Pevsner Architectural Guides - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Pevsner Architectural Guides are a series of guide book

Guide book

A guide book is a book for tourists or travelers that provides details about a geographic location, tourist destination, or itinerary. It is the written equivalent of a tour guide...

s to the architecture

Architecture

Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...

of the British Isles

British Isles

The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...

. Begun in the 1940s by art historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner

Nikolaus Pevsner

Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...

, the 46 volumes of the Buildings of England series were published between 1951 and 1975. The series was then extended to Scotland and Wales, and in the 1990s the Buildings of Ireland series was begun. The Scottish, Welsh and Irish guides were incomplete as of spring 2008.

Origin and research methods

After moving to England from his native Germany in the 1930s, Nikolaus Pevsner found that the study of architectural history

Architectural History

Architectural History is the main journal of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain .The journal is published each autumn. The architecture of the British Isles is a major theme of the journal, although it includes more general papers on the history of architecture. Member of...

had little status in academic circles, and that the amount of information available, especially to travellers wanting to inform themselves about the architecture of a particular district, was limited. He conceived a project to write a series of comprehensive county guides to rectify this, and gained the backing of Allen Lane

Allen Lane

Sir Allen Lane was a British publisher who founded Penguin Books, bringing high quality paperback fiction and non-fiction to the mass market.-Early life and family:...

, founder of Penguin Books

Penguin Books

Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...

, for whom he had written his Outline of European Architecture.

Work on the series began in 1945. Lane employed two part-time assistants, both German refugee art historians, who prepared notes for Pevsner from published sources. Pevsner spent the academic holidays touring the country to make personal observations and to carry out local research, before writing up the finished volumes. The first volume was published in 1951. Pevsner wrote 32 of the books himself and ten with collaborators, with a further four of the original series written by others. Since his death, work has continued on the series, with several volumes now in their third revision.

Content of the volumes

The books are compact and intended to meet the needs of both specialists and the general reader. Each contains an extensive introduction to the architectural history and styles of the area, followed by a town-by-town—and in the case of larger settlements, street-by-street—account of individual buildings. The guides offer both detailed coverage of the most notable buildings and notes on lesser-known and vernacular

Vernacular architecture

Vernacular architecture is a term used to categorize methods of construction which use locally available resources and traditions to address local needs and circumstances. Vernacular architecture tends to evolve over time to reflect the environmental, cultural and historical context in which it...

buildings; all building types are covered but there is a particular emphasis on churches and public buildings. Each volume has a central section with several dozen pages of photographs, originally in black and white, though colour illustrations have featured in revised volumes since 2003.

Celebratory volume

In 2001 the Penguin Collectors Society

Penguin Collectors Society

The Penguin Collectors Society is an educational charity based in the United Kingdom. Its primary purpose is to promote the study and research of all aspects of Penguin Books, the publishing company founded by Allen Lane in 1935.-History:...

published The Buildings of England: a Celebration (50 years after BE1 was published: it includes 12 essays and a selection of text from the series). ISBN 978-0-952-74013-1

Listing of volumes in print

The list below is of the volumes that were in print in 2006 (updated to include City Guides in print at October 2010, and new volumes released 2011). The original volumes are gradually being replaced with new editions in a larger format, updated to reflect architectural-history scholarship since the first publications of the guides and to include significant new buildings. The dates after each title are of the first publication and of any revised edition. All are now published by Yale University Press

Yale University Press

Yale University Press is a book publisher founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day. It became an official department of Yale University in 1961, but remains financially and operationally autonomous....

. The volumes for Bath, Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Gateshead, Nottingham and Sheffield are part of the parallel "Pevsner City Guides" series, a more richly illustrated paperback format.

