Architect and designer · England · 1573-1652
Inigo Jones Biography, Buildings and Best Books
English architect and stage designer (1573-1652) who brought Palladian classicism to England with the Queen’s House at Greenwich and the Banqueting House in Whitehall.
Image: after Anthony van Dyck (painting), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Biography
Inigo Jones (1573-1652) was the first English architect to build in the Italian classical manner of Palladio. A designer of court masques before he was an architect, he became Surveyor of the King’s Works and built the Queen’s House at Greenwich, the Banqueting House in Whitehall and the piazza of Covent Garden, introducing a disciplined classicism that shaped English architecture for two centuries.
Masques and Italy
Jones was born in London in 1573, the son of a clothworker. He travelled in Italy and became famous as a designer of scenery and costumes for court masques written by Ben Jonson. A second journey to Italy in 1613 and 1614, with the Earl of Arundel, gave him a deep knowledge of Palladio and ancient Rome.
Surveyor of the King’s Works
Appointed Surveyor of the King’s Works in 1615, he designed the Queen’s House at Greenwich (1616-1635), the first fully classical building in England, and the Banqueting House in Whitehall (1619-1622), whose ceiling was later painted by Rubens. The Queen’s Chapel at St James’s followed.
Covent Garden and later years
For the Earl of Bedford he laid out Covent Garden as London’s first square, with St Paul’s Church (1631-1633) at its west side. His career ended with the Civil War, and he died in London in 1652.
Inigo Jones: The Architect of Kings
Vaughan Hart’s study shows how Jones’ classical buildings expressed the ideas of the Stuart court.
View on AmazonTimeline
- 1573Born on 15 July in London.
- 1605Begins designing court masques with Ben Jonson.
- 1613Travels in Italy with the Earl of Arundel.
- 1615Becomes Surveyor of the King’s Works.
- 1622Banqueting House in Whitehall is completed.
- 1633St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, is completed.
- 1635Queen’s House at Greenwich is completed.
- 1652Dies on 21 June in London.
Best Books on Inigo Jones
As an Amazon Associate, ArchEyes earns from qualifying purchases. Book links open on Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Inigo Jones known for?
Inigo Jones is known for introducing Palladian classicism to England with the Queen’s House at Greenwich, the Banqueting House in Whitehall and Covent Garden.
What is the Queen’s House?
A villa at Greenwich designed by Inigo Jones and built between 1616 and 1635, the first fully classical building in England.
Was Inigo Jones a stage designer?
Yes. He designed scenery and costumes for court masques, many written by Ben Jonson, before and during his architectural career.
What is the best book on Inigo Jones?
Inigo Jones: The Architect of Kings by Vaughan Hart (Yale) is a detailed study of his architecture.
