George Wightwick
Encyclopedia
George Wightwick was an architect
and possibly the first architectural journalist.
In addition to his architectural practice, he developed his skills and the market for architectural journalism. His views of church design disagreed with those of churchmen with power to commission new churches and this work dropped off after he published his ideas in Weale's Quarterly papers on Architecture in 1844/1845. He married twice but had no children and died at Portishead
on July 9, 1872.
and trained in London
, with a year of travel and study in Italy
, after which, in 1828, he published Select Views of Roman Antiquities.
, and worked with John Foulston
, succeeding to Foulston's practice after six months. From then until 1852, when he retired to Bristol
, he completed many public and domestic buildings, mostly in Plymouth
, Devon
and Cornwall
.
Wightwick was well-known in Plymouth as an architect and as an amateur actor and comedian.
He completed designs by Foulston for Bodmin County Lunatic Asylum and designed the Plymouth Mechanics' Institute, Athenaeum Terrace, the Esplanade, the Devon and Cornwall Female Orphan Asylum and the Post Office at Devonport
.
In Devon, he designed Calverleigh Court, and Watermouth Castle
, near Ilfracombe
.
and Trevarno
, near Helston
, Penquite at Golant
and alterations to Tregrehan House at St. Blazey.
In Buildings of England: Cornwall, Pevsner describes St. Michael and All Angels, Bude
(1835), St. Mary's at Portreath
(1841) - "rather depressing" according to Pevsner, Probus Vicarage (1839), St. Luke's, Tideford
(1845), and Tregrehan House near St. Blazey ("Late Georgian ... granite ... Ionic colonnade", [also] "a pretty little lodge"), and St. John's, Treslothan (1841).
Professor Brett has identified Wightwick as the architect of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
building in Falmouth
.
, as described by siblings Barclay
and Caroline
, who both kept journals which were published in the 1970s.
Barclay Fox notes the brilliant lecture that Wightwick gave at the Polytechnic: "The Romance of Architecture" (entry: 3 October 1838); their companionship at the meeting of the British Association in Plymouth (entry: 29 July 1841); and his visit to the new Bodmin Lunatic Asylum with Wightwick (the architect) (entry: 23 August 1841). Caroline Fox describes Wightwick's witty tabletalk, when he dined at Penjerrick
, the Fox family home (entries: 6 April 1839 and 25 October 1839); her attendance at a lecture he gave (entry: 18 January 1849); and news that he would move to Clifton (entry: 27 June 1851). Through this long period, Wightwick kept contact with this family of "opinion-formers" and powerful social networkers.
Books by "George Wightwick, Architect" held by the British Library
(British Library Integrated catalogue search June 11, 2006)
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and possibly the first architectural journalist.
In addition to his architectural practice, he developed his skills and the market for architectural journalism. His views of church design disagreed with those of churchmen with power to commission new churches and this work dropped off after he published his ideas in Weale's Quarterly papers on Architecture in 1844/1845. He married twice but had no children and died at Portishead
Portishead, Somerset
Portishead is a coastal town on the Severn Estuary within the unitary authority of North Somerset, which falls within the ceremonial county of Somerset England. It has a population of 22,000, an increase of over 3,000 since the 2001 census, with a growth rate of 40 per cent, considerably in excess...
on July 9, 1872.
Beginnings
Wightwick was born in Alyn Bank, near Mold, Flintshire, WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and trained in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, with a year of travel and study in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, after which, in 1828, he published Select Views of Roman Antiquities.
Plymouth Practice
In the late 1820s, Wightwick moved to PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, and worked with John Foulston
John Foulston
John Foulston was an English architect. He was a pupil of Thomas Hardwick and set up a practice in London in 1796. In 1810 he won a competition to design the Royal Hotel and Theatre group of buildings in Plymouth, Devon, and after relocating he remained the leading architect for twenty-five...
, succeeding to Foulston's practice after six months. From then until 1852, when he retired to Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, he completed many public and domestic buildings, mostly in Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
Wightwick was well-known in Plymouth as an architect and as an amateur actor and comedian.
He completed designs by Foulston for Bodmin County Lunatic Asylum and designed the Plymouth Mechanics' Institute, Athenaeum Terrace, the Esplanade, the Devon and Cornwall Female Orphan Asylum and the Post Office at Devonport
Devonport, Devon
Devonport, formerly named Plymouth Dock or just Dock, is a district of Plymouth in the English county of Devon, although it was, at one time, the more important settlement. It became a county borough in 1889...
.
In Devon, he designed Calverleigh Court, and Watermouth Castle
Watermouth Castle
Watermouth Castle is a building in Watermouth, Devon, England, designed by George Wightwick as a residence for the Basset family in the mid 19th-century and is not a true castle but a country house built to resemble one...
