Basic Biographical Details Name: | Richard Cromwell Carpenter | Designation: | | Born: | 21 October 1812 | Died: | 27 March 1855 | Bio Notes: | Richard Cromwell Carpenter was born in Middlesex on 21 October 1812 and educated at Charterhouse. He was articled to the London architect John Blyth c.1828 and began exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1830 at the early age of seventeen. Although Blyth encouraged his interest in Gothic, he was essentially self-taught from the publications of John Britton and Augustus Charles Pugin, becoming a close friend of Pugin's son Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin. He commenced independent practice in London sometime before 1838 when he designed Lonsdale Square in Islington and quickly became the preferred architect of the newly founded Cambridge Camden (later Ecclesiological) Society. He made his name with two very Puginian churches in Birmingham in 1844-46, followed by the exceptionally refined St Paul's Brighton (1846-48), St Peter's Chichester (1848) and St Mary Magdalene's Munster Square, London (1849-52). His finest church, had it been completed, would have been St Stephen's at Burntisland, 1850-54, abandoned incomplete and subsequently demolished.
Carpenter was also responsible for two major educational complexes, both promoted by the Rev Nathaniel Woodward, Lancing College (designed 1848, built 1854 onwards) and St John's College, Hurstpierpoint (1851-53). His other main patron was Alexander John Beresford Hope for whom he redesigned Bedgebury Park Kent in a 17th century chateau manner.
Carpenter was admitted FRIBA on 12 December 1853, his proposers being Thomas Henry Wyatt, George James John Mair and Benjamin Ferrey, all of London. Carpenter died in London on 27 March 1855 at the early age of forty-two. His principal clients then arranged for his practice to be taken over by his pupil William Slater. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | 4, Carlton Chambers, Regent Street, London, England | Private/business(?) | | | | | 40, Upper Bedford Place, Russell Square, London, England | Private/business | 1863 | 1874 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployersThe following individuals or organisations employed or trained this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | John Blyth | c. 1828 | Mid 1830s | Apprentice | |
Employees or PupilsThe following individuals were employed or trained by this (click on an item to view details): | | Name | Date from | Date to | Position | Notes | | William Slater | 1835 | 1840 | Apprentice | | | William Slater | 1840 | 1855 | Assistant | | | Alfred Jenoure | Before 1847 | Before 1847 | Apprentice | | | Edward Ingress Bell | After 1852 | Before 1860 | Assistant | Uncertain - more likely to be Richard Herbert |
RIBARIBA Proposers
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1850 | Episcopal School | Burntisland | | Fife | Scotland | | | 1850 | St Stephen's Episcopal Church and Parsonage | Burntisland | | Fife | Scotland | Church not completed - parsonage continued by Slater | | 1855 | St Andrew's Episcopal Cathedral | Inverness | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | Commissioned to design Cathedral by Bichop Eden of Moray but died having designed only plan and west froint | | 1855 | St Mary's Episcopal Church | Birnam | | Perthshire | Scotland | Design | | c. 1855 | St Serf Episcopal Church | Burntisland | | Fife | Scotland | Commenced by Carpenter (built to a height of 15 feet and then abandoned) and completed by Slater after his death | | 1865 | Memorial to Prince Consort | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Competition design |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Anson, Peter | 1965 | Fashions in church furnishings | 2nd | London | pp75-78 | | APSD | | The Dictionary of Architecture | ed Wyatt Papworth | The Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892) | | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | For full list of references. | | Grove Dictionary of Art | | Grove Dictionary of Art | | | | | Placzek, Adolf K (ed) | 1982 | Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects | | New York: The Free Press/Macmillan Publishing Company | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 7 April 1855 | | | Obituary p165 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | | RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum | RIBA Nomination Papers | | F v2 p134 (microfiche 79/D3) |
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