John Nash (architect): Difference between revisions
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Nash was also a director of the [[Regent's Canal]] Company set up in 1812 to provide a [[canal]] link from west London to the [[River Thames]] in the east. Nash's masterplan provided for the canal to run around the northern edge of Regent's Park; as with other projects, he left its execution to one of his assistants, in this case [[James Morgan (engineer)|James Morgan]]. The first phase of the Regent's Canal opened in 1816. Together with [[Robert Smirke (architect)|Robert Smirke]] and Sir [[John Soane]], he became an official architect to the [[Office of Works]] in 1813. |
Nash was also a director of the [[Regent's Canal]] Company set up in 1812 to provide a [[canal]] link from west London to the [[River Thames]] in the east. Nash's masterplan provided for the canal to run around the northern edge of Regent's Park; as with other projects, he left its execution to one of his assistants, in this case [[James Morgan (engineer)|James Morgan]]. The first phase of the Regent's Canal opened in 1816. Together with [[Robert Smirke (architect)|Robert Smirke]] and Sir [[John Soane]], he became an official architect to the [[Office of Works]] in 1813. |
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Further London commissions for Nash followed, including the remodelling of Buckingham House to create [[Buckingham Palace]] (1825–1835), plus the [[Royal Mews]] and [[Marble Arch]] |
Further London commissions for Nash followed, including the remodelling of Buckingham House to create [[Buckingham Palace]] (1825–1835), plus the [[Royal Mews]] and [[Marble Arch]], originally designed as a [[triumphal arch]] to stand at the entrance to Buckingham Palace. The arch was moved when the east wing of the palace designed by [[Edward Blore]] was built, at the request of [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] whose growing family required additional domestic space. Marble Arch became the entrance to [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]] and [[The Great Exhibition]]. |
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He advised on work to the [[buildings of Jesus College, Oxford]], for which he required no fee but asked that the college should commission a portrait of him from [[Thomas Lawrence (painter)|Sir Thomas Lawrence]] to hang in the college hall.<ref>{{cite book |last=Baker|first=J. N. L.|authorlink=J. N. L. Baker| editor1-first=H. E.|editor1-last=Salter |editor2-first=Mary D. |editor2-last=Lobel |title=A History of the County of Oxford Volume III – The University of Oxford|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=543|accessdate=22 June 2009 |series= [[Victoria County History]]|year=1954 |publisher=[[Research]], [[University of London]]|isbn=9780712910644 |chapter=Jesus College |chapterurl=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63887|page=275|accessdate=23 June 2009}}</ref> |
He advised on work to the [[buildings of Jesus College, Oxford]], for which he required no fee but asked that the college should commission a portrait of him from [[Thomas Lawrence (painter)|Sir Thomas Lawrence]] to hang in the college hall.<ref>{{cite book |last=Baker|first=J. N. L.|authorlink=J. N. L. Baker| editor1-first=H. E.|editor1-last=Salter |editor2-first=Mary D. |editor2-last=Lobel |title=A History of the County of Oxford Volume III – The University of Oxford|url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=543|accessdate=22 June 2009 |series= [[Victoria County History]]|year=1954 |publisher=[[Research]], [[University of London]]|isbn=9780712910644 |chapter=Jesus College |chapterurl=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63887|page=275|accessdate=23 June 2009}}</ref> |
Revision as of 17:20, 22 August 2010
John Nash | |
---|---|
Born | John Nash 18 January 1752 |
Died | |
Resting place | St. James's Church, East Cowes |
Nationality | British |
Occupation | Architect |
Buildings | Royal Pavilion Buckingham Palace |
John Nash (18 January 1752 – 13 May 1835) was an Anglo-Welsh architect responsible for much of the layout of Regency London.