, near Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe
Ilfracombe is a seaside resort and civil parish on the North Devon coast, England with a small harbour, surrounded by cliffs.The parish stretches along the coast from 'The Coastguard Cottages' in Hele Bay toward the east and 4 miles along The Torrs to Lee Bay toward the west...
.
Work in Cornwall
Among the buildings that he designed in Cornwall were country houses at Luxtowe in LiskeardLiskeard
Liskeard is an ancient stannary and market town and civil parish in south east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom.Liskeard is situated approximately 20 miles west of Plymouth, west of the River Tamar and the border with Devon, and 12 miles east of Bodmin...
and Trevarno
Trevarno, Cornwall
Trevarno is a country estate in south-west, Cornwall, United Kingdom , once the seat of the Bickford-Smith family. It is situated near the village of Crowntown, two miles north-east of Helston....
, near Helston
Helston
Helston is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula approximately 12 miles east of Penzance and nine miles southwest of Falmouth. Helston is the most southerly town in the UK and is around further south than...
, Penquite at Golant
Golant
Golant is a village in south Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated on the west bank of the River Fowey and lies in the civil parish of St Sampson....
and alterations to Tregrehan House at St. Blazey.
In Buildings of England: Cornwall, Pevsner describes St. Michael and All Angels, Bude
Bude
Bude is a small seaside resort town in North Cornwall, England, at the mouth of the River Neet . It lies just south of Flexbury, north of Widemouth Bay and west of Stratton and is located along the A3073 road off the A39. Bude is twinned with Ergué-Gabéric in Brittany, France...
(1835), St. Mary's at Portreath
Portreath
Portreath is a civil parish, village and fishing port on the north coast of Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated approximately three miles northwest of Redruth....
(1841) - "rather depressing" according to Pevsner, Probus Vicarage (1839), St. Luke's, Tideford
Tideford
Tideford is a small village in east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is twinned with Plouguerneau in Brittany, France.Its name derives from its location on the River Tiddy, literally meaning "Ford on the River Tiddy". Tideford is not listed in the Domesday Book but the earliest settlement is...
(1845), and Tregrehan House near St. Blazey ("Late Georgian ... granite ... Ionic colonnade", [also] "a pretty little lodge"), and St. John's, Treslothan (1841).
Professor Brett has identified Wightwick as the architect of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society
The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society is an educational, cultural and scientific charity, based in Falmouth, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The Society exists to promote innovation in the arts and sciences...
building in Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
.
Networking
The ODNB articles relate how Wightwick's social networking skills were used to develop his practice. An example of this is his relationship with the Fox family of FalmouthFox family of Falmouth
The Fox family of Falmouth, Cornwall, UK were very influential in the development of the town of Falmouth in the 19th century and of the Cornish Industrial Revolution...
, as described by siblings Barclay
Barclay Fox
Robert Barclay Fox was a businessman, gardener and diarist, a member of the influential Quaker Fox family of Falmouth.-Family relationships:...
and Caroline
Caroline Fox
Caroline Fox was an English diarist. She was the daughter of Robert Were Fox FRS of the influential Fox family of Falmouth, and was the younger sister of both Barclay Fox, also a diarist, and Anna Maria Fox....
, who both kept journals which were published in the 1970s.
Barclay Fox notes the brilliant lecture that Wightwick gave at the Polytechnic: "The Romance of Architecture" (entry: 3 October 1838); their companionship at the meeting of the British Association in Plymouth (entry: 29 July 1841); and his visit to the new Bodmin Lunatic Asylum with Wightwick (the architect) (entry: 23 August 1841). Caroline Fox describes Wightwick's witty tabletalk, when he dined at Penjerrick
Penjerrick Garden
Penjerrick Garden, often referred to as "Cornwall's true jungle garden", lies between Budock Water and Mawnan Smith, near Falmouth, United Kingdom....
, the Fox family home (entries: 6 April 1839 and 25 October 1839); her attendance at a lecture he gave (entry: 18 January 1849); and news that he would move to Clifton (entry: 27 June 1851). Through this long period, Wightwick kept contact with this family of "opinion-formers" and powerful social networkers.
Writings
His first work was Select Views of Roman Antiquities (1828). After his retirement from architectural practice, he continued his writing about architecture, both in the Bristol papers and the national professional press.Books by "George Wightwick, Architect" held by the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
(British Library Integrated catalogue search June 11, 2006)
- Nettleton’s Guide to Plymouth ... and to the neighbouring country, etc.. 1836
- Hints to Young Architects: comprising advice to those who are destined to follow the profession, 1846 , with new editions in 1847, 1860, 1875 and 1880. 2nd American edition (1851) is available online at Internet Archive.
- The Palace of Architecture: a romance of art and history. [With plates.] 1840
- Richard the First, a romantik play in five acts [and in verse, with occasional scenes in prose]. 1848
- Henry the Second: a tragedy in five acts [and in verse]. 1851