competition, with the result that we now see.

From that moment intense competition developed between the advocates of Gothic and Classic, reaching its climax during the fierce debates in Parliament over the competition for a new India Office and Foreign Office (1855-72). George Gilbert Scott, the most eminent architect of the day, was then instructed to convert his Gothic design into the Italian Renaissance form in which it was finally approved. Almost up to 1901 there was this duality of expression, though few Continental countries were so powerfully affected by it as England, Canada, and the USA. Even in India there are examples of both Greek and Gothic revivalism, erected under British rule.

Confused as this rivalry between the two schools of design was, it was further complicated in the last quarter of the century by revivals of Jacobean and finally of Queen Anne architecture. The only feature common to all these movements was the revival of bygone historical styles, and use of ‘traditional’ materials such as brick, stone, and timber.

By 1900, the Gothic revival had expired for public buildings, but that Gothic was still favoured for churches; that Free Classic was universally adopted for public buildings; and either Elizabethan or Georgian for the larger houses. The great mass of small dwellings was provided by speculative builders, and the services of an architect were seldom utilized. Meanwhile structural ironwork had come into use everywhere, but was invariably concealed by a ‘period’ facing of stone or brick, or else by terracotta.

For English architecture during the period 1714-1830 see Georgian (Georgian architecture).