C. Hodgson Fowler
Encyclopedia
Charles Hodgson Fowler was a prolific English
ecclesiastical
architect
who specialised in building and, especially, restoring churches
.
. In the early 1860s, following an apprenticeship
with Sir George Gilbert Scott
, he commenced work in Pimlico
, London
, and became an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects
(RIBA) in 1863. His proposers were Scott, E. W. Pugin
and Matthew Digby Wyatt
. In 1864, he moved to Durham
, where he lived for the rest of his life.
Fowler's initial appointment in Durham was as Clerk of Works at Durham Cathedral
. In 1870 he became a Fellow of the RIBA. At various times, he held the position of Architect to Rochester Cathedral
and Lincoln Cathedral
, and Architect to the Diocese of York
and the Diocese of Lincoln
. From 1885 to the time of his death, he was Architect to the Dean and Chapter
of Durham, a post that had previously been held by Sir George Gilbert Scott.
Almost all of Fowler's work was done in four counties: County Durham
, Yorkshire
, Lincolnshire
and Nottinghamshire.
is as follows:
Other notable churches by Fowler include:
were the following:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
ecclesiastical
Ecclesiology
Today, ecclesiology usually refers to the theological study of the Christian church. However when the word was coined in the late 1830s, it was defined as the science of the building and decoration of churches and it is still, though rarely, used in this sense.In its theological sense, ecclesiology...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who specialised in building and, especially, restoring churches
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
.
Life
He was born in NottinghamshireNottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
. In the early 1860s, following an apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
with Sir George Gilbert Scott
George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott was an English architect of the Victorian Age, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches, cathedrals and workhouses...
, he commenced work in Pimlico
Pimlico
Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and became an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects
Royal Institute of British Architects
The Royal Institute of British Architects is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally.-History:...
(RIBA) in 1863. His proposers were Scott, E. W. Pugin
E. W. Pugin
Edward Welby Pugin was the eldest son of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin and Louisa Barton. His father, A. W. N. Pugin, was a famous architect and designer of Neo-Gothic architecture, and after his death in 1852 Edward took up his successful practice...
and Matthew Digby Wyatt
Matthew Digby Wyatt
Sir Matthew Digby Wyatt was a British architect and art historian who became Secretary of the Great Exhibition, Surveyor of the East India Company and the first Slade Professor of Fine Art at the University of Cambridge.-Life:...
. In 1864, he moved to Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, where he lived for the rest of his life.
Fowler's initial appointment in Durham was as Clerk of Works at Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham is a cathedral in the city of Durham, England, the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. The Bishopric dates from 995, with the present cathedral being founded in AD 1093...
. In 1870 he became a Fellow of the RIBA. At various times, he held the position of Architect to Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral
Rochester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary, is a Norman church in Rochester, Kent. The bishopric is second oldest in England after Canterbury...
and Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral
Lincoln Cathedral is a historic Anglican cathedral in Lincoln in England and seat of the Bishop of Lincoln in the Church of England. It was reputedly the tallest building in the world for 249 years . The central spire collapsed in 1549 and was not rebuilt...
, and Architect to the Diocese of York
Diocese of York
The Diocese of York is an administrative division of the Church of England, part of the Province of York. It covers the city of York, the eastern part of North Yorkshire, and most of the East Riding of Yorkshire....
and the Diocese of Lincoln
Diocese of Lincoln
The Diocese of Lincoln forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the ceremonial county of Lincolnshire.- History :...
. From 1885 to the time of his death, he was Architect to the Dean and Chapter
Chapter (religion)
Chapter designates certain corporate ecclesiastical bodies in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Nordic Lutheran churches....
of Durham, a post that had previously been held by Sir George Gilbert Scott.
Almost all of Fowler's work was done in four counties: County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
and Nottinghamshire.
Designs
Although much of Fowler's work involved restoring and enlarging buildings, he was the architect of a number of new or rebuilt churches. A representative sample in a book on Victorian architectureVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
is as follows:
- Holy Innocents, TudhoeTudhoeTudhoe is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated approximately south of the City of Durham. It lies just outside Spennymoor, a short distance to the west of the Great North Road. The village is now a quiet backwater, its green a cul-de-sac that runs down from the main road towards...
, County Durham (1866) - St Edmund, BearparkBearparkBearpark is a village and civil parish in County Durham in England. It is situated two and a half miles west of Durham, and a short distance to the north of Ushaw Moor....
, County Durham (1879) - St Paul, West HartlepoolWest HartlepoolThis article refers to the place; for the Rugby Football Club see West Hartlepool R.F.C.West Hartlepool refers to the western part of the what has since the 1960s been known as the borough of Hartlepool in North East England...
, County Durham (1885) - St Barnabas, MiddlesbroughMiddlesbroughMiddlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
, North YorkshireNorth YorkshireNorth Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
(1888) - St Peter, Norton-on-DerwentNorton-on-DerwentNorton-on-Derwent, commonly referred to as 'Norton', is a town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. Norton borders the market town of Malton, and is divided by the River Derwent...
, North Yorkshire (1894) - Christ Church, HeppleHeppleHepple is a small village and parish in rural Northumberland, west of Rothbury, which provides most of its local services. It is on the edge of the Northumberland National Park, and lies on the bank of the river Coquet, at a location which was on the Coquet Stop Line, of which a pillbox remains...
, NorthumberlandNorthumberlandNorthumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
(1897) - St Alban, OrdsallOrdsall, NottinghamshireThe area of Ordsall is attached to the township of Retford, Nottinghamshire, England.All Hallow's Church serves the village and is situated beside the River Idle at the south side of Ordsall, an area commonly referred to as "Old Ordsall"....
, RetfordRetfordRetford is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands of England, located 31 miles from the city of Nottingham, and 23 miles west of Lincoln, in the district of Bassetlaw. The town is situated in a valley with the River Idle and the Chesterfield Canal running through the centre of the...
, Nottinghamshire (1901)
Other notable churches by Fowler include:
- St Mary's Church, South Hylton, Sunderland (1880)
- St. Helen's Church, GroveSt. Helen's Church, GroveSt. Helen's Church, Grove is a parish church in the Church of England in Grove, Nottinghamshire.The church is Grade II listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as it is a building of special architectural or historic interest.-History:...
, Nottinghamshire (1882) - St Andrew's Church, BishopthorpeBishopthorpeBishopthorpe is a village and civil parish three miles south of York in the City of York unitary authority and ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is close to the River Ouse, and has a population of 3,174. Prior to 1996 it was part of the Selby district...
, City of York (1898-1902)
Restorations
Among Fowler's restorationsVictorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
were the following:
- St. Mary's Church, CliftonSt. Mary's Church, CliftonSt. Mary's Church, Clifton is a parish church in the Church of England in Clifton, Nottinghamshire.The church is Grade I listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as a building of outstanding architectural or historic interest.-History:...
, Nottinghamshire (1874) - St. Wilfrid's Church, KelhamSt. Wilfrid's Church, KelhamSt. Wilfrid's Church, Kelham is a parish church in the Church of England in Kelham, Nottinghamshire.The church is Grade I listed by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport as a building of outstanding architectural or historic interest.-History:...
, Nottinghamshire (1874) - All Hallows Church, ClixbyAll Hallows Church, ClixbyAll Hallows Church, Clixby, is a redundant Anglican church in the hamlet of Clixby, about east of the village of Grasby, Lincolnshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust...
, Lincolnshire (1889) - St Peter, Langtoft, East Riding of YorkshireLangtoft, East Riding of YorkshireLangtoft is a small village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Situated north of Driffield town centre and lying on the B1249 between Driffield and Foxholes.According to the 2001 UK census, Langtoft parish had a population of 457....
(1900–03) - St Mary, FridaythorpeFridaythorpeFridaythorpe is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately north east of Pocklington town centreand lies on the A166 road...
, East Riding of YorkshireEast Riding of YorkshireThe East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority...
(1902-3) - St Hilda, Sherburn, North YorkshireSherburn, North YorkshireSherburn is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 UK census, Sherburn parish had a population of 786.The parish council is .St...
(1909-1913)
Opinions on Fowler's work
The introductions to some of the volumes in the Buildings of England series offer a range of opinions on the merits of Fowler's restorations and, sometimes, his new or rebuilt churches:- "Charles Hodgson Fowler, clerk of works then architect to the Dean and Chapter [of Durham Cathedral], composed the usual red brick and lancet windows to great effect in his big town churches (St Paul, West Hartlepool 1885-6; St Ignatius, Hendon (Sunderland) 1889), and barn-like colliery ones (Bearpark 1877-9; CragheadCragheadCraghead is a former mining village in County Durham, England. It is located at the bottom of the valley to the south of Stanley, on the main road between Stanley and Durham, and not far from the village of Edmondsley....
1914-21; Easington CollieryEasington CollieryEasington Colliery is an old coal mining town in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the north of Horden, and a short distance to the east of Easington Village. The town is known for a mining accident or disaster which occurred, on 29 May 1951 when an explosion in the mine resulted in the...
1925-8). Between 1864 and 1895 he did a vast number of restorations, handling them sensitively but not slavishly (see the staircase at RytonRyton, Tyne and WearRyton is a semi-rural small town near the western border of Tyne and Wear, England. Once an independent town in County Durham it became incorporated into the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear and the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in 1974. It has a population of 15,742.- Location :Ryton lies...
, 1886)." - "From outside the county, C. H. Fowler ... also restored much, with a similar dead hand"
- "Hodgson Fowler was more sensitive [as a church restorer than Ewan ChristianEwan ChristianEwan Christian was a British architect. He is most notable for the restoration of Carlisle Cathedral, the alterations to Christ Church, Spitalfields in 1866, and the extension to the National Gallery that created the National Portrait Gallery. He was architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners...
] (see also his new churches at Grove, 1882, St Alban Ordsall, 1901) ..." - " ... C. Hodgson Fowler of Durham (who did an admirably tactful restoration at Scawton in 1892) ..."
- "C. Hodgson Fowler did some pleasant village churches (Burton LeonardBurton LeonardBurton Leonard is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England, about six miles south of Ripon. The village is typical of the area and centres round a green, with two pubs, a church, a small primary school, a cricket field and a village shop. Buses run daily from...
, 1877-8; Bishop MonktonBishop MonktonBishop Monkton is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England, about five miles south of Ripon. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 775....
, 1878-9)"