Pevsner Architectural Guides

The Pevsner Architectural Guides are a series of guide books to the architecture of the British Isles. Begun in the 1940s by art historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, the 46 volumes of the original Buildings of England series were published between 1951 and 1974. The series was then extended to Scotland, Wales and Ireland in the late 1970s. The Scottish and Irish guides were incomplete as of summer 2012. Most of the English volumes have had second editions, chiefly by other authors.

Buildings of England

Origin and research methods

After moving to Great Britain from his native Germany in the 1930s, Nikolaus Pevsner found that the study of architectural history had little status in academic circles, and that the amount of information available, especially to travellers wanting to inform themselves about the architecture of a particular district, was limited. He conceived a project to write a series of comprehensive county guides to rectify this, and gained the backing of Allen Lane, founder of Penguin Books, for whom he had written his Outline of European Architecture.

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

Content of the volumes

The books are compact and intended to meet the needs of both specialists and the general reader. Each contains an extensive introduction to the architectural history and styles of the area, followed by a town-by-town — and in the case of larger settlements, street-by-street — account of individual buildings. The guides offer both detailed coverage of the most notable buildings and notes on lesser-known and vernacular buildings; all building types are covered but there is a particular emphasis on churches and public buildings. Each volume has a central section with several dozen pages of photographs, originally in black and white, though colour illustrations have featured in revised volumes published by Yale University Press since 2003.

Celebratory volumes

In 1986 Penguin Books published an anthology from Pevsner's volumes edited by Bridget Cherry and John Newman, "The Best Buildings of England", ISBN 0-670-81283-8. It has an excellent introduction by Newman asssessing Pevsner's aims and methods.

In 2001 the Penguin Collectors Society published The Buildings of England: a Celebration, edited by Simon Bradley and Bridget Cherry, fifty years after BE1 was published: it includes twelve essays and a selection of text from the series. ISBN 978-0-9527401-3-1

Volumes in print

The list below is of the volumes that were in print in 2006 (updated to include City Guides in print at October 2010, and new volumes released 2011–12). The original volumes are gradually being replaced with new editions in a larger format, updated to reflect architectural-history scholarship since the first publications of the guides and to include significant new buildings. The dates after each title are of the first publication and of any revised edition. All are now published by Yale University Press. The volumes for Bath, Birmingham, Brighton and Hove, Bristol, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Gateshead, Nottingham and Sheffield are part of the parallel "Pevsner City Guides" series, a more richly illustrated paperback format.

