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Thomas Harrison (architect)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Harrison was an English architect
and engineer
. He built a number of bridges, including Grosvenor Bridge
in Chester
. He also rebuilt parts of Chester
and Lancaster
castles. His building designs were mainly in the neoclassical
style.
, Yorkshire
, England
, and was the son of Thomas Harrison, a carpenter, and Anne née Brittel. Details of his early life are not known but it is likely he was educated at Richmond grammar school. In 1769 Sir Lawrence Dundas of Aske sent him to Rome with George Cuitt
, a landscape
painter, to study Roman antiquities
. In 1770 he submitted a design to Pope Clement XIV
for converting the Vatican
Cortile del Belvedere
into a museum. In 1773 he entered a competition organised by the Accademia di San Luca
to re-plan the Piazza del Popolo
. His design was exhibited at the Royal Academy
in 1777. Although the design was unsuccessful he was commissioned by the pope to alter the sacristy
of St Peter's
but the pope died before the work started.
in 1783 after he won a competition to build Skerton Bridge over the River Lune
in the city. This bridge had elliptical arches and a level road surface, which was a device which had never been used on this scale in England previously. He was subsequently commissioned to build St Mary's Bridge in Derby
and Stramongate Bridge in Kendal
. In 1815 he was appointed as county surveyor of Cheshire
having worked on several bridges in Cheshire for the previous 15 years. His major work there was the design of the Grosvenor Bridge
crossing the River Dee
in Chester
which when it was built was the largest single-span masonry arch in the world, which measured 200 feet (61 m) across. In 1786 Harrison won a competition to rebuild Chester Castle in a neoclassical
style which took over 30 years to complete. It included work on the prison, the courts, the shire hall and offices, the armoury, the barracks and the construction of the propylaeum
. During this time in 1795 he moved to Chester. Also in Chester he designed the Northgate
between 1808 and 1810, and between 1818 and 1821 he restored part of Chester Cathedral
.
In 1784 Harrison had designed the cupola
for St John's Church, Lancaster and a cupola for the town hall in the city. Between 1786 and 1799 he was involved in the reconstruction of Lancaster Castle
. This included the Shire Hall, the Grand Jury Room, the Crown Court, the Governor's House, the Barristers' Library and Robing Room, part of the prison, much of the external wall and an additional round tower. Later buildings in neoclassical style were the Lyceum
in Liverpool
, and the Portico Library
in Manchester
.
Harrison was also involved to a lesser degree in domestic architecture. These included the impressive Allerton Manor, Allerton, nr Liverpool which he designed in 1810 for Jacob Fletcher (shipping magnate) and which stood on a 150 acre (0.607029 km²) estate. It burned down soon after the building works were finished but, after some modifications were made to the design, was reconstructed in 1815. Also, Hawkstone Citadel in Shropshire
, Kennet House, which was demolished in 1967 and St Martin's Lodge, a house he built for himself in Chester. His largest house was Broomhall in Fife
which he built for Thomas Bruce, the seventh Earl of Elgin
. In 1812-14 he was commissioned by Peter Marsland, a prominent industrialist in the Stockport
area to build Woodbank
, a villa in the Greek Revival style.
and with her he had three children who survived into adulthood. He died at his home in Chester in 1829 and was buried in the churchyard of St Bridget's Church, Chester. His estate
was worth in the order of £6,000 (£ as of ).
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
. He built a number of bridges, including Grosvenor Bridge
Grosvenor Bridge (Chester)
The Grosvenor Bridge is a single-span arch road bridge constructed from stone. It crosses the River Dee at Chester in England. The bridge is located on the A483 Grosvenor Road . Views upriver from the bridge include Chester Castle and Handbridge. The view downstream from the bridge encompasses the...
in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. He also rebuilt parts of Chester
Chester Castle
Chester Castle is in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. It is sited at the southwest extremity of the area bounded by the city walls . The castle stands on an eminence overlooking the River Dee. In the castle complex are the remaining parts of the medieval castle together with the...
and Lancaster
Lancaster Castle
Lancaster Castle is a medieval castle located in Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. Its early history is unclear, but may have been founded in the 11th century on the site of a Roman fort overlooking a crossing of the River Lune. In 1164, the Honour of Lancaster, including the...
castles. His building designs were mainly in the neoclassical
Neoclassical 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...
style.
