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Robert Smirke (architect)
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Smirke was an English
architect
, one of the leaders of Greek Revival architecture
his best known building in that style is the British Museum, though he also designed using other architectural styles. Smirke designed the main block and facade of the British Museum
.
he was one of twelve children. He attended Aspley School, Aspley Guise
, Bedfordshire, where he studied Latin
, Greek
, French
and drawing
he was made head boy at age 15, and studied architecture
as a pupil of classical architect John Soane
from May 1796 but left after a few months in early 1797 due to a personality clash with Soane. He wrote the following letter to his father:
In 1796 he began his studies at the Royal Academy
winning the Silver Medal that year, also winning the same year the Silver Palette of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Academy in 1799 for his design for a National Museum. After leaving Soane he depended on George Dance the Younger
and a surveyor
called Thomas Bush for his training. From 1801 to 1805 he embarked on the Grand Tour
, he studied architecture in southern Europe
. Accompanied by his elder brother Richard, his itinerary can be followed by the series of letters he wrote, Brussels
, as Britain was at war
, in order to visit Paris
they disguised themselves as American
s, Berlin
, Potsdam
, Prague
, Dresden
, Vienna
. Visiting Italy
, including, Florence
, Venice
, Padua
, Genoa
, Vicenza
, Rome
, Naples
, and Sicily
then on to Greece
, visiting Corinth
, Athens
, Delphi
, Thebes
and Olympia.He wrote from Athens to his father:
. In 1805 he joined the Society of Antiquaries of London
and the Architects' Club. In 1806 he published the first and only volume of an intended series of books Specimens of Continental Architecture.
Smirke's first official appointment came in 1807 when he was made architect to the Royal Mint
. He was elected a A.R.A. (Associate of the Royal Academy) in 1808, an R.A. (Royal Academician) in 1811. Smirke's relations with Soane reached a low point after Soane who had been appointed Professor
of Architecture at the Royal Academy delivered his 4th lecture on 29 January 1810 in which he heavily criticised Smirke's design of the Covent Garden Opera House. The offending passage was:
Together with John Nash
and Sir John Soane
, he became an official architect to the Office of Works
in 1813, thereby reaching the height of the profession. In 1819 he was made surveyor of the Inner Temple
. In 1819 he married Laura Freston, daughter of The Reverend
Anthony Freston the great-nephew of the architect Matthew Brettingham
. The only child of the marriage was a daughter Laura. In 1820 he was made surveyor of the Duchy of Lancaster
. He was knighted in 1832, and received the RIBA
Royal Gold Medal
for Architecture in 1853. Smirke lived at 81 Charlotte Street, London. A blue plaque
commemorating his residence is on the outside of the building. He retired from practise in 1845, after which Robert Peel
made him a member of the Commission for London Improvements. .In 1859 he resigned from the Royal Academy and retired to Cheltenham
, living in Montpellier House, Suffolk Square, where he died on 18 April 1867, he is buried in the churchyard at St Peter's Church, Leckhampton. His estate was worth £90,000. He is known to have designed or remodelled over twenty churches, more than fifty public buildings and more than sixty private houses. This lead to James Planché
's 1846 chorus in his burlesque
of Aristophanes
The Birds
:
The rapid rise of Smirke is down to political patronage. He was a Tory
at a time when this party was in the ascendant. His friends at the Royal Academy such as Sir Thomas Lawrence
, George Dance, Benjamin West
and Joseph Farington
were able to introduce him to patrons such as: John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn
; Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville
; Sir George Beaumont, 7th Baronet
; George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen
; Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford
; Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
; John 'Mad Jack' Fuller
and William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale
. These politicians and aristocrats
ensured both rapid advancement and several were to commission buildings from Smirke.
Smirke was a pioneer of using both concrete
and cast iron
. Examples of his buildings in which he used concrete foundations include: Millbank Penitentiary, the rebuilding of the London Custom House and the British Museum. Also he used large cast iron beams to support the floors of the upper galleries at the British Museum, these had to span 41 feet. A critic writing in 1828 in The Athenaeum stated "Mr. Smirke, is pre-eminent in construction: in this respect he has not his superior in the United Kingdom
". James Fergusson
writing in 1849 said "He was a first class builder architect, ....no building of his ever showed a flaw or failing and ....he was often called upon to remedy the defects of his brother artist."
Smirke started to write a treatise
on architecture c. 1815 and although he worked on it for about 10 years never completed it. In it he made his admiration for the architecture of ancient Greece
plain. He described it as "the noblest", "simple, grand, magnificent", "with its other merits it has a kind of primal simplicity". This he contrasted with the Architecture of ancient Rome which he described as "corrupt Roman taste", "An excess of ornament is in all cases a sympton [Sic] of a vulgar or degenerate taste". Of Gothic architecture
he described as '"till its despicable remains were almost everywhere superseded by that singular and mysterious compound of styles".
His pupils included his brother Sydney as well as Lewis Vulliamy
, William Burn
, Charles Robert Cockerell
, Henry Jones Underwood
and Henry Roberts
.
His brothers were also notable – Sydney Smirke
was also an architect, best known for the circular reading room at the British Museum
, and Edward Smirke
was a lawyer and antiquarian
.
public buildings, among the most famous still standing in London:
Of those no longer extant, he also designed:
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Smirke used the Elizabethan Style
at:
His Gothic Revival
domestic buildings include:
A rare use of Norman Revival Architecture
is:
on the building of new churches from 1818 onwards, contributing seven himself, six were in the Greek revival style
, the exception being the church at Tyldesley that is in the Gothic revival style
:
Smirke also designed churches for clients other than the commissioners, these included:
, several commissions coming to him via his official post in the Office of Works:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
architect
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...
, one of the leaders of Greek Revival architecture
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
his best known building in that style is the British Museum, though he also designed using other architectural styles. Smirke designed the main block and facade of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
.