Bedfordshire, Huntingdon & Peterborough (1968) ISBN 978-0-300-09581-4
Berkshire (1966; 2009) (rev. Geoffrey Tyack and Simon Bradley) ISBN 978-0-300-12662-4
Buckinghamshire (1960; 1994) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09584-5
Cambridgeshire (1954; 1970) ISBN 978-0-300-09586-9
Cheshire (1971; 2011) ISBN 978-0-300-09588-3 (with Edward Hubbard, rev. Clare Hartwell and Matthew Hyde)
Cornwall (1951; 1970) (rev. Enid Radcliffe) ISBN 978-0-300-09589-0
County Durham (1953; 1983) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09599-9
Cumbria (2010) ISBN 978-0-300-1266-31 (with Matthew Hyde)
Derbyshire (1953; 1978) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09591-3
Devon (1952; 1989) ISBN 978-0-300-09596-8
Dorset (1972) ISBN 978-0-300-09598-2 (with John Newman)
Essex (1954; 1965; 2007) (rev. James Bettley) ISBN 978-0-300-09601-9
Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds (1970; 1999) (David Verey, rev. Alan Brooks) ISBN 978-0-300-09604-0
Gloucestershire 2: The Vale & Forest of Dean (1970; 2002) (David Verey, rev. Alan Brooks) ISBN 978-0-300-09733-7
The Isle of Wight (2006) ISBN 978-0-300-10733-3 (with David Wharton Lloyd)
Hampshire & The Isle of Wight (1967) ISBN 978-0-300-09606-4 (with David Wharton Lloyd)
Hampshire: Winchester & the North (2010) ISBN 978-0-300-12084-4 (with Michael Bullen, John Crook and Rodney Hubbuck)
Herefordshire (1963) ISBN 978-0-300-09609-5
Hertfordshire (1953; 1977) (rev. Bridget Cherry) ISBN 978-0-300-09611-8
Kent: North East & East (1969; 1983) (John Newman) ISBN 978-0-300-09613-2
Kent: West & the Weald (1969; 1976) (John Newman) ISBN 978-0-300-09614-9
Lancashire: Liverpool & the South-West (2006) ISBN 978-0-300-10910-8 (with Richard Pollard)
Lancashire: Manchester & the South-East (2004) ISBN 978-0-300-10583-4 (with Clare Hartwell and Matthew Hyde)
Lancashire: North (2009) ISBN 978-0-300-12667-9 (with Clare Hartwell)
Leicestershire & Rutland (1960; 1984) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09618-7
Lincolnshire (1964; 1989) (with John Harris, rev. Nicholas Antram) ISBN 978-0-300-09620-0
London 1: The City of London (1997) ISBN 978-0-300-09624-8 (with Simon Bradley)
London 2: South (1983) ISBN 978-0-300-09651-4 (with Bridget Cherry)
London 3: North-West (1991) ISBN 978-0-300-09652-1 (with Bridget Cherry)
London 4: North (1998) ISBN 978-0-300-09653-8 (with Bridget Cherry)
London 5: East (2004) ISBN 978-0-300-10701-2 (with Bridget Cherry and Charles O'Brien)
London 6: Westminster (2003) ISBN 978-0-300-09595-1 (with Simon Bradley)
Norfolk 1: Norwich & North East (1962; 1997) (rev. Bill Wilson) ISBN 978-0-300-09607-1
Norfolk 2: South & West (1962; 1999) (rev. Bill Wilson) ISBN 978-0-300-09657-6
Northamptonshire (1961; 1973) (rev. Bridget Cherry) ISBN 978-0-300-09632-3
Northumberland (1957; 1992) ISBN 978-0-300-09638-5 (with Ian A. Richmond, rev. John Grundy, Grace McCombie, Peter Ryder and Humphrey Welfare)
Nottinghamshire (1951; 1979) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09636-1
Oxfordshire (1974) ISBN 978-0-300-09639-2 (with Jennifer Sherwood)
Shropshire (1958; 2006) (rev. John Newman) ISBN 978-0-300-09642-2
Somerset: North & Bristol (1958; 2011) (rev. Andrew Foyle) ISBN 978-0-300-09640-8
Somerset: South & West (1958) ISBN 978-0-300-09644-6
Staffordshire (1974) ISBN 978-0-300-09646-0
Suffolk (1961; 1974) (rev. Enid Radcliffe) ISBN 978-0-300-09648-4
Surrey (1962; 1971) (with Ian Nairn, rev. Bridget Cherry) ISBN 978-0-300-09675-0
Sussex (1965) ISBN 978-0-300-09677-4 (with Ian Nairn)
Warwickshire (1966) ISBN 978-0-300-09679-8 (with Alexandra Wedgwood)
Wiltshire (1963; 1975) (rev. Bridget Cherry) ISBN 978-0-300-09659-0
Worcestershire (1968; 2007) (rev. Alan Brooks) ISBN 978-0-300-11298-6
Yorkshire: The North Riding (1966) ISBN 978-0-300-09665-1
Yorkshire: The West Riding (1959; 1967) (rev. Enid Radcliffe) ISBN 978-0-140-71017-5
Yorkshire: The West Riding: Leeds, Bradford & the North (2009) ISBN 978-0-300-12665-5 (with Peter Leach)
Yorkshire: York & East Riding (1972; 1995) (rev. David Neave) ISBN 978-0-300-09593-7

City Guides

The first of the City Guides appeared in 1998, and as the name suggests covers a much smaller geographical area. Invariably the city guides have preceded a revision of the county volume in which they are located, although they do go into greater detail than the county volumes and have more illustrations. The volumes covering Bath and Bristol post-date the only available edition of the county volume, North Somerset, by around fifty years. Similarly, the Birmingham guide completely supersedes the Warwickshire volume which is now over forty years old.

