Thomas Henry Wyatt

Thomas Henry Wyatt
Thomas Henry Wyatt by George Landseer[1]
Born(1807-05-09)9 May 1807
Died5 August 1880(1880-08-05) (aged 73)
London
NationalityBritish
OccupationArchitect
AwardsRoyal Gold Medal (1873)

Thomas Henry Wyatt (9 May 1807 – 5 August 1880) was an Anglo-Irish architect.[2] He had a prolific and distinguished career, being elected President of the Royal Institute of British Architects 1870–73[3] and being awarded its Royal Gold Medal for Architecture in 1873.[4] His reputation during his lifetime was largely as a safe establishment figure, and critical assessment has been less favourable more recently, particularly in comparison with his younger brother, the better known Matthew Digby Wyatt.

Personal and family life

Wyatt was born at Lough-Glin House, County Roscommon. His father was Matthew Wyatt (1773–1831), a barrister and police magistrate for Roscommon and Lambeth. Wyatt is presumed to have moved to Lambeth with his father in 1825 and then initially embarked on a career as a merchant sailing to the Mediterranean, particularly Malta.

He married his first cousin Arabella Montagu Wyatt (1807–1875). She was the second daughter of his uncle Arthur who was an agent to the Duke of Beaufort. This consolidated his practice in Wales.[5]

He lived at and practised from 77 Great Russell Street. He died there on 5 August 1880 leaving an estate of £30,000. He is buried at St Lawrence's Church, Weston Patrick.

The Wyatts were a significant architectural dynasty during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Career

Training

Wyatt's early training was in the office of Philip Hardwick where he worked until 1832, and was involved in work on Goldsmiths Hall, Euston Station and the warehouses at St Katharine Docks.

Practice

He began practice on his own account in 1832 when he was appointed District Surveyor for Hackney (a post he held until 1861). By 1838 he had acquired substantial patronage from the Duke of Beaufort, the Earl of Denbigh and Sidney Herbert, and David Brandon joined him as a partner. This partnership lasted until 1851.

Wyatt's son Matthew (1840–1892) became his father's partner in 1860.

Positions

Wyatt was appointed as consulting or honorary architect to a number of bodies including:

Architectural works

Newnham Paddox House in Warwickshire, designed by Wyatt for the Earl of Denbigh, built 1876-79, demolished 1952

Wyatt worked in many styles ranging from the Italianate of Wilton through to the Gothic of many of his churches.

His practice was extensive with a large amount of work in Wiltshire largely as a result of his official position and the patronage of the Herbert family, and in Monmouthshire through the Beaufort connection

Wiltshire

Wyatt secured much work in Wiltshire, including the building of 20 churches, after offering his services at no cost to the Salisbury Diocesan Church Building Association in 1836. Julian Orbach considers the large new church at Wilton – "on a heroic scale" – to have made Wyatt's reputation.[6]

Below is a selective list of some of Wyatt's major works.

Churches

Date Name Location Notes
1836–38 Christchurch Shaw since rebuilt
1839–40 Christ Church[7] Derry Hill with Brandon
1843 St Mary Codford St Mary
1843 St Mary and St Nicholas Wilton
1843 Holy Trinity Crockerton
1843 Christ Church Worton with Brandon
1844 Holy Trinity Dilton Marsh
1844 St John the Baptist Horningsham with Brandon, body of church
1844 St Andrew[8] Newton Tony with Brandon
1845 All Saints Woodford
1845 St Mary Chittoe
1845 St Michael[9] Melksham
1845 St Alfred the Great Monkton Deverill older tower
1846 St John the Evangelist West Ashton
1847 All Saints Westbury alterations, west window
1840–50 St Nicholas Cholderton with Brandon
1849–50 St Martin Salisbury with Brandon, restoration
1851 Christchurch Cadley, Savernake
1851 All Saints Charlton-All-Saints
1851–53 St Paul[10] Fisherton Anger, Salisbury
1852 St Michael Hilperton
1853 St Mary[11] Maddington
1854 All Saints West Harnham
1854 All Saints Burbage south aisle 1876
1854–55 St Andrew Nunton
1855 St Mary Shrewton
1851–53 St Paul's Salisbury
1856 St Andrew Littleton Drew
1857 St Nicholas[12] Berwick Bassett
1858 St Andrew Laverstock
1858 Holy Trinity Stourpaine
1860–61 St John Bemerton built for the Pembrokes of Wilton
1860 St Mary Boyton restoration
1850–61 St Mary Magdalene Woodborough rebuilding
1861 St Katherine Savernake Forest
1862 All Saints Sutton Mandeville
1862 St Andrew South Newton
1862 St Nicholas North Bradley
1862–63 SS Peter & Paul Marlborough
1863 All Saints Chitterne
1863–64 St Giles Wishford
1864 St Nicholas Little Langford
1866 All Saints Winterslow
1866 St Mary Alvediston
1866 Holy Trinity Fonthill Gifford
1867–68 St Michael Winterbourne Earls
1868 St Michael Little Bedwyn vestry and restoration
1871 Christ Church Warminster
1875 St Mary Upavon
1875 St Leonard Semley
1878 St John the Baptist Hindon
1879 All Saints Fonthill Bishop