Biography
Smirke was born in London on 1 October 1780, the second son of portrait painter Robert SmirkeRobert Smirke (painter)
Robert Smirke , was an English painter and illustrator.-Life and work:Smirke was born at Wigton near Carlisle, the son of a clever but eccentric travelling artist. In his thirteenth year he was apprenticed in London with an heraldic painter, and, at the age of twenty, began to study at the schools...
he was one of twelve children. He attended Aspley School, Aspley Guise
Aspley Guise
Aspley Guise is a village and civil parish located in central Bedfordshire, England. It is just over the county border from Woburn Sands in the Borough of Milton Keynes and about by road to Milton Keynes Centre and to the M1 London to Yorkshire motorway junction 13.-Notable buildings:The...
, Bedfordshire, where he studied Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
he was made head boy at age 15, and studied 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...
as a pupil of classical architect John Soane
John Soane
Sir John Soane, RA was an English architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. His architectural works are distinguished by their clean lines, massing of simple form, decisive detailing, careful proportions and skilful use of light sources...
from May 1796 but left after a few months in early 1797 due to a personality clash with Soane. He wrote the following letter to his father:
He (Soane) was on Monday morning in one of his amiable Tempers. Everything was
slovenly that I was doing. My drawing was slovenly because it was too great a scale,
my scale, also, being too long, and he finished saying the whole of it was excessively
slovenly, and that I should draw it out again on the back not to waste another
sheet about it.
In 1796 he began his studies at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
winning the Silver Medal that year, also winning the same year the Silver Palette of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce, he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Academy in 1799 for his design for a National Museum. After leaving Soane he depended on George Dance the Younger
George Dance the Younger
George Dance the Younger was an English architect and surveyor. The fifth and youngest son of George Dance the Elder, he came from a distinguished family of architects, artists and dramatists...
and a surveyor
Construction surveying
Construction surveying is to stake out reference points and markers that will guide the construction of new structures such as roads or buildings...
called Thomas Bush for his training. From 1801 to 1805 he embarked on the Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
, he studied architecture in southern Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Accompanied by his elder brother Richard, his itinerary can be followed by the series of letters he wrote, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, as Britain was at war
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, in order to visit Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
they disguised themselves as American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
s, Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
. Visiting 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...
, including, Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
, Genoa
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
, and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
then on to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, visiting Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
, Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Delphi
Delphi
Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...
, Thebes
Thebes, Greece
Thebes is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. It played an important role in Greek myth, as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and others...
and Olympia.He wrote from Athens to his father:
How can I by description give you any idea of the great pleasure I enjoyed in the sight of these ancient buildings of Athens! How strongly were exemplified in them the grandeur and effect of simplicity in architecture! The Temple of Thesus (Temple of HephaestusHe drew most of the ancient buildings in MoreaTemple of HephaestusThe Temple of Hephaestus, also known as the Hephaisteion or earlier as the Theseion, is the best-preserved ancient Greek temple; it remains standing largely as built. It is a Doric peripteral temple, and is located at the north-west side of the Agora of Athens, on top of the Agoraios Kolonos hill....
)... cannot but arrest the attention of everyone from its appropriate and dignified solemnity of appearance. The temple of Minerva (ParthenonParthenonThe Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
)... strikes one in the same way with its grandeur and majesty. We were a month there. The impression made upon my mind... had not in that time in the least weakened by being frequently repeated and I could with pleasure spend a much longer time there, while those in Rome (with few exceptions) not only soon grow in some degree uninteresting but have now entirely sunk into disregard and contempt in my mind. All that I could do in Athens was to make some views of them...hoping that they will serve as a memorandum to me of what I think should always be a model.'
Morea
The Morea was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It also referred to a Byzantine province in the region, known as the Despotate of Morea.-Origins of the name:...
. In 1805 he joined the Society of Antiquaries of London
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
and the Architects' Club. In 1806 he published the first and only volume of an intended series of books Specimens of Continental Architecture.
Smirke's first official appointment came in 1807 when he was made architect to the Royal Mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
. He was elected a A.R.A. (Associate of the Royal Academy) in 1808, an R.A. (Royal Academician) in 1811. Smirke's relations with Soane reached a low point after Soane who had been appointed Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Architecture at the Royal Academy delivered his 4th lecture on 29 January 1810 in which he heavily criticised Smirke's design of the Covent Garden Opera House. The offending passage was:
The practise of sacrificing everything to one front of a building is to be seen,
not only in small houses where economy might in some degree apologize for the absurdity,
but it is also apparent in large works of great expense ..... And these drawings of a more
recent work (here two drawings of Covent Garden theatre were displayed) point out the glaring
impropriety of this defect in a manner if possible still more forcible and more subversive of
true taste. The public attention, from the largeness of the building, being particularly called
to the contemplation of this national edifice
Together with John Nash
John Nash (architect)
John Nash was a British architect responsible for much of the layout of Regency London.-Biography:Born in Lambeth, London, the son of a Welsh millwright, Nash trained with the architect Sir Robert Taylor. He established his own practice in 1777, but his career was initially unsuccessful and...
and Sir John Soane
John Soane
Sir John Soane, RA was an English architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. His architectural works are distinguished by their clean lines, massing of simple form, decisive detailing, careful proportions and skilful use of light sources...
, he became an official architect to the Office of Works
Office of Works
The Office of Works was established in the English Royal household in 1378 to oversee the building of the royal castles and residences. In 1832 it became the Works Department within the Office of Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works and Buildings...
in 1813, thereby reaching the height of the profession. In 1819 he was made surveyor of the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
. In 1819 he married Laura Freston, daughter of The Reverend
The Reverend
The Reverend is a style most often used as a prefix to the names of Christian clergy and ministers. There are sometimes differences in the way the style is used in different countries and church traditions. The Reverend is correctly called a style but is often and in some dictionaries called a...
Anthony Freston the great-nephew of the architect Matthew Brettingham
Matthew Brettingham
Matthew Brettingham , sometimes called Matthew Brettingham the Elder, was an 18th-century Englishman who rose from humble origins to supervise the construction of Holkham Hall, and eventually became one of the country's better-known architects of his generation...