Early life and education
Harrison was baptised in RichmondRichmond, North Yorkshire
Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale in North Yorkshire, England and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. It is situated on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and serves as the Park's main tourist centre...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
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...
, and was the son of Thomas Harrison, a carpenter, and Anne née Brittel. Details of his early life are not known but it is likely he was educated at Richmond grammar school. In 1769 Sir Lawrence Dundas of Aske sent him to Rome with George Cuitt
George Cuitt the Elder
George Cuitt the Elder was born at Moulton, in Yorkshire, in 1743, and having shown a natural taste for drawing and design was sent to Italy at the expense of Sir Lawrence Dundas, whose family had already been painted by him. He studied earnestly for six years at Rome, and also pursued landscape...
, a landscape
Landscape art
Landscape art is a term that covers the depiction of natural scenery such as mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and forests, and especially art where the main subject is a wide view, with its elements arranged into a coherent composition. In other works landscape backgrounds for figures can still...
painter, to study Roman antiquities
Antiquities
Antiquities, nearly always used in the plural in this sense, is a term for objects from Antiquity, especially the civilizations of the Mediterranean: the Classical antiquity of Greece and Rome, Ancient Egypt and the other Ancient Near Eastern cultures...
. In 1770 he submitted a design to Pope Clement XIV
Pope Clement XIV
Pope Clement XIV , born Giovanni Vincenzo Antonio Ganganelli, was Pope from 1769 to 1774. At the time of his election, he was the only Franciscan friar in the College of Cardinals.-Early life:...
for converting the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
Cortile del Belvedere
Cortile del Belvedere
The Cortile del Belvedere, the Belvedere courtyard, designed by Donato Bramante from 1506 onwards, was a major architectural work of the High Renaissance at the Vatican Palace in Rome; its concept and details reverberating in courtyard design, formalized piazzas and garden plans throughout Western...
into a museum. In 1773 he entered a competition organised by the Accademia di San Luca
Accademia di San Luca
The Accademia di San Luca, was founded in 1577 as an association of artists in Rome, under the directorship of Federico Zuccari, with the purpose of elevating the work of "artists", which included painters, sculptors and architects, above that of mere craftsmen. Other founders included Girolamo...
to re-plan the Piazza del Popolo
Piazza del Popolo
Piazza del Popolo is a large urban square in Rome. The name in modern Italian literally means "People's Square", but historically it derives from the poplars after which the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, in the northeast corner of the piazza, takes its name.The piazza lies inside the northern...
. His design was exhibited 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...
in 1777. Although the design was unsuccessful he was commissioned by the pope to alter the sacristy
Sacristy
A sacristy is a room for keeping vestments and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records.The sacristy is usually located inside the church, but in some cases it is an annex or separate building...
of St Peter's
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
but the pope died before the work started.
Career
He returned to Richmond, then moved to LancasterLancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
in 1783 after he won a competition to build Skerton Bridge over the River Lune
River Lune
The River Lune is a river in Cumbria and Lancashire, England.It is formed at Wath, in the parish of Ravenstonedale, Cumbria, at the confluence of Sandwath Beck and Weasdale Beck...
in the city. This bridge had elliptical arches and a level road surface, which was a device which had never been used on this scale in England previously. He was subsequently commissioned to build St Mary's Bridge in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and Stramongate Bridge in Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
. In 1815 he was appointed as county surveyor of Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
having worked on several bridges in Cheshire for the previous 15 years. His major work there was the design of the Grosvenor Bridge
Grosvenor Bridge (Chester)
The Grosvenor Bridge is a single-span arch road bridge constructed from stone. It crosses the River Dee at Chester in England. The bridge is located on the A483 Grosvenor Road . Views upriver from the bridge include Chester Castle and Handbridge. The view downstream from the bridge encompasses the...
crossing the River Dee
River Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
which when it was built was the largest single-span masonry arch in the world, which measured 200 feet (61 m) across. In 1786 Harrison won a competition to rebuild Chester Castle in a neoclassical
Neoclassical 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...
style which took over 30 years to complete. It included work on the prison, the courts, the shire hall and offices, the armoury, the barracks and the construction of the propylaeum
Propylaea
A Propylaea, Propylea or Propylaia is any monumental gateway based on the original Propylaea that serves as the entrance to the Acropolis in Athens...
