James Savage (architect)
Encyclopedia
James Savage was a British architect, perhaps best known for designing St. Luke's Church, Chelsea.
, London, on 10 April 1779. He was educated at a private school in Stockwell and then articled to Daniel Asher Alexander
, architect of the London Docks, for whom he worked for several years as clerk of the works. He became a student at the Royal Academy
in 1796.
In 1800 he won second prize in a competition for improvements to the city of Aberdeen and five years later came first in a competition to rebuild the Ormond Bridge over the Liffey in Dublin, which had been swept away by a storm. The project was delayed, and in the meantime Savage developed a design for a bridge about fifty metres west of the original position of the Ormond Bridge, which he exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1809 under the title Richmond Bridge forming the approach to the Four Courts, Dublin. It was this bridge, named after the Duke of Richmond, that was constructed in 1813-16. Now known as the O'Donovan Rossa Bridge
, it is a three arched bridge built of granite, with cast-iron balustrades In 1815 Savage won a competition to design a river-crossing at Tempsford in Bedfordshire with another three arched bridge.
In 1819 his plans for the church of St Luke, Chelsea were chosen from among more than forty submissions. He designed it in imitation of the Gothic churches of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, with solid stone vaulting supported by flying buttresses . It was the first time in the Gothic revival that such an authentic construction had been used. His original design had an open spire, like that of Wren's St Dunstan-in-the-East
, but this was forbidden by the Board of Trade. He designed several other Gothic churches, and one, St James, Bermondsey, in the classical style.
He submitted designs for the new London Bridge to a committee of the House of Commons in 1823 . He told the committee that he had used the same principles in designing the arches that he had in the vaults of St Luke, Chelsea, where, he said, there had not been "the slightest settlement in any part of the building, nor even a thread opening in any of the joints of the courses to indicate any strain or inequality of pressure." The committee gave his design a positive reception, but chose one by John Rennie instead on the casting vote of the chairman.
In 1825 he drew up a plan which he called the "Surrey Quay" for embanking the south bank of the Thames, from London Bridge
to Lambeth.
In 1830 Savage became architect to the Society of the Middle Temple for whom he built the Plowden Buildings, and a clock tower for their hall. In 1840 the society commissioned him to restore the Temple Church. The work was well underway when he was dismissed due to a disagreement with the building committee, leaving the work to be completed by Sydney Smirke
and Decimus Burton
. His other restoration work included repairs to the belfries of St-Mary-le-Bow, London, and the Broad Tower of Lincoln Cathedral, and considerable alterations to St Mary-at-Hill
, London, where he worked in 1827-8, and again at the very end of his life.
In 1836, having unsuccessfully entered the competition to design the new Houses of Parliament, he published a pamphlet entitled Observations on Style in Architecture, with suggestions on the best mode of procuring Designs for Public Buildings and promoting the improvement of Architecture, in which he criticised the stipulation of a particular style for competition entries, and more generally attacked the slavish imitation of historical styles:
Much of Savage's practice involved arbitration cases and the investigation of architectural and engineering questions in court. Among these was the protracted Custom House
case of the Crown v. Peto, in which the defendant Henry Peto attributed his success mainly to Savage's evidence.
He was a member of the Surveyors' Club, and, for a long time, member and chairman of the Committee of Fine Arts of the Society for the Promotion of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. He was a founder member of the Graphic Society, a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a member of the Architectural Society, and, briefly a fellow of the Institute of British Architects, from which he resigned after a difference of views. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1799 to 1832.
He died on 7 May 1852 and was buried in St, Luke's, Chelsea.
Life
Savage was born in HoxtonHoxton
Hoxton is an area in the London Borough of Hackney, immediately north of the financial district of the City of London. The area of Hoxton is bordered by Regent's Canal on the north side, Wharf Road and City Road on the west, Old Street on the south, and Kingsland Road on the east.Hoxton is also a...
, London, on 10 April 1779. He was educated at a private school in Stockwell and then articled to Daniel Asher Alexander
Daniel Asher Alexander
Daniel Asher Alexander was a British architect and engineer, born in London.-Life:Daniel Asher Alexander was educated at St Paul's School, London, and admitted to the Royal Academy Schools in 1782....
, architect of the London Docks, for whom he worked for several years as clerk of the works. He became a student at the Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
in 1796.
In 1800 he won second prize in a competition for improvements to the city of Aberdeen and five years later came first in a competition to rebuild the Ormond Bridge over the Liffey in Dublin, which had been swept away by a storm. The project was delayed, and in the meantime Savage developed a design for a bridge about fifty metres west of the original position of the Ormond Bridge, which he exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1809 under the title Richmond Bridge forming the approach to the Four Courts, Dublin. It was this bridge, named after the Duke of Richmond, that was constructed in 1813-16. Now known as the O'Donovan Rossa Bridge
O'Donovan Rossa Bridge
O'Donovan Rossa Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland and joining Winetavern Street to Chancery Place and the north quays....
, it is a three arched bridge built of granite, with cast-iron balustrades In 1815 Savage won a competition to design a river-crossing at Tempsford in Bedfordshire with another three arched bridge.