. The only child of the marriage was a daughter Laura. In 1820 he was made surveyor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
. He was knighted in 1832, and received the RIBA
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
Royal Gold Medal
Royal Gold Medal
The Royal Gold Medal for architecture is awarded annually by the Royal Institute of British Architects on behalf of the British monarch, in recognition of an individual's or group's substantial contribution to international architecture....
for Architecture in 1853. Smirke lived at 81 Charlotte Street, London. A blue plaque
Blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person or event, serving as a historical marker....
commemorating his residence is on the outside of the building. He retired from practise in 1845, after which Robert Peel
Robert Peel
Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet was a British Conservative statesman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 December 1834 to 8 April 1835, and again from 30 August 1841 to 29 June 1846...
made him a member of the Commission for London Improvements. .In 1859 he resigned from the Royal Academy and retired to Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, living in Montpellier House, Suffolk Square, where he died on 18 April 1867, he is buried in the churchyard at St Peter's Church, Leckhampton. His estate was worth £90,000. He is known to have designed or remodelled over twenty churches, more than fifty public buildings and more than sixty private houses. This lead to James Planché
James Planche
James Robinson Planché was a British dramatist, antiquary and officer of arms. Over a period of approximately 60 years he wrote, adapted, or collaborated on 176 plays in a wide range of genres including extravaganza, farce, comedy, burletta, melodrama and opera...
's 1846 chorus in his burlesque
Burlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
of Aristophanes
Aristophanes
Aristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete...
The Birds
The Birds (play)
The Birds is a comedy by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. It was performed in 414 BCE at the City Dionysia where it won second prize. It has been acclaimed by modern critics as a perfectly realized fantasy remarkable for its mimicry of birds and for the gaiety of its songs...
:
Go to work, rival Smirke
Make a dash, À la NashJohn Nash (architect)John Nash was a British architect responsible for much of the layout of Regency London.-Biography:Born in Lambeth, London, the son of a Welsh millwright, Nash trained with the architect Sir Robert Taylor. He established his own practice in 1777, but his career was initially unsuccessful and...
Something try at, worthy WyattJames WyattJames Wyatt RA , was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical style, who far outdid Adam in his work in the neo-Gothic style.-Early classical career:...
Plans out carry, great as BarryCharles BarrySir Charles Barry FRS was an English architect, best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster in London during the mid-19th century, but also responsible for numerous other buildings and gardens.- Background and training :Born on 23 May 1795 in Bridge Street, Westminster...
The rapid rise of Smirke is down to political patronage. He was a Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
at a time when this party was in the ascendant. His friends at the Royal Academy such as Sir Thomas Lawrence
Thomas Lawrence
Thomas Lawrence may refer to:*Sir Thomas Lawrence, British artist, President of Royal Academy*Thomas Lawrence , mayor of colonial Philadelphia*T. E. Lawrence, "Lawrence of Arabia"*Thomas Lawrence , U.S. politician...
, George Dance, Benjamin West
Benjamin West
Benjamin West, RA was an Anglo-American painter of historical scenes around and after the time of the American War of Independence...
and Joseph Farington
Joseph Farington
Joseph Farington was an 18th-century English landscape painter and diarist.-Life and work:Born in Leigh, Lancashire, Farington was the second of seven sons of William Farington and Esther Gilbody. His father was the rector of Warrington and vicar of Leigh...
were able to introduce him to patrons such as: John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn
John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn
John James Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn KG, PC was an Irish peer and politician.-Background:He was the son of Captain Hon. John Hamilton and grandson of James Hamilton, 7th Earl of Abercorn. He was educated at Harrow and Pembroke College, Cambridge...
; Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville
Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville
Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville PC and Baron Dunira was a Scottish lawyer and politician. He was the first Secretary of State for War and the last person to be impeached in the United Kingdom....
; Sir George Beaumont, 7th Baronet
Sir George Beaumont, 7th Baronet
Sir George Howland Beaumont, 7th Baronet was a British art patron and amateur painter. He played a crucial part in the creation of London's National Gallery by making the first bequest of paintings to that institution....
; George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen
George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen
George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen KG, KT, FRS, PC , styled Lord Haddo from 1791 to 1801, was a Scottish politician, successively a Tory, Conservative and Peelite, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1852 until 1855.-Early life:Born in Edinburgh on 28 January 1784, he...
; Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford
Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford
Francis Charles Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford KG, GCH PC , styled Viscount Beauchamp between 1793 and 1794 and Earl of Yarmouth between 1794 and 1822, was a British Tory politician and art collector....
; Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst KG PC was a British politician.-Background and education:Lord Bathurst was the elder son of Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst, by his wife Tryphena, daughter of Thomas Scawen...
; John 'Mad Jack' Fuller
John 'Mad Jack' Fuller
John Fuller , better known as "Mad Jack" Fuller , was Squire of the hamlet of Brightling, in Sussex , and is well known as a builder of follies, and as a philanthropist, patron of the arts and sciences, and a supporter of slavery...
and William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale
William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale
William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale PC, FRS , styled Viscount Lowther between 1807 and 1844, was a British Tory politician.-Background:...
. These politicians and aristocrats
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
ensured both rapid advancement and several were to commission buildings from Smirke.
Smirke was a pioneer of using both concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
. Examples of his buildings in which he used concrete foundations include: Millbank Penitentiary, the rebuilding of the London Custom House and the British Museum. Also he used large cast iron beams to support the floors of the upper galleries at the British Museum, these had to span 41 feet. A critic writing in 1828 in The Athenaeum stated "Mr. Smirke, is pre-eminent in construction: in this respect he has not his superior in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
". James Fergusson
James Fergusson (architect)
James Fergusson , was a Scottish writer on architecture.-Life:Fergusson was born at Ayr, the son of William Fergusson an army surgeon. After being educated first at the Royal High School, Edinburgh, and then at a private school in Hounslow, he went to Calcutta as a partner in a mercantile house...
writing in 1849 said "He was a first class builder architect, ....no building of his ever showed a flaw or failing and ....he was often called upon to remedy the defects of his brother artist."
