THE Architectural Historian Issue 11, November 2020 Pakistan’s Sikh legacy | In search of the Arts & Crafts church The Adams’ Grand Tours | Lynne Walker interview ISSN 2056–9181 THE Architectural A message from Historian the President Editorial team Architectural History in the Time of Covid: In some unexpected ways, the pandemic Magazine editor it makes me think of the title of Gabriel has unwittingly served the Society well. Nick Jones Garcia Márquez’s 1985 novel, but there What looked like a very grim picture, with [email protected] the similarity ends. When I last wrote this the cancelling of the Autumn Study Tour Commissioning editor column, I had little idea of how the next few and AGM in Oxford, as well as a number of Paul Holden months would pan out or that, by the time other events, has turned out to be a major [email protected] I came to write it, much of the UK would be marketing success. Starting with the virtual in a second lockdown. Over these last few tour of Saltaire in June, the development of the Contact the SAHGB months, Covid has hampered, for me, any online programme has brought the Society’s For all general enquiries about the pursuit of architectural research. Like other events to a much wider and international Society, please contact: scholars, I have been unable to visit archives audience than could ever have been done [email protected] or specialist libraries although I did manage before. The original Saltaire tour, for example, For membership enquiries, please to see thirteen buildings (some of them twice) had a cap of 20 attendees: on the day, 167 contact: [email protected] by Peter Womersley (1923-93) during one registered for the online event, something frenzied July weekend in the Scottish Borders. that the narrow streets of the town could No material may be reproduced in part One such was the unforgiving Dingleton Boiler never have accommodated. The Symposium or whole without the express permission House at Melrose District Asylum (1972). While has done equally well. Rather than meeting of the publisher. waiting for archives in Edinburgh to reopen, for one or two days in London, the virtual which has not yet happened, I spent much © 2020 Society of Architectural of the last few months ensconced in the Historians of Great Britain Limited by Scottish Highlands where the nearest listed The development of the guarantee. Registered Number 810735 building was the equally unforgiving Fortar online programme has England. Registered as a charity (or Forter) Castle. The ruin of this tower house, no. 236432. Registered office: destroyed by the Covenanters in 1640, was brought the Society’s 70 Cowcross Street London, EC1M 6EL. listed Category B in 1971, but was restored, if events to a much wider and not actually reimagined, in 1990, which seems international audience Disclaimer to question the reliability of the current listing. The views and opinions expressed in the articles in The Architectural Historian are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the editor, the society or the publisher. The Architectural Historian can in no way be held liable for any direct or indirect damage that may arise from such views. For further information about the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain, including details on how to become a member, please visit sahgb.org.uk. Left Fortar Castle, Glenisla, Angus, 1560, rebuilt 1990 Right: Dingleton Boiler House, Melrose District Asylum, Scottish Borders, 1972 2 The Architectural Historian Issue 11 / November 2020 Contents version was spread over four days from July to Features October, with an average registration of 350 for each. A total of 41 papers were presented 4 Does the Arts & Crafts church exist? on the theme of ARCH/TECTURES ARCH/VES Alec Hamilton goes in search of an elusive typology by speakers from Australia, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA as well 9 Rochester’s best-kept secret as, of course, the UK. Our series of twelve p4 Claire Gapper explores Eastgate House – an weekly research seminars, combined with the overlooked jewel of Kent’s architectural heritage long-standing Oxford Architectural History Seminars and hosted online with the Institute 12 Collections in focus of Historical Research (IHR), have also Adriano Aymonino and Colin Thom introduce a new digital reached a far wider audience than the small platform of the Adam brothers’ Grand Tour writings room in the University of London’s Senate House could ever accommodate. The average 16 Introducing … registration has been over 130. Similarly, p9 Patrick Newberry sheds light on the work of prolific the AGM was held virtually on 28 October, ecclesiastical architect J.P. St Aubyn during which a number of Special Resolutions amending the Articles of Association were News and events passed