Vitruvius Britannicus is a British series of architecture books published beginning in 1715. Each volume contains architectural drawings for a selection of British buildings. Most of the drawings are of English country houses, though there are also a small number of non-residential works and original designs. The title of the series refers to Vitruvius and the books feature British examples of Palladian architecture.
The first series, which comprises three volumes, was published between 1715 and 1725 and was authored by Colen Campbell. In 1739, a second series began with the publication by Badeslade and Rocque of a fourth volume. This volume differed substantially from the original series and featured topographic images mostly. In 1769 and 1771, Woolfe and Gandon, who did not consider the 1739 volume to be a legitimate successor to the originals, produced a second series comprising the fourth and fifth volumes. In the first decade of the 19th century, George Richardson produced a third series, called The New Vitruvius Britannicus, which comprised two volumes. A fourth series was written in 1972 with the publication of a guide to the eight books.
The books of the Vitruvius Britannicus are essential documents in the history of British architecture and provide a record of many of the country's most famous built works, including several buildings that are now lost. These include Campbell's magnum opus, Wanstead House, which was demolished in 1825. Additionally, the books serve as records of British culture immediately following the Acts of Union 1707 and the Peace of Utrecht. Most scholarship has focused on the composition of Campbell's first series, which one author said was considered "the most iconic British architectural book of the eighteenth century."Joanne O'Hara, Colen Campbell and the Preparatory Drawings for Vitruvius Britannicus, PhD thesis, (University of York, 2010), 17.
History and Composition The book was conceived around 1713.Eileen Harris, "Vitruvius Britannicus before Colen Campbell," The Burlington Magazine, (vol. 128 no. 998, May 1986), 340. Vitruvius Britannicus is primarily a "book of designs," that is, a book that documents extant buildings. This is opposed to pattern books, which provide builders templates with which to construct new buildings. Vitruvius was conceived as a book of ideal designs, being a collection of works by various architects instead of an edition documenting a single architect.Eileen Harris, British Architectural Books and Writers 1556–1785, (Cambridge University Press, 1990), 32.
In his 1953 tome Architecture in Britain 1530–1830, historian Sir John Summerson provided a substantial account of the history of the books. In Sir John's telling, Vitruvius Britannicus and a new translation by Nicholas Dubois of Palladio's I quattro libri dell'architettura sought to initiate a new Palladian movement.John Summerson, Architecture in Britain 1530–1830, (Penguin Books, 1953), 198. The view of Vitruvius as a polemic persisted for decades after Summerson published his history.T. P. Connor, "The making of Vitruvius Britannicus," Architectural History (vol. 20, 1977), 14. However, more recent scholarship has challenged the notion of Vitruvius Britannicus as a manifesto and posited instead that it was a celebration of Palladianism.Lucy Elisabeth Rumble, Of Good Use or Serious Pleasure: Vitruvius Britannicus and Early Eighteenth Century Architectural Discourse, PhD thesis, (University of Leeds, 2001), 3.
List of books
Series 1
Vitruvius Britannicus, or, The British Architect: Volume I (1715) Vitruvius Britannicus, or, The British Architect: Volume II (1717) Vitruvius Britannicus, or, The British Architect: Volume III (1725)
Series 2
Vitruvius Britannicus, Volume the Fourth (1739) Vitruvius Britannicus, or, The British Architect: Volume IV (1769) Vitruvius Britannicus, or, The British Architect: Volume V (1771)
Series 3
The New Vitruvius Britannicus (1802) The New Vitruvius Britannicus, Volume II (1808)
Series 4
Guide to Vitruvius Britannicus (1972)
Contents
Series 1
Volume 1 BuildingArchitectPlatesSt Paul's CathedralInigo Jones3-4St. Peter's Basilicavarious5-7Proposed design for a church at Lincoln's Inn Fields, LondonColen Campbell8-9St Philip's Cathedral, BirminghamThomas Archer10-11Banqueting HouseInigo Jones12-13Queen's HouseInigo Jones14-15Gallery at Somerset HouseJohn Webb16Gunnersbury ParkJohn Webb17-18Proposed design for the Duke of ArgyllColen Campbell19-20Wanstead HouseColen Campbell21-22Proposed design for the Earl of HalifaxColen Campbell23-27Burlington HouseJames Gibbs28-30Pavilion at Wrest ParkThomas Archer31-33Montagu HouseMonsieur Pouget34-36Drumlanrig CastleRobert Mylne37-38Marlborough HouseChristopher Wren39-40Newcastle HouseWilliam Winde41-42Buckingham HouseWilliam Winde43-44Stoke Edith House45-46Kings Weston HouseJohn Vanbrugh47-48Lindsey HouseInigo Jones49-50Wilbury HouseWilliam Benson51-52Proposed Design for the Earl of IlayColen Campbell53-54Blenheim PalaceJohn Vanbrugh55-62Castle HowardJohn Vanbrugh63-71Chatsworth Housevarious72-76Orleans HouseJohn James77Escot HouseHenry Roberts78-79Roehampton HouseThomas Archer80-81Greenwich Hospital82-89Thoresby Hall90-91Wentworth Castle92-94Proposed design for the Lord PercevalColen Campbell95-97Easton NestonNicholas Hawksmoor98-100