In 1819 his plans for the church of St Luke, Chelsea were chosen from among more than forty submissions. He designed it in imitation of the Gothic churches of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, with solid stone vaulting supported by flying buttresses . It was the first time in the Gothic revival that such an authentic construction had been used. His original design had an open spire, like that of Wren's St Dunstan-in-the-East
St Dunstan-in-the-East
St Dunstan-in-the-East was a Church of England parish church on St Dunstan's Hill, half way between London Bridge and the Tower of London in the City of London. The church was largely destroyed in the Second World War and the ruins are now a public garden....
, but this was forbidden by the Board of Trade. He designed several other Gothic churches, and one, St James, Bermondsey, in the classical style.
He submitted designs for the new London Bridge to a committee of the House of Commons in 1823 . He told the committee that he had used the same principles in designing the arches that he had in the vaults of St Luke, Chelsea, where, he said, there had not been "the slightest settlement in any part of the building, nor even a thread opening in any of the joints of the courses to indicate any strain or inequality of pressure." The committee gave his design a positive reception, but chose one by John Rennie instead on the casting vote of the chairman.
In 1825 he drew up a plan which he called the "Surrey Quay" for embanking the south bank of the Thames, from London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
to Lambeth.
In 1830 Savage became architect to the Society of the Middle Temple for whom he built the Plowden Buildings, and a clock tower for their hall. In 1840 the society commissioned him to restore the Temple Church. The work was well underway when he was dismissed due to a disagreement with the building committee, leaving the work to be completed by Sydney Smirke
Sydney Smirke
Sydney Smirke, architect, was born in London, England, the younger brother of Sir Robert Smirke, also an architect. Their father, also Robert Smirke, had been a well-known 18th Century painter.Sydney Smirke's works include:...
and Decimus Burton
Decimus Burton
Decimus Burton was a prolific English architect and garden designer, He is particularly associated with projects in the classical style in London parks, including buildings at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and London Zoo, and with the layout and architecture of the seaside towns of Fleetwood and...
. His other restoration work included repairs to the belfries of St-Mary-le-Bow, London, and the Broad Tower of Lincoln Cathedral, and considerable alterations to St Mary-at-Hill
St Mary-at-Hill
St. Mary-at-Hill is a Church of England church on Lovat Lane, a cobbled street off Eastcheap in the ward of Billingsgate, London, England. Rebuilt many times, St Mary-at-Hill was originally founded in the 12th Century, where it was first known as "St. Mary de Hull" or " St...
, London, where he worked in 1827-8, and again at the very end of his life.
In 1836, having unsuccessfully entered the competition to design the new Houses of Parliament, he published a pamphlet entitled Observations on Style in Architecture, with suggestions on the best mode of procuring Designs for Public Buildings and promoting the improvement of Architecture, in which he criticised the stipulation of a particular style for competition entries, and more generally attacked the slavish imitation of historical styles:
The architect and his patron are not aware that this piecemeal copying of details is quite compatible with an entire ignorance and neglect of all the more essential qualities for which the antique examples have been admired. They owe their effect to their singleness of intention, simplicity of means, beauty of proportion, and the all-pervading harmony of the totality, to which the details are most profoundly subordinate; for the perfection of the work is, when the parts are nothing and the totality everything. The end is felt, not the means.
Much of Savage's practice involved arbitration cases and the investigation of architectural and engineering questions in court. Among these was the protracted Custom House
Custom House, London
Custom House is an area in the London Borough of Newham in London, England.The area is named after the custom house of Royal Victoria Dock.The first Custom House in London was built in 1275 and was located near Billingsgate Market in the City of London....
case of the Crown v. Peto, in which the defendant Henry Peto attributed his success mainly to Savage's evidence.
He was a member of the Surveyors' Club, and, for a long time, member and chairman of the Committee of Fine Arts of the Society for the Promotion of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce. He was a founder member of the Graphic Society, a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a member of the Architectural Society, and, briefly a fellow of the Institute of British Architects, from which he resigned after a difference of views. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1799 to 1832.
He died on 7 May 1852 and was buried in St, Luke's, Chelsea.
Works
- Richmond Bridge Dublin (1808)
- Tempsford Bridge, Bedfordshire(1815)
- St Luke, Chelsea (1820-24)
- Clock tower and Plowden-buildings, Middle Temple
- St. James'Church, Bermondsey (1827-9)
- Trinity Church, Sloane Street (1828-30.demolished)
- Holy Trinity Church, Tottenham Green (1828-9)
- St. Mary's Church, Ilford, Essex (1829-31)
- St. Mary's Church, Speenhamland, near Newbury, Berkshire (1829-31,demolished)
- Bull-and-Mouth-Inn, also known as the Queen's Hotel, St. Martin's-le-Grand, London (1831, demolished)
- St. Michael's Church, Burleigh Street, Strand (1832-3, demolished)
- St. Thomas the Martyr Church, Brentwood, Essex (1835, rebuilt)
- St. Paul's Church, Addlestone, Chertsey, Surrey
- All Saints Church, Beulah Hill (1837)
- Two bridges on the road at Reading, Berkshire
- Baptists College, Stepney
- Bromley and Tenterden Union Workhouses
Writings
- An Essay on Bridge Building in the Transactions of the London Architectural Society.
- Prospectus of a Plan for the Surrey quay (1825)
- Observations on the proposed new London bridge (1828)
- Observations on Style in Architecture, with suggestions on the best mode of procuring Designs for Public Buildings and promoting the improvement of Architecture; especially in reference to a recommendation in the Report of the Commissioners on the Designs for the New Houses of Parliament, 1836