• Bedfordshire, Huntingdon & Peterborough (1968) ISBN 978-0-300-09581-4
• Berkshire (1966; 2010) (rev. Geoffrey Tyack and Simon Bradley) ISBN 978-0-300-12662-4
• Buckinghamshire (1960; 1994) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09584-5
• Cambridgeshire (1954; 1970) ISBN 978-0-300-09586-9
• Cheshire (1971; 2011) ISBN 978-0-300-09588-3 (with Edward Hubbard, rev. Clare Hartwell and Matthew Hyde)
• Cornwall (1951; 1970) (rev. Enid Radcliffe) ISBN 978-0-300-09589-0
• County Durham (1953; 1983) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09599-9
• Cumbria (2010) ISBN 978-0-300-12663-1 (with Matthew Hyde)
• Derbyshire (1953; 1978) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09591-3
• Devon (1952; 1989) (rev. Bridget Cherry) ISBN 978-0-300-09596-8
• Dorset (1972) ISBN 978-0-300-09598-2 (with John Newman)
• Essex (1954; 1965; 2007) (rev. James Bettley) ISBN 978-0-300-09601-9
• Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds (1970; 1999) (David Verey, rev. Alan Brooks) ISBN 978-0-300-09604-0
• Gloucestershire 2: The Vale & Forest of Dean (1970; 2002) (David Verey, rev. Alan Brooks) ISBN 978-0-300-09733-7
• The Isle of Wight (2006) ISBN 978-0-300-10733-3 (with David Wharton Lloyd)
• Hampshire & The Isle of Wight (1967) ISBN 978-0-300-09606-4 (with David Lloyd)
• Hampshire: Winchester & the North (2010) ISBN 978-0-300-12084-4 (with Michael Bullen, John Crook and Rodney Hubbuck)
• Herefordshire (1963; 2012) (rev. Alan Brooks) ISBN 978-0-300-12575-7
• Hertfordshire (1953; 1977) (rev. Bridget Cherry) ISBN 978-0-300-09611-8
• Kent: North East & East (1969; 1983) (John Newman) ISBN 978-0-300-09613-2
• Kent: West & the Weald (1969; 1976, 2012) (John Newman) ISBN 978-0-300-09614-9
• Lancashire: Liverpool & the South-West (2006) ISBN 978-0-300-10910-8 (with Richard Pollard)
• Lancashire: Manchester & the South-East (2004) ISBN 978-0-300-10583-4 (with Clare Hartwell and Matthew Hyde)
• Lancashire: North (2009) ISBN 978-0-300-12667-9 (with Clare Hartwell)
• Leicestershire & Rutland (1960; 1984) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09618-7
• Lincolnshire (1964; 1989) (with John Harris, rev. Nicholas Antram) ISBN 978-0-300-09620-0
• London 1: The City of London (1997) ISBN 978-0-300-09624-8 (with Simon Bradley)
• London 2: South (1983) ISBN 978-0-300-09651-4 (with Bridget Cherry)
• London 3: North-West (1991) ISBN 978-0-300-09652-1 (with Bridget Cherry)
• London 4: North (1998) ISBN 978-0-300-09653-8 (with Bridget Cherry)
• London 5: East (2004) ISBN 978-0-300-10701-2 (with Bridget Cherry and Charles O'Brien)
• London 6: Westminster (2003) ISBN 978-0-300-09595-1 (with Simon Bradley)
• Norfolk 1: Norwich & North East (1962; 1997) (rev. Bill Wilson) ISBN 978-0-300-09607-1
• Norfolk 2: South & West (1962; 1999) (rev. Bill Wilson) ISBN 978-0-300-09657-6
• Northamptonshire (1961; 1973) (rev. Bridget Cherry) ISBN 978-0-300-09632-3
• Northumberland (1957; 1992) ISBN 978-0-300-09638-5 (with Ian A. Richmond, rev. John Grundy, Grace McCombie, Peter Ryder and Humphrey Welfare)
• Nottinghamshire (1951; 1979) (rev. Elizabeth Williamson) ISBN 978-0-300-09636-1
• Oxfordshire (1974) ISBN 978-0-300-09639-2 (with Jennifer Sherwood)
• Shropshire (1958; 2006) (rev. John Newman) ISBN 978-0-300-09642-2
• Somerset: North & Bristol (1958; 2011) (with Andrew Foyle) ISBN 978-0-300-09640-8
• South & West Somerset (1958) ISBN 978-0-300-09644-6
• Staffordshire (1974) ISBN 978-0-300-09646-0
• Suffolk (1961; 1974) (rev. Enid Radcliffe) ISBN 978-0-300-09648-4
• Surrey (1962; 1971) (with Ian Nairn, rev. Bridget Cherry) ISBN 978-0-300-09675-0
• Sussex (1965) ISBN 978-0-300-09677-4 (with Ian Nairn)
• Warwickshire (1966) ISBN 978-0-300-09679-8 (with Alexandra Wedgwood)
• Wiltshire (1963; 1975) (rev. Bridget Cherry) ISBN 978-0-300-09659-0
• Worcestershire (1968; 2007) (rev. Alan Brooks) ISBN 978-0-300-11298-6
• Yorkshire: The North Riding (1966) ISBN 978-0-300-09665-1
• Yorkshire: The West Riding (1959; 1967) (rev. Enid Radcliffe) ISBN 978-0-14-071017-5
• Yorkshire: The West Riding: Leeds, Bradford & the North (2009) ISBN 978-0-300-12665-5 (with Peter Leach)
• Yorkshire: York & East Riding (1972; 1995) (rev. David Neave) ISBN 978-0-300-09593-7

City Guides

The first of the paperback City Guides, covering the churches of the City of London, appeared in 1998. It was followed by a new format with integrated colour illustrations, beginning with Manchester in 2001. In most cases the City Guides have preceded a revision of the county volume in which they are located, although they do go into greater detail than the county volumes and have more illustrations. Thus the Birmingham guide completely supersedes the central Birmingham section of the Warwickshire volume, which is now over forty years old. Two of the guides, covering Newcastle and Gateshead and Hull, are more recent than the hardback editions for the surrounding counties, and therefore update as well as expand the coverage of those cities.

