An Introduction to British Architectural History / ​Neo-Classical Britain

Jeremy Musson, architectural historian, author and broadcaster has devised an enjoyable and informative introduction to British architectural history by looking at the works of select groups of influential architects working in the late seventeenth century, the early eighteenth century, the late eighteenth century and the nineteenth century; he uses the work of these architects to help navigate the complex story of architecture in each of these key periods. As a former architectural editor of Country Life there will be an emphasis on country house design, but this will be related to wider themes of public, urban and ecclesiastical work.

Here you will explore the work of William Chambers, Robert Adam and John Soane, who best define the later 18th C, and in Soane's case, the neo-Classicism of the early 19th century. In this lecture, as in the previous one, the influence of Rome is paramount. All three of the architects preferred to spend a key period of study here and delved even deeper into the model of the ancient world than the Palladian generation; Chambers' great surviving work, Somerset House in London, and his garden buildings at Kew (including the pagoda) are an insight into the nature of architecture in this period; Adam was a leading designer of country houses, including Kedleston and Osterley, and famous for transforming the interiors of other major houses such as Syon and Harewood; Soane designed the famous, though demolished, Bank of England, and was also the designer of the iconic Dulwich Picture Gallery. He transformed numerous country houses and his own home, the Sir John Soane's Museum is one of the most eloquent architectural experiences in the country.

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