Smirke started to write a treatise
Treatise
A treatise is a formal and systematic written discourse on some subject, generally longer and treating it in greater depth than an essay, and more concerned with investigating or exposing the principles of the subject.-Noteworthy treatises:...
on architecture c. 1815 and although he worked on it for about 10 years never completed it. In it he made his admiration for the architecture of ancient Greece
Architecture of Ancient Greece
The architecture of Ancient Greece is the architecture produced by the Greek-speaking people whose culture flourished on the Greek mainland and Peloponnesus, the Aegean Islands, and in colonies in Asia Minor and Italy for a period from about 900 BC until the 1st century AD, with the earliest...
plain. He described it as "the noblest", "simple, grand, magnificent", "with its other merits it has a kind of primal simplicity". This he contrasted with the Architecture of ancient Rome which he described as "corrupt Roman taste", "An excess of ornament is in all cases a sympton [Sic] of a vulgar or degenerate taste". Of Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
he described as '"till its despicable remains were almost everywhere superseded by that singular and mysterious compound of styles".
His pupils included his brother Sydney as well as Lewis Vulliamy
Lewis Vulliamy
Lewis Vulliamy was an English architect belonging to the Vulliamy family of clockmakers.-Life:Lewis Vulliamy was the son of the clockmaker Benjamin Vulliamy. He was born in Pall Mall, London on 15 March 1791, and articled to Sir Robert Smirke...
, William Burn
William Burn
William Burn was a Scottish architect, pioneer of the Scottish Baronial style.He was born in Edinburgh, the son of architect Robert Burn, and educated at the Royal High School. After training with the architect of the British Museum, Sir Robert Smirke, he returned to Edinburgh in 1812...
, Charles Robert Cockerell
Charles Robert Cockerell
Charles Robert Cockerell was an English architect, archaeologist, and writer.-Life:Charles Robert Cockerell was educated at Westminster School from 1802. From the age of sixteen, he trained in the architectural practice of his father, Samuel Pepys Cockerell...
, Henry Jones Underwood
Henry Jones Underwood
Henry Jones Underwood was an English architect who spent most of his career in Oxford. He was the brother of the architects Charles Underwood and George Allen Underwood ....
and Henry Roberts
Henry Roberts (architect)
Henry Roberts was a British architect best known for Fishmongers' Hall in London and for his work on model dwellings for workers.-Biography:...
.
His brothers were also notable – Sydney Smirke
Sydney Smirke
Sydney Smirke, architect, was born in London, England, the younger brother of Sir Robert Smirke, also an architect. Their father, also Robert Smirke, had been a well-known 18th Century painter.Sydney Smirke's works include:...
was also an architect, best known for the circular reading room at the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, and Edward Smirke
Edward Smirke
-Life:The third son of Robert Smirke, and brother of Sir Robert Smirke, and of Sydney Smirke, he was born at Marylebone. He was educated privately and at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1816, and M.A. in 1820...
was a lawyer and antiquarian
Antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary is an aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient objects of art or science, archaeological and historic sites, or historic archives and manuscripts...
.
London buildings
Smirke designed neoclassicalNeoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
public buildings, among the most famous still standing in London:
- The former Royal MintRoyal MintThe Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
, Tower Hill (1807–12). The main building was designed by the previous architect to the Mint James Johnson, but the design was modified by Smirke who oversaw its execution. The long stone facadeFacadeA facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
with a ground floor of channelled rusticationRustication (architecture)thumb|upright|Two different styles of rustication in the [[Palazzo Medici-Riccardi]] in [[Florence]].In classical architecture rustication is an architectural feature that contrasts in texture with the smoothly finished, squared block masonry surfaces called ashlar...
, the two upper floors have a broad pedimentPedimentA pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
containing The Royal ArmsRoyal coat of arms of the United KingdomThe Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
supported by six Roman Doric attached columns. The end bays are marked by four Doric pilasterPilasterA pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s, the Greek Doric friezeFriezethumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
and lodges are probably be Smirke. The building contained an apartment for the Deputy Master of the Mint, The Assay Master, and Provost of the Moneyers as well as bullion stores and Mint Office. - Lansdowne HouseLansdowne HouseLansdowne House is a building to the southwest of Berkeley Square in central London, England. It was designed by Robert Adam as a private house and for most of its time as a residence it belonged to the Petty family, Marquesses of Lansdowne. Since 1935, it has been the home of the Lansdowne Club....
, (1816–19) interiors, notably the sculpture gallery, central part of room has a shallow barrel vaultBarrel vaultA barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
with plain coffering, antae mark off the part circular ends of the room. - The main block and facade of the British MuseumBritish MuseumThe British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
, Bloomsbury (1823–46). This is Smirke's largest and best known building. In 1820 in his role as architect to the Office of Works Smirke was invited to redesign the museum, although the complete design dates from 1823, and was for a building surrounding a large central courtyard with a grand south front, given the limited funds the work was divided into phases. It is built of brick with the visible facades cased in Portland stonePortland stonePortland stone is a limestone from the Tithonian stage of the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. The quarries consist of beds of white-grey limestone separated by chert beds. It has been used extensively as a building stone throughout the British Isles, notably in major...
. The first part constructed was the "King's Library" of 1823-8, which forms the east wing. The north section of the west wing, the "Egyptian Galleries" followed 1825-34. The north wing, housing the library and reading rooms, was built in 1833-38. The west wing and south front were built in 1842-46. The main feature of the south front is the great colonnadeColonnadeIn classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of a building....
of forty-four Greek Ionic columnsIonic orderThe Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
. The columns are forty-five feet high and five feet in diameter, their capitalsCapital (architecture)In architecture the capital forms the topmost member of a column . It mediates between the column and the load thrusting down upon it, broadening the area of the column's supporting surface...
are loosely based on those of the temple of Athena Polias at PrienePrienePriene was an ancient Greek city of Ionia at the base of an escarpment of Mycale, about north of the then course of the Maeander River, from today's Aydin, from today's Söke and from ancient Miletus...