. During this time in 1795 he moved to Chester. Also in Chester he designed the Northgate
Northgate, Chester
The Northgate is in Chester, Cheshire, England, where it carries the city walls footpath over Northgate Street . It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.-History:...
between 1808 and 1810, and between 1818 and 1821 he restored part of Chester Cathedral
Chester Cathedral
Chester Cathedral is the mother church of the Church of England Diocese of Chester, and is located in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. The cathedral, formerly St Werburgh's abbey church of a Benedictine monastery, is dedicated to Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
.
In 1784 Harrison had designed the cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
for St John's Church, Lancaster and a cupola for the town hall in the city. Between 1786 and 1799 he was involved in the reconstruction of Lancaster Castle
Lancaster Castle
Lancaster Castle is a medieval castle located in Lancaster in the English county of Lancashire. Its early history is unclear, but may have been founded in the 11th century on the site of a Roman fort overlooking a crossing of the River Lune. In 1164, the Honour of Lancaster, including the...
. This included the Shire Hall, the Grand Jury Room, the Crown Court, the Governor's House, the Barristers' Library and Robing Room, part of the prison, much of the external wall and an additional round tower. Later buildings in neoclassical style were the Lyceum
The Lyceum, Liverpool
The Lyceum was a gentlemen's club in Bold Street, Liverpool, England. It also housed Europe's first lending library, and in later years was pressed into service as the city’s head post office. The colonnaded front looks out onto Bold street...
in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, and the Portico Library
Portico Library
The Portico Library on Mosley Street, Manchester is a subscription library built in the Greek Revival style between 1802-1806. It is a Grade II* listed building as at 25 February 1952....
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
.
Harrison was also involved to a lesser degree in domestic architecture. These included the impressive Allerton Manor, Allerton, nr Liverpool which he designed in 1810 for Jacob Fletcher (shipping magnate) and which stood on a 150 acre (0.607029 km²) estate. It burned down soon after the building works were finished but, after some modifications were made to the design, was reconstructed in 1815. Also, Hawkstone Citadel in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, Kennet House, which was demolished in 1967 and St Martin's Lodge, a house he built for himself in Chester. His largest house was Broomhall in Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
which he built for Thomas Bruce, the seventh Earl of Elgin
Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin
Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and 11th Earl of Kincardine was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat, known for the removal of marble sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens. Elgin was the second son of Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin and his wife Martha Whyte...
. In 1812-14 he was commissioned by Peter Marsland, a prominent industrialist in the Stockport
Stockport
Stockport is a town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on elevated ground southeast of Manchester city centre, at the point where the rivers Goyt and Tame join and create the River Mersey. Stockport is the largest settlement in the metropolitan borough of the same name...
area to build Woodbank
Woodbank, Stockport
Woodbank is a historical villa and park located in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The surrounding park is known as Woodbank Memorial Park, located to the east of Vernon Park. The villa was built in 1812-4 by Thomas Harrison in the Greek Revival style for Peter Marsland, a prominent...
, a villa in the Greek Revival style.
Personal life
In 1785 Harrison married Margaret Shackleton at Lancaster PrioryLancaster Priory
Lancaster Priory, formerly St Mary's Church, Lancaster, is the parish church of the city of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. It is located near Lancaster Castle and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building. It is an active Anglican church in the deanery of...
and with her he had three children who survived into adulthood. He died at his home in Chester in 1829 and was buried in the churchyard of St Bridget's Church, Chester. His estate
Estate (law)
An estate is the net worth of a person at any point in time. It is the sum of a person's assets - legal rights, interests and entitlements to property of any kind - less all liabilities at that time. The issue is of special legal significance on a question of bankruptcy and death of the person...
was worth in the order of £6,000 (£ as of ).