unopposed. The Meeting also voted for Professor Deborah Howard to be an 19 Annual Lecture Honorary Patron Member of the Society. Aymee Thorne Clarke talks to this year’s Annual Lecturer, The Annual Lecture for 2020 will be Lynne Walker, about her thesis on E.S. Prior, and the influence given by Dr Lynne Walker, Senior Research p12 of her supervisor, Nikolaus Pevsner Fellow at the IHR, but, in recognition of its significance, will be rescheduled for early 22 Awards 2021 in the hope that it can be presented live. This year’s nominees Meanwhile, as an introduction, Dr Walker will describe her ideas online in a conversazione 23 Editorial board with Dr Elizabeth Darling on 14 December. The new team behind Architectural History This will be accompanied by the Awards ceremony when the winners of the Alice p19 24 Upcoming events Davis Hitchcock Medallion, the Colvin Embracing the virtual world Prize, the Hawksmoor Essay Medal and the James Morris Prize will be announced. 25 Scholarships Despite the difficulties caused by the How we are helping our Scholars through the pandemic pandemic, or perhaps because of them, the Society is in rude health. Membership, at Books and journals almost 900, is up; attendance at our events is through the roof. We look forward to volume 63 p26 26 Beyond borders of Architectural History, and thank our outgoing Dalvir Pannu recounts the process behind his exhaustive editor, Dr Anthony Gerbino, for all the work he work on Sikhism’s architectural legacy in Western Punjab has done over the past few years. Meanwhile, we welcome in the new editor, Professor Mark 30 Mark Girouard’s Biographical Dictionary Swenarton, and his newly formulated Editorial Graham Child gives an update on the eminent historian’s Board. Finally, we must thank Nick Jones, last major work who has edited this magazine since 2016, but is now leaving us. Under new editorship, p31 31 Around a journal in 80 seconds … The Architectural Historian might change, Alastair Dick-Cleland gives a tour of The Orchard but Nick has left us a valuable legacy and record of the Society’s recent activities. Cover: A nineteenth-century monument in Mudhali village, n Neil Jackson, President, SAHGB Punjab, Pakistan, depicting British soldiers in battle The Architectural Historian Issue 11 / November 2020 3 Feature When you write a book called Arts & Crafts The Arts & Churches – I have been working on the subject since 2006 – you must expect to be challenged: ‘What is an Arts & Crafts church?’ Some go further: ‘Is there any such thing?’ Crafts church – When the late Gavin Stamp lectured on the subject at Rewley House in 2005, I asked if he was going to write a book about it. ‘Oh, does it exist? no,’ he replied, ‘Too difficult’! Not surprising, then, there has never been a scholarly book on Arts & Crafts churches. There are any number on the Arts & Crafts house, interior, ceramics, metalwork, jewellery. And a good Above The echt Arts The Arts & Crafts coincided with a tectonic shift & Crafts church? All in Britain’s relationship with religion, which may deal about a small number of the more Saints, Brockhampton ‘famous’ churches – Holy Trinity, Sloane explain why its churches have attracted little Street, Chelsea (J.D. Sedding and Henry Opposite St Mary the scholarly examination. Alec Hamilton reflects on Virgin, Great Warley – Wilson, 1887-90 and beyond); All Saints, a friendly, less his pursuit of a typology without a type Brockhampton, Herefordshire (W.R. Lethaby, God-like God 4 The Architectural Historian Issue 11 / November 2020 1901-02); St Andrew, Roker, Tyne & Wear ‘real thing’. And sometimes not. first began to glimmer about now. (E.S. Prior, 1905-07); St Mary the Virgin, Great 6. And it doesn’t have to be a church – it can Many of the new Anglican, Unitarian Warley, Essex (Harrison Townsend and W. be any building constructed by any religion or and Independent churches built around Reynolds-Stephens, 1902-04) and St Matthew, denomination for the purposes of its liturgy or 1900 were not needed: they were built at the Queen’s Cross, Glasgow (Charles Rennie worship: mosque, gurdwara, Kingdom Hall, etc. desire of individuals with deep pockets and Mackintosh, 1896-99). But nothing that casts 7. And, in some cases, it is the client who ‘is’ idiosyncratic ideas. It was not always about the net wide, brings these and the many (or seems) Arts & Crafts, either in their tastes, the best way to serve God: a residual atavistic others (there are perhaps 350) together, or in their political and social attitudes. sense that public piety was correct was to draw comparisons and conclusions. 8. There are exceptions to all the above. intertwined with conspicuous consumption. Professor Stamp’s ‘Too difficult’ should Yes, all much too precise, and far too The Catholics and the Methodists were have warned me off.