Volume 2 BuildingArchitectPlatesPalace of Whitehall2-19St Paul's, Covent Garden20-22Royal Exchange, London23-25Steeple of St Mary-le-Bow26Proposed design for a church in the Vitruvian style27Water gate at York House28Cobham Hall29-30Cholmondeley Castle31-34Eaton Hall, Cheshire35-36Belton House37-38Highmeadow House39-40Proposed design for Tobias Jenkyns41-42Beddington Place43-45Sunbury House46Hall Barn47Epson House48-49Melville House50Shawfield Mansion51Proposed design for Eastbury Park52-55Bradley House, Wiltshire56Hampton Court Castle57-58Shobdon Court59-60Wilton House61-67Longleat68-69Cliveden70-74Hopetoun House75-77Lowther Castle78-80Bramham Park81-82Proposed design for Robert Walpole83-84Chevening85Proposed design for James Stanhope86Hotham House87Hedworth House88Proposed design for Paul Methuen89-90Witham House91-92Dyrham Park91, 93Newbold Revel94Althorp95-97Proposed design for Lord Cadogan98-100
Volume 3 BuildingArchitectPlatesGreenwich Hospital3-4Castle Howard5-6Ambresbury7Castle Ashby8Stoke Park9General Wade's House10Grimsthorpe11-14Eastbury15-19Seaton Delaval20-21Burlington House22-26Houghton27-34Mereworth Castle35-38Wanstead House39-40Stourhead Castle41-43The Rolls44-45Newby46Ebberton Lodge47Lord Herbert's House48Hall Barn49-50Goodwood51-54Mr Plumptre's House55Proposed design for a Bridge at Lambeth56Wilton57-60Apple Dorecombe61High Meadow62Long Leate63-66Chatsworth67-68Belton69-70Woodstock Park71-72Boughton73-74Hampton Court75Lowther Hall76Claremont77-78Cholmondley79-80Thorsby81-82Althorp83-84Duncomb Park85-88Atherton89Rookby Park90Horse Heath Hall91-92House at Twickenham93Leyton Grange94Narford95Caversham96-97Proposed98-100
Series 2
Volume 4 (Badeslade and Rocque) BuildingArchitectPlatesRoyal Palace Richmond1Royal Palace Kensington2-3Hampton Court4-5Royal Palace Richmond6-10Kiveton House11-18Claremont19-23Cannons24-27Proposed house for the Duke of Chandois33-34Duke of Kent House30-33Duke of Dorset House34-35Boughton36-37Windsor Lodge38-39Bulstroude40-44Drumlangrig45-46Belvoir Castle47-50Averham Park51-52Bogbengieght53-54Stainborough55-58Exton Park59-62Wentworth House55-56Helmingham Hall63-64Ham House65-66Weybridge67-68Marston69-70Warwick Castle71-72Heanton Hall73-74Four Oaks Hall75-76Totteridge Park77-78Wentworth House79-81Chiswick82-83Southill84-87Belton88-89South Dalton90-91Colonel Williamson House92-93Mount Edgcumbe94-95Lawne96-97Coppeed Hall98-99Shardeloes100-101Pilewell102-103Tring104-105Stanford Hall106-107Ravenfield108-109Echa110-111Navy Office112-113
Volume 4 (Woolfe and Gandon) BuildingArchitectPlatesHis Majesty's Lodge1-4Duke of York's Palace5-7Foot's Cray8-10Parksted11-13Dudington14-17Bridge18Devonshire House19-20Wooburn21-25Thomas Wyndham House26-29Moulsham Hall30-31Kirtlington Park32-36Earl Spencer House37-40Mansion House41-44Kedleston45-51Stratton Park52-55Huthall56-57On Blackheath58-64Gopsal65-66Earl of Chesterfield House67-69Nostell70-73Charles Asgill House74Coome Bank75-77York Assembly Room78-81Fonthill82-87Cusworth88-89Buckland91-93Latham Hall94-98
Volume 5 (Woolfe and Gandon) BuildingArchitectPlatesHorse Guards3-8Shelburn House9-10Thorseby Lodge11-13Hagley Park14-15Oakland House16-19Wimbledon Park20-22Harwood House23-28Croom Park29-30Foremark31-35Constable Burton36-37Whitham Park38-42Crompton House43-44Byng House45-46High Wickham48-49Moor Park50-55Botley56-57Duff House58-60Castle Hill61-63Holkham64-69Kirby Hall70-71Nottingham County Hall72-77Standlinch78-81Haythorp82-85Coleshill86-87Wilton Bridge88-89Sandon90-93Londford Castle94-98Newnham Park99-100
Series 3: The New Vitruvius Britannicus
Volume 1 BuildingArchitectPlatesBowden Park1-2Tusmore House3-5Brighton Pavilion6-7Public Assembly Rooms, Glasgow8-9Sydney Lodge10Gore Court11Basildon House12-14Longford House15-16Broomfield Lodge17-18Putney Park Villa19-21Great Tower Hill Building22-23Windmill Hill24-26Watton Wood Hall27-28Southgate Grove29-31Addington Lodge32-33Session House34-35Stoke Park36-38Eastwell House39-42Gossford House43-50Thornes House51-53Denton Hall54-56Doddington Hall57-60Claremont61-63Crowsnest House64-66Courteen Hall67-68Buckminster Park69-72
Volume 2 BuildingArchitectPlatesYork Basilica1-4Grocers Hall5-6Hall at Stafford7-10Newark Town Hall11-14Roseneath15-16Commissioner's House17-22Hurlingham23-24Attingham25-30Donington Park31-35Woolley Park36-38Royal Military Asylum39-42Athenaeum43-44Dr Synge House45-50Loudoun Castle51-56Pitshanger Place57-59Osberton House60-61Middleton Hall62-64Castle Coole65-70
References