List of new ecclesiastical buildings by J. L. Pearson
John Loughborough Pearson (1817–97) was an English architect whose works were mainly ecclesiastical. He was born in Brussels, United Kingdom of the Belgium, and spent his childhood in Durham. Pearson started his architectural training under Ignatius Bonomi in Durham, becoming his principal assistant. In 1841 he left Bonomi, worked for George Pickering for a short time, then moved to London, where he lived for the rest of his life. He worked for five months with Anthony Salvin, then became principal assistant to Philip Hardwick, initially assisting him in the design of buildings at Lincoln's Inn. Pearson's first individual design was for a small, simple church at Ellerker in the East Riding of Yorkshire. This led to other commissions in that part of the country, which allowed him to leave Hardwick and establish his own independent practice.[1]
Pearson designed many new churches during his career, ranging from small country churches to major churches in cities. Among the latter, St Augustine's Church in Kilburn, London, "may claim to be his masterpiece".[1] Towards the end of his career he designed two new cathedrals, at Truro in Cornwall, and Brisbane in Australia; the latter was not built until after his death, and the building was supervised by his son, Frank. Pearson also carried out work in existing churches, making additions and alterations, or undertaking restorations. Again, these works were to churches of all sizes, from country churches to cathedrals; among the latter he worked on the cathedrals at Lincoln, Peterborough, Bristol, Rochester, Leicester, and Gloucester. Pearson also designed secular buildings, which ranged from schools, vicarages, and small houses, to large country houses, for example, Quarwood in Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire. He designed Two Temple Place in Westminster, London, as an estate office for William Waldorf Astor. Pearson also designed university buildings for Sidney Sussex College and Emmanuel College in Cambridge.[1]
Most of Pearson's buildings are in England, (he worked on at least 210 ecclesiastical buildings in England alone)[2] but he also carried out work elsewhere, for example Treberfydd, a country house in Wales, and Holy Trinity Church in Ayr, Scotland. Further afield, in addition to Brisbane Cathedral in Australia, he designed a cemetery chapel in Malta.[1] His plans were almost always in Gothic Revival style, but in some buildings he used other styles, for example Tudor Revival at Two Temple Place, and Jacobean at Lechlade Manor in Gloucestershire.[1] In the cemetery chapel in Malta, he combined Romanesque Revival and Gothic Revival features.[3]
Pearson was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Institute of British Architects in 1880. He had one son, Frank Loughborough Pearson, who worked with him as an assistant, completed some of his works after his father's death, and then continued in his own independent practice. Pearson died at his London home and was buried in Westminster Abbey. His estate amounted to over £53,000 (equivalent to £7,600,000 in 2023).[1][4] This list contains Pearson's major designs for new ecclesiastical works, and includes all those in the National Heritage List for England.
Buildings of national or international importance, either architectural or historic, or fine little-altered examples of some particular period, style or building type.
A sandstone church consisting of a nave with aisles and a south porch, a chancel with a north vestry, and a tall triple bellcote at the junction of the nave and chancel. The gateway and churchyard walls, built at the same time and designed by Pearson, are listed separately, also at Grade II.[21][22]
Rebuilding of an earlier church on the site, re-using some of its fabric. It has a cruciform plan with a central tower. At the same time Pearson designed the lychgate, which is listed separately at Grade II.[1][26][27]
A church in flint with brick dressings and tiled roofs. On the south side is a tower with a tall pyramidal spire. The church is redundant and under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust.[43][44]
A new church to replace an older church on a site nearby. Built in brick, faced outside with local stone, it has an apsidalchancel and a south tower. Originally this had a wooden spire but it blew down in 1884 and again in 1886.[48]
A red brick church with stone dressings in Early English style. At the west end is a pair of square turrets with pyramidal roofs. The church was damaged by bombing in the Second World War and subsequently restored.[1][55]
A red brick church with stone dressings. It has an apsidalchancel, a pair of turrets with spires towards the east end, and another short spire over the crossing.[1][61]
The nave was built in 1881–83, followed by the chancel in 1896–97, and the northwest tower was added in 1907 by Frank Pearson. It is a large stone church, with transepts, a Lady chapel, a flèche over the crossing and small twin towers at the east end.[1][63]
Constructed in red brick with sandstone dressings, it is in Early English style. The church was declared redundant in 1986, converted into a community centre and offices in 1993, but vandalised and later became the Light and Life Gypsy Church.[1][75]
Italian Gothic interior, richly decorated, with a more austere Germanic gothic exterior. Completed after his death by his son Frank. This used to be than chapel of the Middlesex Hospital until its demolition in 2006. The chapel has been completely restored and its exterior is fully visible for the first time in history.
A church and caretaker's house in brick and stone dressings with tiled roofs. It has a cruciform plan, and a detached tower at the southwest angle.[1][78]
A complete rebuilding of an earlier church on the site of the martyrdom of St Tydfil in the 5th century. It is in Neo-Romanesque style with an apsidalchancel and a tall west tower. The church closed for worship in 1968 and is used as a chapel of ease.[82][83]
A brick church in the style of the 13th century. The entry in the Buildings of England series states "This must be one of the most disappointing churches Pearson ever designed".[86]
Designed in 1888, building did not start until after Pearson's death, and it was supervised by his son F. L. Pearson. It is in Gothic Revival style and contains the only stone-vaulted roof in Australia.[1][93]
Pevsner, Nikolaus (1974), Staffordshire, The Buildings of England, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, ISBN0-14-071046-9
Pollard, Richard; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2006), Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West, The Buildings of England, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, ISBN0-300-10910-5