Biography
Born on the 18th January 1752 Lambeth, London, as the son of a Welsh millwright, Nash trained with architect Sir Robert Taylor, he established his own practice in 1777, but his own career was initially unsuccessful and short-lived. After inheriting £1000[1] in 1778 from his uncle Thomas, he invested the money in 1777-78 in building his first known independent works in Bloomsbury building 15-17 Bloomsbury Square and 66-71 Great Russell Street. But the property failed to let and he was declared bankrupt in 1783 and left London in 1784 to live in Carmarthen, where his mother had retired to, her family being from the area. His first major work in the area being the Gaol at Carmarthen 1789-92. He also designed a series of medium sized country houses in south-west Wales including Llanerchaeron. He met Humphry Repton at Hafod Uchtryd in 1795, he formed a successful partnership with the landscape garden designer. One of their early commissions was at Corsham Court. The pair would collaborate to carefully place the Nash-designed building in grounds designed by Repton. Eventually, Nash returned to work in London, in 1795. The partnership ended in 1800 under recriminations[2].
His first significant commission on returning to London in 1795-6 was Hereford gaol. In June 1797 he moved into 28 Dover Street a building of his own design, he built an even bigger house next door at 29 into which he moved the following year. Nash married Mary Ann Bradley on the 17th December 1798 at St George's, Hanover Square[3]. The bride was 25 years old. In 1798 he purchased a plot of land of 30 acres at East Cowes[4]. On the land he erect 1798-1802 East Cowes Castle as his residence. This was the first of a series of picturesque Gothic castles that he would design.
In 1806 Nash was appointed architect to the Surveyor General of Woods, Forests, Parks, and Chases. From 1810 Nash would take very few private commissions[5]. Nash was a dedicated Whig[6] and was a friend of Charles James Fox through whom Nash probably came to the attention of the Prince Regent (later King George IV) and for the rest of his career he would largely work for the Prince. His first major commissions in 1811 from the Prince was Regent Street and the development of an area then known as Marylebone Park. With the Regent's backing (and major inputs from Repton), Nash created a master plan for the area, put into action from 1818 onwards, which stretched from St James’s northwards and included Regent Street, Regent's Park and its neighbouring streets, terraces and crescents of elegant town houses and villas. Nash did not complete all the detailed designs himself; in some instances, completion was left in the hands of other architects such as James Pennethorne and the young Decimus Burton. Nash was employed by the Prince to develop his Ocean Pavilion Palace in Brighton, originally designed by Henry Holland. By 1822 Nash had finished his work on the Ocean Pavilion, which was now transformed into the Royal Pavilion.
Nash was also a director of the Regent's Canal Company set up in 1812 to provide a canal link from west London to the River Thames in the east. Nash's masterplan provided for the canal to run around the northern edge of Regent's Park; as with other projects, he left its execution to one of his assistants, in this case James Morgan. The first phase of the Regent's Canal opened in 1816. Together with Robert Smirke and Sir John Soane, he became an official architect to the Office of Works in 1813.
Further London commissions for Nash followed, including the remodelling of Buckingham House to create Buckingham Palace (1825–1835), plus the Royal Mews and Marble Arch, originally designed as a triumphal arch to stand at the entrance to Buckingham Palace. The arch was moved when the east wing of the palace designed by Edward Blore was built, at the request of Queen Victoria whose growing family required additional domestic space. Marble Arch became the entrance to Hyde Park and The Great Exhibition.
He advised on work to the buildings of Jesus College, Oxford, for which he required no fee but asked that the college should commission a portrait of him from Sir Thomas Lawrence to hang in the college hall.[7]
Nash's career effectively ended with the death of George IV in 1830, the King's notorious profligacy with money had generate much resentment and Nash was now with out a protector[8]. The Treasury started to look closely at the cost of Buckingham Palace, Nash's original estimate of the building's cost had been £252,690, but this had risen to £496,169 in 1829[9] the actual cost was £613,269 and the building still wasn't finished. This controversy ensured that Nash would not receive any more official commissions nor would he be awarded the Knighthood that other contemporary architects such as Jeffry Wyattville, John Soane & Robert Smirke received. So he retired to the Isle of Wight where he died on the 13th May 1835 in his home East Cowes Castle[10] and is buried at St. James's Church, East Cowes.