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

Buildings of Scotland

The series continued under Pevsner's founding editorship into Scotland. The format is largely similar; however, only Lothian was published in the original small volume style. One noticeable difference in some of the Scottish series is a greater subdivision of the main gazetteer (e.g. in Argyll and Bute mainland Argyll has separate gazetteer from its islands, and Bute similarly is treated on its own). Unlike The Buildings of England, none of the Scottish volumes adopts a hierarchy of ecclesiastical buildings, instead grouping them together. As with the English revisions, several of the volumes are the work of many contributors. As of late 2012, the series is three volumes from completion.

• Aberdeen and South Aberdeenshire (in preparation)
• Argyll and Bute (2000) ISBN 978-0-300-09670-5 (Frank Arneil Walker)
• Ayrshire and Arran (2012) ISBN 978-0-300-14170-2 (Rob Close and Anne Riches)
• Borders (2006) ISBN 978-0-300-10702-9 (Kitty Cruft, John Dunbar and Richard Fawcett)
• Dumfries and Galloway (1996) ISBN 978-0-300-09671-2 (John Gifford)
• Dundee and Angus (2012) ISBN 978-0-300-14171-9 (John Gifford)
• Edinburgh (1984) ISBN 978-0-300-09672-9 (John Gifford, Colin McWilliam and David Walker)
• Fife (1988) ISBN 978-0-300-09673-6 (John Gifford)
• Glasgow (1990) ISBN 978-0-300-09674-3 (Elizabeth Williamson, Anne Riches and Malcolm Higgs)
• Highland and Islands (1992) ISBN 978-0-300-09625-5 (John Gifford)
• Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire (in preparation)
• Lothian, except Edinburgh (1978) ISBN 978-0-300-09626-2 (Colin McWilliam)
• Moray and North Aberdeenshire (in preparation)
• Perth and Kinross (2007) ISBN 978-0-300-10922-1 (John Gifford)
• Stirling and Central Scotland (2002) ISBN 978-0-300-09594-4 (John Gifford and Frank Arneil Walker)

Buildings of Wales

The series has also been extended to Wales. With the issue of Gwynedd coverage of Wales is complete, although the initial survey has taken seven years longer than Pevsner's first complete survey of England. Only Powys was published in the original small volume style. Work is under way on a revised edition of this book, to be published in 2013.

• Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion (2006) ISBN 978-0-300-10179-9 (Thomas Lloyd)
• Clwyd (Denbighshire and Flintshire) (1986) ISBN 978-0-300-09627-9 (Edward Hubbard)
• Glamorgan (1995) ISBN 978-0-300-09629-3 (John Newman)
• Gwent/Monmouthshire (2000) ISBN 978-0-300-09630-9 (John Newman)
• Gwynedd (2009) ISBN 978-0-300-14169-6 (Richard Haslam, Julian Orbach and Adam Voelcker)
• Pembrokeshire (2004) ISBN 978-0-300-10178-2 (Thomas Lloyd, Julian Orbach and Robert Scourfield)
• Powys (1979) ISBN 978-0-300-09631-6 (Richard Haslam)

Buildings of Ireland

The Irish series is not so far advanced as the others. However, the following three volumes have been published, and a fourth, on South Ulster, is pending.

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

Superseded volumes

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

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

In addition, two volumes, North Devon and South Devon were superseded by a single volume covering the entire county. Parts of the original Hampshire & the Isle of Wight and Yorkshire: the West Riding volumes have been superseded by revised volumes.

See also

• Survey of London - an even more detailed but incomplete account of the architecture of London
• The Penguin Collectors Society for the Pevsner Memorial Trust
• Buildings of the United States

Further reading

• Cherry, Bridget (1998). The Buildings of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales: a short history and bibliography.

External links

• Pevsner Architectural Guides and the Buildings Books Trust