Edward James Willson
Encyclopedia
Edward James Willson, F.S.A., (1787–1854), was an English
architect, antiquary and politician of Lincoln
. He trained Frederick James Jobson
as an architect before the Jobson embarked on a career in the ministry. Jobson praised his works and writings as contributing to the Gothic Revival, particularly in Lincolnshire.
was his younger brother. He was brought up a Roman Catholic, and, after education at the grammar school, began to learn business as a builder under his father. In a few years he abandoned building for the study of architecture, in which he obtained help from a local architect.
He was engaged by Archdeacon Henry Vincent Bayley
in 1823 in the restoration of Messingham
church, and superintended repairs or restorations at Haxey
, Louth
, West Rasen
, Saundby
, Staunton, and other churches in Lincolnshire
and Nottinghamshire
. He designed Roman Catholic chapels at Nottingham, Hainton, Louth, Melton Mowbray, Grantham, and elsewhere, some of which are early examples of the Gothic revival. In 1826 he designed the organ case for Lincoln Cathedral
.
Between 1834 and 1845 he restored the keep, towers, and walls of Lincoln Castle
, and had for more than twenty years charge of its fabric as county surveyor. The Pelham Column, 128 feet high, on a hill at Cabourn between Caistor
and Grimsby
, was designed by Willson for the Earl of Yarborough
. He was honoured as a citizen in Lincoln, and became a city magistrate in 1834 and mayor in 1852.
Willson died at Lincoln on 8 September 1854. He was buried at Hainton. He married, in 1821, Mary, daughter of Thomas Mould. By her he had two surviving sons.
and Augustus Charles Pugin
started him uon a career. For Britton's Architectural Antiquities (1807–26) he supplied accounts of Boston church, St. Peter's, Barton, and the minsters of Beverley and Lincoln. He was associated with the same author's Cathedral Antiquities (1814–35) and Picturesque Antiquities of English Cities (1830).
Willson was closely connected with the movement for the cultivation and nomenclature of Gothic architecture with which Thomas Rickman
and others were associated. The Specimens of Gothic Architecture which Pugin began to publish in 1821 was influenced by Willson's suggestions, both in the delineation of mouldings and details (an advance on previous methods of recording architecture) and in the selection of the examples. Willson wrote the whole of the letterpress for these two volumes, and supplied aglossary of Gothic architecture, the first of its kind. For Pugin's Examples of Gothic Architecture (1828–31) he also wrote the text, including essays on Gothic Architecture and Modern Imitation.
He was also the author of pamphlets on local subjects, and collected material for the architectural history of his county and cathedral.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
architect, antiquary and politician of Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
. He trained Frederick James Jobson
Frederick James Jobson
Rev. Frederick James Jobson D.D. - commonly styled F. J. Jobson - painter, architect and Wesleyan Methodist minister, became President of the Methodist Conference in the late 1860s, and Treasurer of the "Wesleyan Methodist Foreign Mission Society" 1869–1882...
as an architect before the Jobson embarked on a career in the ministry. Jobson praised his works and writings as contributing to the Gothic Revival, particularly in Lincolnshire.
Life
Born at Lincoln on 21 June 1787, he was the eldest son of William Willson of Lincoln by his wife Clarissa, daughter of William Tenney. Robert William WillsonRobert William Willson
Robert William Willson was an English Roman Catholic Bishop, the first Bishop of Hobart and an advocate, on behalf of, convicts in Australia.-Life:...
was his younger brother. He was brought up a Roman Catholic, and, after education at the grammar school, began to learn business as a builder under his father. In a few years he abandoned building for the study of architecture, in which he obtained help from a local architect.
He was engaged by Archdeacon Henry Vincent Bayley
Henry Vincent Bayley
Henry Vincent Bayley was an English clergyman. Of the High Church party and a reformer, he became Archdeacon of Stow.-Life:He was the seventh son of Thomas Butterworth Bayley, of Hope Hall, near Manchester, where he was born 6 December 1777. His mother was Mary, only child of Vincent Leggatt...
in 1823 in the restoration of Messingham
Messingham
Messingham is a small village outside Scunthorpe in North Lincolnshire, England. Messingham has a population of over about 4,000 people.-Geography:...
church, and superintended repairs or restorations at Haxey
Haxey
Haxey is a village and civil parish within North Lincolnshire, England. It is situated to the northwest of the city of Lincoln and in 2001 had a total resident population of 4,359....