Nash had many pupils including Humphry Repton's sons, John Adey Repton {1775-1860) & George Stanley Repton (1786-1858), as well as Anthony Salvin, John Foulon (1772-1842), Augustus Charles Pugin, James Morgan & James Pennethorne.
Work in London
-
All Souls Langham Place
-
Cumberland Terrace
-
Carlton House Terrace
-
Theatre Royal Haymarket
-
Buckingham Palace Garden Front
-
Park Cescent
-
Park Square
-
Marble Arch
-
Chester Terrace
-
Clarence House
-
Former United Services Club
-
Regent Street
- Park Crescent, London (1806, 1819-21)[11]
- Regent Street (1809-1826)
- Regent's Park (1809-32)
- Regent's Canal (1811-1820)
- Royal Lodge (1811-20) subsequently remodelled by Sir Jeffry Wyattville
- Carlton House, London remodelled several interiors, (1812-14) demolished 1825 to make way for Nash's Carlton House Terraces
- Trafalgar Square (1813-30) completely redesigned by Sir Charles Barry
- St. James's Park (1814-27)
- The King's Opera House on the site of Her Majesty's Theatre The Royal Opera Arcade is the only part still standing (1816-18)
- Waterloo Place (1816)
- Haymarket Theatre (1820-21)
- 14-16 Regent Street (Nash's own house) (1820-21)
- York Gate (1821)
- the Church of All Souls, Langham Place (1822–25)
- Hanover Terrace (1822)
- York Terrace (1822)
- Royal Mews (1822-24)
- Sussex Place (1822-23)
- Park Square, London (1823-24)
- Park Village East & West (1823-34)
- Cambridge Terrace (1824)
- landscaped King's Road (1824)
- Ulster Terrace (1824)
- Buckingham Palace the state rooms and western front (1825-30)
- Chester Terrace (1825)
- Clarence House (1825-27)
- Cumberland Terrace (1826)
- former United Services Club Pall Mall now Institute of Directors(1826-28)
- Gloucester Terrace (1827)
- Carlton House Terrace (1827–1833)
- Marble Arch (1828)
- 430-449 The Strand (1830)
The changes wrought by John Nash on the streetscape of London are documented in the film, "John Nash and London", featuring Edmund N. Bacon and based on sections of his book Design of Cities.
Work in England and Wales
-
Llanacheron
-
Blaise Hamlet
-
Cronkhill
-
Caerhays Castle
-
The Royal Pavilion
-
Ingestre Hall
-
Witley Court
-
Hafod Uchtryd
Elsewhere in England and Wales, his work included:
- The stable block at Plas Llanstephan
- Carmarthen Gaol, (1789-92)
- St David's Cathedral, new west front (1789-1791) completely remodelled by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1862.
- Clytha Castle, 1790
- Ffynone House, Boncath (1792-96)
- Sion House, Tenby (1792)
- South Sion Lodge, Tenby (1792)
- Cardigan Gaol, (1793)
- Foley House, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire (1794)
- Hafod Uchtryd, remodelling (1794) demolished 1958.
- Herman Hill House, Haverfordwest (c.1794)
- Llanerchaeron, Ciliau Aeron, Ceredigion (c.1794)
- Kentchurch Court, Pontrilas (c.1795)
- Llysnewydd, Henllan, Ceredigion (1795)
- Whitson Court, near Newport (1795)
- Glanwysc Villa, Llangattock (Crickhowell) (c.1795)
- Temple Druid House, Maenclochog (1795)
- Castle House, later extended to form Old College Aberystwyth University, (1795)
- Blaise Castle, additions, including the conservatory and various buildings in the grounds, dairy, gatehouses e.t.c. (1795-c.1806)
- The Priory Cardigan, Ceredigion (1795)
- Hereford Gaol (1796)
- Corsham Court, remodelling work, only his east front survives, (1796-1813)
- Grovelands Park, Enfield, Middlesex (1797)
- Atcham, several houses in the village (1797)
- Attingham Park, new picture gallery and entrance lodges (c1797-1808)
- East Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight (1798-1802) – his home until his death in 1835, demolished 1960.