Houses

Date Name Location Notes
1848 Rectory, St. Mary Broughton Gifford

Public buildings

Date Name Location Notes
1835 Assize Courts Devizes
1851 Roundway Hospital Devizes
1878 The Bleeck Memorial Hall Warminster Warminster Athenaeum

Monmouthshire

The Hendre was built in 1837/9 near Monmouth for the Rolls family.

Llantarnam Abbey was built in 1834/1835 for Reginald Blewitt: a large mansion in the Elizabethan style, built on a dissolution site. Once again an abbey, in possession of the Sisters of St. Joseph.

The Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Monmouth was renovated by Wyatt.[13]

Usk Sessions House was built in 1875–1877.

Other works:

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other

London

Knightsbridge Barracks

The Knightsbridge Barracks were built in 1878/9.

Other

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other

Somerset

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other

Cambridgeshire

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other

Lancashire including Liverpool

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other
  • 1875 St Michael, Dalton
  • 1864–67 New Liverpool Exchange (rebuilt 1939)[15]

Glamorgan and rest of Wales

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other

Herefordshire

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other
  • 1873 Bredenbury Court, Hereford

Hampshire

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other

Gloucestershire

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other

Elsewhere

Churches Houses Public Buildings Other
Westerdale Hall, February 2008

Bibliography

  • The Wyatts, an Architectural Dynasty J M Robinson ISBN 0-19-817340-7

See also

References

  1. ^ Thomas Henry Wyatt, National Portrait Gallery, London, Retrieved 8 September 2009
  2. ^ a b "Thomas Henry Wyatt, Architect". The Builder. 39 (1958). London: Building (Publishers) Ltd.: 193–194 14 August 1880. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  3. ^ APSD entry
  4. ^ List provided by RIBA
  5. ^ Thomas Henry Wyatt, DSA Architect Biography Report, accessed December 2011
  6. ^ Orbach, Julian; Pevsner, Nikolaus; Cherry, Bridget (2021). Wiltshire. The Buildings Of England. New Haven, US and London: Yale University Press. pp. 70–71. ISBN 978-0-300-25120-3. OCLC 1201298091.
  7. ^ Historic England. "Christ Church (1253593)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  8. ^ Historic England. "Church of St Andrew, Newton Tony (1135699)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  9. ^ Historic England. "Church of St Michael (1021707)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  10. ^ Historic England. "Church of St Paul (1355796)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 27 March 2023.
  11. ^ Historic England. "Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Shrewton (1023996) (1023996)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  12. ^ Historic England. "Church of St. Nicholas (1365565)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
  13. ^ "History of St Thomas the Martyr". Monmouth Parishes. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  14. ^ Cadw. "Malpas Court (18285)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  15. ^ Historic England. "Exchange Buildings (1245031)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  16. ^ "britishlistedbuildings". Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  17. ^ "The Late Mr. Thomas H. Wyatt". The Building News and Engineering Journal. 39. London: The Building News: 204–205. 20 August 1880. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  18. ^ Pevsner & Sherwood, The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, 1974, p. 847