; the bases on those of the temple of Dionysus at TeosTeosTeos or Teo was a maritime city of Ionia, on a peninsula between Chytrium and Myonnesus, colonized by Orchomenian Minyans, Ionians, and Boeotians. The city is situated on a low hilly narrow strip of land connecting two larger areas of land . Teos ranked among twelve cities comprising the Ionian...
. At the centre of the colonnade is a octastyleGreek templeGreek temples were structures built to house deity statues within Greek sanctuaries in Greek paganism. The temples themselves did usually not directly serve a cult purpose, since the sacrifices and rituals dedicated to the respective deity took place outside them...
porticoPorticoA portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
, two columns deep; the colonnade continues for three more columns before embracing the two wings to either side. Beyond the facade are two smaller wings, with Doric pilasters, containing houses, the western one for the Director of the museum. The major surviving interiors are the entrance hall with the Great Stair – in the form of an Imperial staircaseImperial staircaseAn Imperial staircase is the name given to a staircase with divided flights. Usually the first flight rises to a half-landing and then divides into two symmetrical flights both rising with an equal number of steps and turns to the next floor. The feature is reputed to have first been used at El...
– rising to the west, and the "King's Library". This, built to house 65,000 books, is 300 feet long, 41 feet wide and 31 feet high, the centre section being slightly wider, with four great granite Corinthian columns. There are two levels of glazed bookcases surrounding the wall, the upper gallery having a brass handrail, with windows above on the west and east wall. The only major interior to survive in the north wing is the "Arched Room" at the west end. The "Egyptian Gallery" matches the "King's Library" but is far plainer in decoration.
- The Royal College of PhysiciansRoyal College of PhysiciansThe Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
and Union Club building in Trafalgar SquareTrafalgar SquareTrafalgar Square is a public space and tourist attraction in central London, England, United Kingdom. At its centre is Nelson's Column, which is guarded by four lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square, with one plinth displaying changing pieces of...
(now known as Canada HouseCanada HouseThe High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom in London is the diplomatic mission from Canada to the United Kingdom. It is housed in two buildings in London.-History:...
) (1824–27). The building is much altered, the north front preserves Smirke's hexastyle Ionic portico, the east front (to Trafalgar Square) preserves his portico in antis. The building is of Bath StoneBath StoneBath Stone is an Oolitic Limestone comprising granular fragments of calcium carbonate. Originally obtained from the Combe Down and Bathampton Down Mines under Combe Down, Somerset, England, its warm, honey colouring gives the World Heritage City of Bath, England its distinctive appearance...
. There have been several extensions and remodellings in 1924-25 from which the best interiors date, 1965–67 and 1997-98.
- The former London Custom House, City of London, (1825–27), rebuilt the centre of the building following the failure of the foundations of the building erected from 1813 to the designs of David LaingDavid Laing (19th century architect)David Laing was a British architect principally known as the architect of the New Custom House in London, which was completed in 1817 and collapsed in 1825. Assisted by a young William Tite, he also rebuilt the church of St Dunstan-in-the-East between 1817 and 1821.-Life:David Laing was born in...
. The building is 488 feet long, the central 200 feet being Smirke's work, this is three floors high plus a basement, the south Thames front, is of Portland stonePortland stonePortland stone is a limestone from the Tithonian stage of the Jurassic period quarried on the Isle of Portland, Dorset. The quarries consist of beds of white-grey limestone separated by chert beds. It has been used extensively as a building stone throughout the British Isles, notably in major...
has a hexastyle Ionic portico, the north front is brick with Portland stone dressings including the eight Doric pilasters above the entrance, his is the entrance hall, this has side walls of three arches that lead to flanking staircase, and to the south the Long Room this is 190 feet long by 29 feet wide rising to a barrel vaultBarrel vaultA barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
ed ceiling has large cofferCofferA coffer in architecture, is a sunken panel in the shape of a square, rectangle, or octagon in a ceiling, soffit or vault...
s and is 24 feet high, the walls are surrounded by Doric pilasters. - Lancaster HouseLancaster HouseLancaster House is a mansion in the St. James's district in the West End of London. It is close to St. James's Palace and much of the site was once part of the palace complex...
first involved with the design of the building in 1825, dismissed then brought back in 1832, he added the top floor, and designed the interiors apart from the State Rooms, Smirke's involvement ceased in 1840. - The east wing of Somerset HouseSomerset HouseSomerset House is a large building situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, England, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The central block of the Neoclassical building, the outstanding project of the architect Sir William Chambers, dates from 1776–96. It...
, and the adjacent King's (formerly Smirke) Building of King's College LondonKing's College LondonKing's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, on the Strand (1829–31). The Thames front follows the design of the original architect Sir William ChambersWilliam Chambers (architect)Sir William Chambers was a Scottish architect, born in Gothenburg, Sweden, where his father was a merchant. Between 1740 and 1749 he was employed by the Swedish East India Company making several voyages to China where he studied Chinese architecture and decoration.Returning to Europe, he studied...
being a mirror image of the west wing, the building stretches back toward the Strand by twenty-five bays of two and half stories, the centre five bays with giant attached Corinthian columns and end three bays are of three full stories and also the end bays have Corinthian pilasters, and general being plainer than the facades by Chambers.
- The Oxford and Cambridge ClubOxford and Cambridge ClubThe Oxford and Cambridge Club is at 71 Pall Mall, London, England. The clubhouse was designed for the membership by architect Sir Robert Smirke and completed towards the end of 1837. It was founded for members of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge...
building in Pall MallPall Mall, LondonPall Mall is a street in the City of Westminster, London, and parallel to The Mall, from St. James's Street across Waterloo Place to the Haymarket; while Pall Mall East continues into Trafalgar Square. The street is a major thoroughfare in the St James's area of London, and a section of the...