- Sundridge Park, Sundridge, London, (1799)
- Chalfont House, Chalfont St Peter, remodelled (1799-1800)
- Helmingham Hall, modernisation work (1800-1803)
- Luscombe Castle (1800-1804)
- Cronkhill, near Shrewsbury, Shropshire. First Italianate villa in Britain. (1802)
- Longner Hall, Atcham, remodelling and extension (1803)
- Nunwell House, Nunwell Isle of Wight (1805-07)
- Sandridge Park (1805)
- Witley Court (1805-06)
- Market House Chichester (1807)
- Ravensworth Castle (1808)
- Caerhays Castle, Cornwall (1808)[12]
- Ingestre Hall (1808-1813)
- Blaise Hamlet, Bristol (1810-11)
- Guildhall Newport, Isle of Wight (1814)
- rebuilding of the Royal Pavilion at Brighton (1815–1822)
Work in Ireland
Nash designed several works in Ireland:
- Ballindoon House (c.1800)
- Killymoon Castle, near Cookstown, County Tyrone, (1801-3).
- Kilwaughter Castle, Larne, County Antrim.[13] (1807) demolished 1951.
- Caledon House, County Tyrone, (1808-10) alterations and additions.
- St John's Church Caledon, Count Tyrone (1808)
- Church of Ireland church in Cahir, South Tipperary.
- Rockingham House, Boyle, County Roscommon (1810)
- Swiss cottage, Cahir (1810-14).
- Lough Cutra Castle, County Galway(1811)
- Shane's Castle (1812-16) burnt down 1816.
- Shanbally Castle, near Clogheen, South Tipperary (1818-19) demolished 1960.
References
- ^ page 16, Terence Davis, John Nash The Prince Regent's Architect, 1966 Country Life
- ^ page 119,Humphry Repton, Dorothy Stroud, 1962, Country Life
- ^ page 30, the Life and Work of John Nash Architect, John Summerson, 1980, George Allen & Unwin
- ^ page 20, East Cowes Castle The Seat of John Nash Esq. A Pictorial History, Ian Sherfield, 1994, Canon Press
- ^ page 73, the Life and Work of John Nash Architect, John Summerson, 1980, George Allen & Unwin
- ^ pages 20-21, Terence Davis, John Nash The Prince Regent's Architect, 1966 Country Life
- ^ Baker, J. N. L. (1954). "Jesus College". In Salter, H. E.; Lobel, Mary D. (eds.). A History of the County of Oxford Volume III – The University of Oxford. Victoria County History. Research, University of London. p. 275. ISBN 9780712910644. Retrieved 23 June 2009.
{{cite book}}
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suggested) (help) - ^ page 177, the Life and Work of John Nash Architect, John Summerson, 1980, George Allen & Unwin
- ^ page 30, Buckingham Palace, John Harris, Geoffrey de Bellaigue & Oliver Miller, 1969, Thomas Nelsons & Sons
- ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/403844/John-Nash
- ^ The lists are based on: John Nash A complete catalogue, Michael Mansbridge, 1991, Phaidon Press
- ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus Cornwall; Buildings of England series. (1951; 1970) (rev. Enid Radcliffe) Penguin Books (reissued by Yale U. P.) ISBN 0-300-09589-9; p. 192
- ^ "John Nash". Dictionary of Ulster Biography. Retrieved 2008-07-09.
- "1752 Jupiter". Wisdom Portal.