Architecture in England - 1848
7/9/24 (updated 11/25/25)Thomas Rickman's "An Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture from the Conquest to the Reformation," published in 1817, is a seminal work that provides the first systematic account of Gothic architecture in England. It established the classification of English medieval architecture into distinct styles that are still widely used today: Norman, Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular. The book also includes a sketch of the Grecian and Roman architectural orders and offers detailed descriptions and examples of English medieval ecclesiastical architecture from the Norman Conquest through the Reformation. Rickman's work was foundational in the Gothic Revival movement and became a key reference for studying and understanding English architectural history.The book goes beyond mere architectural description; it makes distinctions between architectural design and house-building, and it provides historical context and comparisons with continental styles. Rickman aimed to instill practical knowledge for architects and students by constant reference to actual buildings, emphasizing the progression and characteristics of the medieval styles within England specifically.Overall, Rickman’s treatise remains influential for its clear chronological classification of English architectural styles and for being the first work to systematically discriminate these styles within the historical development of English architecture from the 11th to the 16th century.Source: Perplexity.aiCurated by Gabrielle Ly