(1835–38). It is of seven bays, the ground floor is rusticatedRustication (architecture)thumb|upright|Two different styles of rustication in the [[Palazzo Medici-Riccardi]] in [[Florence]].In classical architecture rustication is an architectural feature that contrasts in texture with the smoothly finished, squared block masonry surfaces called ashlar...
with round headed windows, the first floor is of banded rustication and the windows framed with square or half pillars, the building is of brick covered with stuccoStuccoStucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
. The first floor windows have carved relievesRelief carvingRelief carving as a type of woodcarving is as old as antiquity, yet it is still enjoyed by carvers today. Though it is not as popular as other forms of wood carving, it is gaining in popularity because of its versatility as a medium of artistic expression. There is essentially no limit to this form...
above them, the entrance porch is of a single storey with Corinthian columns. The interiors are in Smirke's usual restrained Greek revival style. - St Mary's, Bryanston Square, a Church of England church built in 1823-4.
Of those no longer extant, he also designed:
- the second incarnation of the Covent Garden Theatre, now the Royal Opera HouseRoyal Opera HouseThe Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
(1808-9, but destroyed by fire in 1857). The building took ten months to build, it covered 218 feet north to south and 166 feet east to west, the entrance facade on Bow StreetBow StreetBow Street is a thoroughfare in Covent Garden, Westminster, London. It features as one of the streets on the standard London Monopoly board....
was 50 feet in height. Symmetrical with a Greek Doric tetrastyle portico in the centre, raised on a podium of three steps the columns were 30 feet high, this was the first use of the Greek Doric order in London. The portico was flanked by four bays, the end bays being flanked by pilasters with a statue in a niche between. The three bays each side of the portico had arches on the ground floor and windows above these and a single carved relief above designed by John FlaxmanJohn FlaxmanJohn Flaxman was an English sculptor and draughtsman.-Early life:He was born in York. His father was also named John, after an ancestor who, according to family tradition, had fought for Parliament at the Battle of Naseby, and afterwards settled as a carrier or farmer in Buckinghamshire...
. The main entrance hall, behind the three doors in the portico, was divided into three aisles by square Doric piers. To the south was the grand staircase, rising between walls, the flight was divided into two sections by a landing, the upper floor had four Ionic columns each side of the staircase that supported a barrel vault over it. The horseshoe shaped auditoriumAuditoriumAn auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances at venues such as theatres. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens.- Etymology :...
was on five levels, and seated 2,800 people, (not including the many private boxes).
- Millbank PrisonMillbank PrisonMillbank Prison was a prison in Millbank, Pimlico, London, originally constructed as the National Penitentiary, and which for part of its history served as a holding facility for convicted prisoners before they were transported to Australia...
(1812–21) demolished c.1890. The prison was designed by an architect called William Williams but his plan was revised by Thomas HardwickThomas HardwickThomas Hardwick was a British architect and a founding member of the Architect's Club in 1791.-Early life and career :Hardwick was born in Brentford, the son of a master mason turned architect also named Thomas Hardwick Thomas Hardwick (1752–1829) was a British architect and a founding...
. It was the largest prison in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, it consisted of a hexagonal central courtyard with an elongated pentagonal courtyard on each outer wall of the central courtyard, the three outer corners of the pentagonal courtyards had a tower one storey higher than the three floors of the rest of the building. Work started in late 1812 but the boundary wall was beginning to tilt and crack when it was six feet high. After 18 months and £26,000 there was little to show for it, Hardwick resigned. Work continued and by February 1816 the first prisoners were admitted, but the building would creek and several windows spontaneously shattered. Smirke and the engineer John Rennie the Elder were called in, they recommended demolition of three of the towers and the underpinningUnderpinningIn construction, underpinning is the process of strengthening and stabilizing the foundation of an existing building or other structure. Underpinning may be necessary for a variety of reasons:*The original foundation is simply not strong or stable enough....
with concreteConcreteConcrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
foundations (the first known use of this material for foundations in Britain since the Roman EmpireRoman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
), of the entire structure at the cost of £70,000, this brought the total cost of the building to £458,000. - London Ophthalmic Hospital, MoorfieldsMoorfieldsIn London, the Moorfields were one of the last pieces of open land in the City of London, near the Moorgate. The fields were divided into three areas, the Moorfields proper, just north of Bethlem Hospital, and inside the City boundaries, and Middle and Upper Moorfields to the north.After the Great...
(1821–22) rebuilt in 1898 on a near by site, now known as Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. - the Inner Temple, various works in Gothic (uniquely for his London buildings) including the Inner Temple LibraryInner Temple LibraryThe Inner Temple Library is a private law library in Central London, England, serving barristers, judges, and students on the Bar Vocational Course...
(1827-8) and the remodelling of the Great Hall in 1819(this burnt down and was rebuilt by Sydney Smirke in 1868), nearly all Smirke's work was destroyed in the London blitz in 1940-1 and has been rebuilt to a completely different design, his only major surviving building is Paper Buildings of 1838, that is in a simple classical style.
- the General Post OfficeGeneral Post Office, LondonThe General Post Office, St. Martin’s Le Grand, was the main post office for the City of London between 1829 and 1912.-History:...
building in St Martins-le-Grand in the City of LondonCity of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
(1825–29, but demolished c. 1912). This was EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's first purpose built post officePost officeA post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
. The building's main facade had a central hexastyle Greek Ionic portico with pediment, and two tetra style porticoes without pediments at each end. The main interior was the large letter-carriers room, with its elegant iron gallery and spiral staircase.
- Carlton ClubCarlton ClubThe Carlton Club is a gentlemen's club in London which describes itself as the "oldest, most elite, and most important of all Conservative clubs." Membership of the club is by nomination and election only.-History:...
(1833-6) rebuilt 1854-6 by Sydney Smirke, bombed in 1940 and later demolished.
Public buildings outside London
His public buildings outside London include:- Carlisle, Cumberland County Courts (1810–12), in a Gothic style.
- ApplebyAppleby-in-WestmorlandAppleby-in-Westmorland is a town and civil parish in Cumbria, in North West England. It is situated within a loop of the River Eden and has a population of approximately 2,500. It is in the historic county of Westmorland, of which it was the county town. The town's name was simply Appleby, until...
