Edward Blore (1787–1879) was an English antiquarian, artist, and architect. He was born in Derby, and was trained by his father, Thomas, who was an antiquarian and a topographer. Edward became skilled at drawing accurate and detailed architectural illustrations. His commissions included drawings of Peterborough, Durham, and Winchester Cathedrals. His drawings of Althorp brought him to the attention of Earl Spencer, who was influential in introducing him to other wealthy and influential patrons. After his father died in 1818, Blore started to prepare architectural designs for new buildings. The first of these was for the enlargement of Sir Walter Scott's Abbotsford House. Although this was not accepted, it led to the acceptance of his design for Corehouse, a large country house in Lanarkshire, Scotland, for the judge George Cranstoun. More commissions for country houses followed. Blore then became involved with the Church Commissioners, designing, with others, a series of churches that have become to be known as Commissioners' churches, the first of these being St George's Church in Battersea, London. ()
Blore's connection with Earl Spencer helped him to gain the commission for rebuilding Lambeth Palace for the Archbishop of Canterbury. Following this he worked on some of the most important buildings in the country, including the completion of Buckingham Palace, on Windsor Castle and on Hampton Court Palace. He gained two commissions for major works abroad, the Vorontsov Palace in Ukraine, and Government House, Sydney in Sydney, Australia. The rest of his works are in Great Britain, and mainly in England. These range from palaces and country houses, cathedrals and churches, through schools, rectories, and lodges, to groups of estate houses with washhouses.
Blore received a DCL degree from Oxford University, and was a founder member of the British Archaeological Association and of the Institute of British Architects. He retired from active architectural practice in 1849, but continued to produce drawings. In total, these filled 48 volumes, which are held in the British Library. Blore died at his home in Manchester Square, Marylebone, London, in 1879, leaving an estate of £80,000 ().
Key
Grade CriteriaGrade I Buildings of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important.Grade II* Particularly important buildings of more than special interest.Grade II Buildings of national importance and special interest. "—" denotes a work that is not graded. Category (Scotland) CriteriaCategory A Buildings of special architectural or historical interest which are outstanding examples of a particular period, style or building type.Category B Buildings of special architectural or historic interest which are major examples of a particular period, style or building type.Category C(S) Buildings of special architectural or historic interest which are representative examples of a period, style or building type. "—" denotes a work that is not graded.
Works NameLocationPhotographDateNotesGradeSt George's ChurchBattersea, Greater London1827–28A Commissioners' Church, subsequently demolished.Westminster AbbeyWestminster,Greater London1827–49As surveyor to the abbey, Blore rescued a 13th-century retable, installed a screen between the nave and the choir, remodelled the choir, and restored the cloister and the exterior of the north side of the nave.IParish churchCanford Magna, Dorset1829Nave extended towards the west.ISt Paul's ChurchWarrington, Cheshire1829–30A Commissioners' Church, subsequently demolished.Ripon CathedralRipon, North Yorkshire1829–31Restoration.IOld St Mary's ChurchWoburn, Bedfordshirec. 1830Blore carried out work on the tower. He also designed the wall, gates and gatepiers of the churchyard.IISt Mary's ChurchLongfleet, Poole, Dorset1830–33IIChapel,Trinity CollegeCambridge1831–32Restoration.ISt John the Baptist's ChurchLeytonstone,Waltham Forest,Greater London1831–32IIChapel,Wadham CollegeOxford1831–32Restoration.IChrist ChurchWaltham Cross, Hertfordshire1831–32A Commissioners' church. Originally dedicated to the Holy Trinity.IIChrist ChurchCroft, Cheshire1832–33A Commissioners' church.IISt John the Evangelist's ChurchStratford, Newham, Greater London1833–34A Commissioners' church.IISt John the Baptist's ChurchPotters Bar, Hertfordshire1835Damaged by fire in 1911; replaced by the new Church of St Mary the Virgin and All Saints.St Mary the Virgin's ChurchVincent Square, Westminster,Greater London1836–37A Commissioners' church. Demolished in 1923.St Peter's ChurchStepney, Tower Hamlets, Greater London1837–38Declared redundant in 1987 and converted into residential use.IIChrist ChurchChelsea, Greater London1838Built as a chapel of ease to St Luke, Chelsea.IIHoly Trinity ChurchLambeth, Greater London1838–39A Commissioners' church. Damaged by bombing in about 1941.St Luke's ChurchBerwick Street, Soho, Westminster,Greater London —1838–39A Commissioners' church. Demolished in 1936.Chapel,Merton CollegeOxford1838–43Restoration.IChrist ChurchHoxton, Hackney,Greater London1839Damaged by bombing in 1944.Holy Trinity ChurchBarkingside, Ilford, Redbridge, Greater London1839–40A Commissioners' church.IINorwich CathedralNorwich, Norfolkc. 1840Restoration/alterations.IThorney AbbeyThorney, Cambridgeshire1840–41Alterations.IEly CathedralEly, Cambridgeshire1840–41,1844Restoration/alterations.ISt Mary Magdalen's ChurchOxford1840–42Rebuilt the south aisle.IChapel,College of St Mark and St JohnKensington and Chelsea, Greater London1841College chapel; designed in conjunction with its principal, Derwent Coleridge.IISt Thomas' ChurchCharterhouse Square, Smithfield, Greater London1841–42Closed in 1906 and demolished in 1909.St Mary Magdalen's ChurchLatimer, Buckinghamshire1841–42IIChurch of St James the GreatBethnal Green,Tower Hamlets,Greater London1841–44Declared redundant in 1984 and converted into residential use.St Peter's ChurchBushley, Worcestershire1842–43IIHoly Trinity ChurchWindsor, Berkshire1842–44IIChapel,St John's CollegeOxford1843Remodelled.IRamsey AbbeyRamsey, Cambridgeshire1843Alterations.ISt John the Evangelist's ChurchCinderford, Gloucestershire1843–44IISt Mary's ChurchGreat Brington, Northamptonshire1846Restoration.IGlasgow CathedralGlasgow, Scotland1846–Alterations.ASt Denys' ChurchAswarby, Lincolnshire1850Restoration.I
See also List of works by Edward Blore on palaces and large houses List of miscellaneous works by Edward Blore
References
Bibliography