Seven Victorian Architects: Introduction by Nikolaus Pevsner

Historicism, a reliance on inspiration by styles of the past, was the dominant aspect of Victorian architecture. The individual architect's response to earlier styles, however, varied widely, and one of the hallmarks of a creative career was the architect's handling of his chosen precedents. This study presents the largely unpublished work of seven English architects, tracing influences on their individual styles, and provides a cross section of some of the most characteristic themes and qualities of Victorian architecture. The seven architects included are William Burn, Philip and P.C. Hardwick, Sydney Smirke, J.I. Pearson, G.F. Bodley, Alfred Waterhouse, and Edwin Lutyens. Social, technological, and functional aspects of architecture during this period are explored from several viewpoints in the works of these individual practitioners. In addition to the expected country houses and churches, other building types included are railway terminals, libraries, docks, shopping areas, museums, hospitals, and working-class housing.