, Louth
Louth, Lincolnshire
Louth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...
, West Rasen
West Rasen
West Rasen is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, about west of Market Rasen.The parish church is a grade I listed building dedicated to All Saints, dating from the 11th century, and built from ironstone....
, Saundby
Saundby
Saundby is a village in Nottinghamshire, England two miles west of Gainsborough and lies within the civil parish of Beckingham cum Saundby. The parish is bordered on one side by the River Trent. The village Church of St Martin was extensively restored in 1885....
, Staunton, and other churches in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
and Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
. He designed Roman Catholic chapels at Nottingham, Hainton, Louth, Melton Mowbray, Grantham, and elsewhere, some of which are early examples of the Gothic revival. In 1826 he designed the organ case for Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
.
Between 1834 and 1845 he restored the keep, towers, and walls of Lincoln Castle
Lincoln Castle
Lincoln Castle is a major castle constructed in Lincoln, England during the late 11th century by William the Conqueror on the site of a pre-existing Roman fortress. The castle is unusual in that it has two mottes. It is only one of two such castles in the country, the other being at Lewes in Sussex...
, and had for more than twenty years charge of its fabric as county surveyor. The Pelham Column, 128 feet high, on a hill at Cabourn between Caistor
Caistor
See Caistor St Edmund for the Roman settlement in Norfolk or Caister-on-Sea for the town in NorfolkCaistor is a town and civil parish situated in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. As its name implies, it was originally a Roman castrum or fortress...
and Grimsby
Grimsby
Grimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996...
, was designed by Willson for the Earl of Yarborough
Earl of Yarborough
Earl of Yarborough is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1837 for Charles Anderson-Pelham, 2nd Baron Yarborough. The Anderson-Pelham family descends from Francis Anderson of Manby, Lincolnshire. He married Mary, daughter of Charles Pelham of Brocklesby, Lincolnshire...
. He was honoured as a citizen in Lincoln, and became a city magistrate in 1834 and mayor in 1852.
Willson died at Lincoln on 8 September 1854. He was buried at Hainton. He married, in 1821, Mary, daughter of Thomas Mould. By her he had two surviving sons.
Publications
About 1818 acquaintance with John BrittonJohn Britton (antiquary)
-Early life:Britton was born on 7 July 1771 at Kington St. Michael, near Chippenham. His parents were in humble circumstances, and he was left an orphan at an early age. At sixteen he went to London and was apprenticed to a wine merchant. Prevented by ill-health from serving his full term, he found...
and Augustus Charles Pugin
Augustus Charles Pugin
Augustus Charles Pugin, born Auguste Charles Pugin, was an Anglo-French artist, architectural draughtsman, and writer on medieval architecture...
started him uon a career. For Britton's Architectural Antiquities (1807–26) he supplied accounts of Boston church, St. Peter's, Barton, and the minsters of Beverley and Lincoln. He was associated with the same author's Cathedral Antiquities (1814–35) and Picturesque Antiquities of English Cities (1830).
Willson was closely connected with the movement for the cultivation and nomenclature of Gothic architecture with which Thomas Rickman
Thomas Rickman
Thomas Rickman , was an English architect who was a major figure in the Gothic Revival.He was born at Maidenhead, Berkshire, into a large Quaker family, and avoided the medical career envisaged for him by his father, a grocer and druggist; he went into business for himself and married his first...
and others were associated. The Specimens of Gothic Architecture which Pugin began to publish in 1821 was influenced by Willson's suggestions, both in the delineation of mouldings and details (an advance on previous methods of recording architecture) and in the selection of the examples. Willson wrote the whole of the letterpress for these two volumes, and supplied aglossary of Gothic architecture, the first of its kind. For Pugin's Examples of Gothic Architecture (1828–31) he also wrote the text, including essays on Gothic Architecture and Modern Imitation.
He was also the author of pamphlets on local subjects, and collected material for the architectural history of his county and cathedral.