Market House (1811). - Carlisle, The Eden Bridge (1812–15) widened in 1932.
- WhitehavenWhitehavenWhitehaven is a small town and port on the coast of Cumbria, England, which lies equidistant between the county's two largest settlements, Carlisle and Barrow-in-Furness, and is served by the Cumbrian Coast Line and the A595 road...
Fish Market (1813) demolished c. 1852, also Butter Market (1813) demolished 1880. - GloucesterGloucesterGloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
Shire Hall (1814–16). - Gloucester, Westgate Bridge (1814–17)
- PerthPerth, ScotlandPerth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
Sheriff Court House (1815–19). - HerefordHerefordHereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
Shire Hall (1815–17). - the Wellington Monument, DublinWellington Monument, DublinThe Wellington Monument is an obelisk located in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland.The testimonial is situated at the southeast end of the Park, overlooking Kilmainham and the River Liffey...
(Wellington Testimonial), started in 1817 it was only completed in 1861, at 203 feet it is the largest ObeliskObeliskAn obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
in Europe. - MaidstoneMaidstoneMaidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
County Gaol, (1817–19). - LedburyLedburyLedbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding...
St. Katherine's Hospital (1822–25) in a Gothic style. - LincolnLincoln, LincolnshireLincoln 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....
County Courts and Gaol in Lincoln CastleLincoln CastleLincoln 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...
(1823–30) both in a Gothic style to harmonise with the castle. - the Old Council House, BristolOld Council House, BristolThe Old Council House is in Corn Street, Bristol, England.It was built as the city council chamber and treasurer's office between 1824 and 1827 by Sir Robert Smirke, on the site of the old St Ewan's church. The statue of Justice over the entrance is by Edward Hodges Baily....
(1824–27). - the Sessions House MaidstoneMaidstoneMaidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, (1826–27). - ShrewsburyShrewsburyShrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
Infirmary (1827–30). - the Gaol St. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's, Newfoundland and LabradorSt. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
(c. 1831). - ShrewsburyShrewsburyShrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
Shire Hall (1834–37) demolished 1971.
Domestic architecture
In the classical style:- Cirencester HouseCirencester HouseCirencester House , at Cirencester in Gloucestershire, England, is the seat of the Bathurst family, Earls Bathurst. Allen Bathurst, the first Earl Bathurst , inherited the estate on the death of his father, Sir Benjamin Bathurst, in 1704...
north wing (1810–11) and rebuilt east front 1830. - alterations to Luton HooLuton HooLuton Hoo straddles the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire borders between the towns of Harpenden and Luton. The unusual name "Hoo" is a Saxon word meaning the spur of a hill, and is more commonly associated with East Anglia.- Early History :...
, BedfordshireBedfordshireBedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
from 1816, damaged by fire in 1843 it was reconstructed by Sydney Smirke. - WhittingehameWhittingehameWhittingehame is a parish with a small village in East Lothian, Scotland, about halfway between Haddington and Dunbar, and near East Linton. The area is on the slopes of the Lammermuir Hills...
House, East LothianEast LothianEast Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
(1817–18). - Hardwicke CourtHardwicke (Stroud), GloucestershireHardwicke is a village south of Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England. Despite its close proximity to Gloucester, the village actually comes under Stroud Council....
, near Gloucester (1817–19). - Oulton HallOulton HallOulton Hall in Oulton, West Yorkshire, England was originally a stately home with extensive grounds and gardens which are now the golf course. It spent a short period of time as a mental health institute but is now a 4 star hotel...
(c. 1822) damaged by fire 1850 and restored by Sydney Smirke - Normanby HallNormanby HallNormanby Hall is a classic English mansion, located near the village of Burton-upon-Stather, north of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire.The present Hall was built in 1825–30 to the designs of Robert Smirke for Sir Robert Sheffield , whose family had lived on the site since 1539. It replaced a...
(1825–30)
Smirke used the Elizabethan Style
Elizabethan architecture
Elizabethan architecture is the term given to early Renaissance architecture in England, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Historically, the period corresponds to the Cinquecento in Italy, the Early Renaissance in France, and the Plateresque style in Spain...
at:
- Drayton ManorDrayton ManorDrayton Manor, one of Britain's lost houses, was a British stately home at Drayton Bassett, in the District of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England....
(1831–35) demolished 1919.
His Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
domestic buildings include:
- Lowther CastleLowther CastleLowther Castle is a country house in the historic county of Westmorland, which now forms part of the modern county of Cumbria, England. It has belonged to the Lowther family, latterly the Earls of Lonsdale, since the Middle Ages.- History :...
in CumbriaCumbriaCumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, (in 1806–11) his first major commission when he was 26. - Wilton Castle (Yorkshire)Wilton Castle (Yorkshire)Wilton Castle is an early 19th century mansion house, built on the site of a medieval castle, now converted into residential apartments, situated at Wilton, in Redcar and Cleveland, England. It is a Grade II listed building....
(1810) - Cholmondeley CastleCholmondeley CastleCholmondeley Castle is a country house in the civil parish of Cholmondeley, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building. It is surrounded by a estate.-House:...
(1817–19) a remodelling of the existing building. - Kinfauns CastleKinfauns CastleKinfauns Castle was designed by Robert Smirke and built between 1822 and 1826 by Lord Gray on the site of a medieval stronghold. It is situated in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, and is currently occupied by Scottish businesswoman Ann Gloag. The house is protected as a category A listed building, and...
, Perthshire (1822–26)
A rare use of Norman Revival Architecture
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
is:
- Eastnor CastleEastnor CastleEastnor Castle is a 19th century mock castle, two miles from the town of Ledbury in Herefordshire, England, by the village of Eastnor. It was founded by John Cocks, 1st Earl Somers as his stately home and continues to be inhabited by his descendents. Currently in residence is the family of...
, LedburyLedburyLedbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding...
, HerefordshireHerefordshireHerefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
(1812–20)
Church architecture
He advised the Parliamentary CommissionersCommissioners' church
A Commissioners' church is an Anglican church in the United Kingdom built with money voted by Parliament as a result of the Church Building Act of 1818 and 1824. They have been given a number of titles, including Commissioners' churches, Waterloo churches and Million Act churches...
on the building of new churches from 1818 onwards, contributing seven himself, six were in the Greek revival style
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
, the exception being the church at Tyldesley that is in the Gothic revival style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
:
- St Anne's WandsworthWandsworthWandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
(1820–22). - St John's Chatham, Kent (1821–22).
- St James West HackneyLondon Borough of HackneyThe London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
(1821-3) bombed during The BlitzThe BlitzThe Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
in 1940 & 1941 and later demolished. - St George, Brandon Hill in BristolBristolBristol 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...
(1821–23). - St George, TyldesleyParish Church of St George, TyldesleyThe Parish Church of St George, Tyldesley is a church in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, England. It is an active Anglican parish church and part of Leigh deanery in the archdeaconry of Salford, diocese of Manchester. The church, together with St Stephen's and St...
(1821-4). - St Mary's, Bryanston SquareSt Mary's, Bryanston SquareSt Mary's, Bryanston Square, is a Church of England church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Bryanston Square, London, just a five minute walk from any of Marylebone, Baker Street or Edgware Road tube stations...
(1821-3). - St. Philip's Salford, Greater Manchester (1822-4) this is a copy of St Mary's with only minor variations.
Smirke also designed churches for clients other than the commissioners, these included:
- Belgrave Chapel London 1812, demolished c. 1910.
- St Nicholas StroodStroodStrood is a town in the unitary authority of Medway in South East England. It is part of the ceremonial county of Kent. It lies on the north west bank of the River Medway at its lowest bridging point, and is part of the Rochester post town....
, this was a rebuilding in 1812 of a medieval church, the tower of which has been retained, and is in a simplified classical style. - the Milton MausoleumMilton MausoleumThe Milton Mausoleum is a redundant Anglican church in the village of Milton, Nottinghamshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust...
at Milton, NottinghamshireMilton, NottinghamshireMilton, Nottinghamshire is a village/hamlet in Nottinghamshire. It is part of East Markham civil parish, a short distance northwest of East Markham and southwest of Sibthorpe.-Mausoleum:...
(1831–32) for Henry Pelham-Clinton, 4th Duke of Newcastle. - The parish church at Askham, CumbriaAskham, CumbriaAskham is a village and civil parish in the Eden District of Cumbria, England. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 360. It is situated in the eastern edge of the Lake District National Park, about south of Penrith...
1832, in a Tudor gothic style.
Restoration work
Smirke was involved in Building restorationBuilding restoration
Building restoration describes a particular treatment approach and philosophy within the field of architectural conservation. According the U.S...
, several commissions coming to him via his official post in the Office of Works:
- Gloucester CathedralGloucester CathedralGloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city near the river. It originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter .-Foundations:The foundations of the present...
(1807), Gothic screen behind the high altar removed 1873. - Carlisle CathedralCarlisle CathedralThe Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, otherwise called Carlisle Cathedral, is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Carlisle. It is located in Carlisle, in Cumbria, North West England...
(1809–11), repairs and alterations to the Fratry. - Savoy ChapelSavoy ChapelThe Savoy Chapel or the Queen's Chapel of the Savoy is a chapel off the Strand, London, dedicated to St John the Baptist. It was originally built in the medieval era off the main church of the Savoy Palace...
(1820–21), rebuilt south wall and added the west tower. - Bodleian LibraryBodleian LibraryThe Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
, OxfordOxfordThe city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
(1830) repaired the roof and insert a new ceiling in the upper reading room in the schools quadrangle. - Clarendon BuildingClarendon BuildingThe Clarendon Building is a landmark Grade I listed building in Oxford, England, owned by the University of Oxford. It was built between 1711 and 1715 to house the Oxford University Press. It stands in the centre of the city in Broad Street, near the Bodleian Library and the Sheldonian Theatre...
, Oxford (1831) fitted up the interior as university offices. - York MinsterYork MinsterYork Minster is a Gothic cathedral in York, England and is one of the largest of its kind in Northern Europe alongside Cologne Cathedral. The minster is the seat of the Archbishop of York, the second-highest office of the Church of England, and is the cathedral for the Diocese of York; it is run by...
after the arson attack on the chancelChancelIn church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
of the cathedral in 1829, Smirke oversaw the restoration (1830–32), which involved rebuilding the roof and vaults plus the recreation of the choir stalls - Palace of WestminsterPalace of WestminsterThe Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, (1834–37) he refaced the interior of Westminster Hall after the fire of 1834 and erected a temporary House of Lords within it. - Banqueting House, WhitehallBanqueting House, WhitehallThe Banqueting House, Whitehall, London, is the grandest and best known survivor of the architectural genre of banqueting house, and the only remaining component of the Palace of Whitehall...
(1835–38) repairs and internal alterations. - Mansion House, LondonMansion House, LondonMansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor of the City of London in London, England. It is used for some of the City of London's official functions, including an annual dinner, hosted by the Lord Mayor, at which the Chancellor of the Exchequer customarily gives a speech – his...
(1836), redesign of the external steps to the porticoPorticoA portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
. - St. James's PalaceSt. James's PalaceSt. James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces. It is situated in Pall Mall, just north of St. James's Park. Although no sovereign has resided there for almost two centuries, it has remained the official residence of the Sovereign and the most senior royal palace in the UK...
(1836–37) refitted the interior of the Chapel Royal. - Serjeant's InnSerjeant's InnSerjeant's Inn was one of the two inns of the Serjeants-at-Law in London. The Fleet Street inn dated from 1443 and the Chancery Lane inn dated from 1416. Both buildings were destroyed in the World War II 1941 bombing raids....
(1836–39) extensive reconstruction work, destroyed 1940 during the London Blitz.