Bath (2003) (Michael Forsyth) ISBN 978-0-300-10177-5
Birmingham (2005) (Andy Foster) ISBN 978-0-300-10731-9
Brighton and Hove (2008) (Nicholas Antram and Richard Morrice) ISBN 978-0-300-12661-7
Bristol (2004) (Andrew Foyle) ISBN 978-0-300-10442-4
Hull (2010) (David Neave) ISBN 978-0-300-14172-6
Leeds (2005) (Susan Wrathmell) ISBN 978-0-300-10736-4
Liverpool (2003) (Joseph Sharples) ISBN 978-0-300-10258-1
London City Churches (1998) (Simon Bradley) ISBN 978-0-300-09655-2
Manchester (2001) (Clare Hartwell) ISBN 978-0-300-09666-8
Newcastle and Gateshead (2009) (Grace McCombie) ISBN 978-0-300-12664-8
Nottingham (2008) (Elain Harwood) ISBN 978-0-300-12666-2
Sheffield (2004) (Ruth Harman and John Minnis) ISBN 978-0-300-10585-8

Buildings of Scotland

The series continued under Pevsner's name into Scotland. The format is largely similar; however, only Lothian was published in the original small volume style. One noticeable difference in the Scottish series is a greater subdivision of the main gazetteer (e.g. in Argyll and Bute mainland Argyll has separate gazetteer from its islands, and Bute similarly is treated on its own). Unlike The Buildings of England, none of the Scottish volumes adopt a hierarchy of ecclesiastical buildings, instead grouping them together. As with the English revisions, several of the volumes are the work of many contributors. As of 2006, the series is four volumes from completion.

Aberdeen and North-East Scotland (in preparation)
Argyll and Bute (2000) ISBN 978-0-300-09670-5 (Frank Arneil Walker
Frank Arneil Walker
Frank Arneil Walker OBE is a Scottish architectural academic and writer.He is emeritus professor of architecture of the University of Strathclyde...

)
Ayrshire and Arran (in preparation)
Borders (2006) ISBN 978-0-300-10702-9 (Kitty Cruft, John Dunbar and Richard Fawcett)
Dumfries and Galloway (1996) ISBN 978-0-300-09671-2 (John Gifford)
Dundee and Angus (in preparation)
Edinburgh (1984) ISBN 978-0-300-09672-9 (John Gifford, Colin McWilliam
Colin McWilliam
Colin McWilliam was a Scottish architecture academic and author.-Career:Born in London, he graduated from the University of Cambridge and became Director of the Scottish National Buildings Record, then the Assistant Secretary of the National Trust for Scotland. He also directed architectural...

and David Walker)
Fife (1988) ISBN 978-0-300-09673-6 (John Gifford)
Glasgow (1990) ISBN 978-0-300-09674-3 (Elizabeth Williamson, Anne Riches and Malcolm Higgs)
Highland and Islands (1992) ISBN 978-0-300-09625-5 (John Gifford)
Lothian, except Edinburgh (1978) ISBN 978-0-300-09626-2 (Colin McWilliam)
Perth and Kinross (2007) ISBN 978-0-300-10922-1 (John Gifford)
Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire (in preparation)
Stirling and Central Scotland (2002) ISBN 978-0-300-09594-4 (John Gifford and Frank Arneil Walker)

Buildings of Wales

The series has also been extended to Wales. With the issue of Gwynedd coverage of Wales is complete, although the initial survey has taken seven years longer than Pevsner's first complete survey of England.

Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion (2006) ISBN 978-0-300-10179-9 (Thomas Lloyd)
Clwyd (Denbighshire and Flintshire) (1986) ISBN 978-0-300-09627-9 (Edward Hubbard
Edward Hubbard
Edward Horton Hubbard was an English architectural historian who worked with Nikolaus Pevsner in compiling volumes of the Buildings of England...

)
Glamorgan (1995) ISBN 978-0-300-09629-3 (John Newman)
Gwent/Monmouthshire (2000) ISBN 978-0-300-09630-9 (John Newman)
Gwynedd (2009) ISBN 978-0-300-14169-6 (Richard Haslam, Julian Orbach and Adam Voelcker)
Pembrokeshire (2004) ISBN 978-0-300-10178-2 (Thomas Lloyd, Julian Orbach and Robert Scourfield)
Powys (1979) ISBN 978-0-300-09631-6 (Richard Haslam)

Buildings of Ireland

The Irish series is not so far advanced as the others. However, the following have been published:

Dublin (2005) ISBN 978-0-300-10923-8 (Christine Casey)
North-West Ulster: the Counties of Londonderry, Donegal, Fermanagh & Tyrone (1979) ISBN 978-0-300-09667-5 (Alistair Rowan)
North Leinster (1993) ISBN 978-0-300-09668-2 (Alistair Rowan and Christine Casey)

Superseded volumes

The revision of the series has rendered some original volumes obsolete, usually as the area of coverage has expanded. To date the following volumes have been superseded:

Cumberland and Westmorland (1967)
London: the Cities of London and Westminster (1957)
London, except the Cities of London and Westminster (1952)
London Docklands (1998) (with Elizabeth Williamson)
Middlesex (1951)
North Lancashire (1969)
South Lancashire (1969)

In addition, two volumes, North Devon and South Devon were superseded by a single volume covering the entire county.

External links

Pevsner Architectural Guides and the Buildings Books Trust

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