Architect · England · c. 1661-1736
Nicholas Hawksmoor Biography, Buildings and Best Books
English Baroque architect (c. 1661-1736), assistant to Wren and Vanbrugh, whose six London churches, including Christ Church Spitalfields, are among the most powerful in England.
Image: Henry Cheere (sculpture), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Biography
Nicholas Hawksmoor (about 1661-1736) was an English architect and one of the leading figures of the English Baroque. After decades as assistant to Christopher Wren and John Vanbrugh, he designed six churches for the Commission for Fifty New Churches in London, including Christ Church Spitalfields and St Mary Woolnoth, whose massive, sculptural forms and strange towers have fascinated writers and architects ever since.
Wren and Vanbrugh
Born in Nottinghamshire around 1661, Hawksmoor joined Wren’s office as a clerk at about 18 and worked with him on St Paul’s, the City churches and the royal palaces. With John Vanbrugh he developed the designs of Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace.
The London churches
Under the Act of 1711 for fifty new churches he designed St Alfege in Greenwich, St Anne’s Limehouse, St George in the East, Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Woolnoth and St George’s Bloomsbury. Their heavy masses, ancient references and inventive towers make them unlike any other churches in London.
Oxford and Westminster
In Oxford he built the Clarendon Building and the twin towers and quadrangle of All Souls College, and he designed the west towers of Westminster Abbey, completed after his death. He died in London in 1736.
From the Shadows: The Architecture and Afterlife of Nicholas Hawksmoor
Owen Hopkins’ book on Hawksmoor’s buildings and the legend that grew around them in literature and film.
View on AmazonTimeline
- 1661Born around this year in Nottinghamshire.
- 1679Joins Christopher Wren’s office.
- 1699Works with John Vanbrugh on Castle Howard.
- 1711Appointed a surveyor to the Commission for Fifty New Churches.
- 1714St Alfege, Greenwich, is completed.
- 1727St Mary Woolnoth is completed.
- 1729Christ Church Spitalfields is consecrated.
- 1736Dies on 25 March in London.
Best Books on Nicholas Hawksmoor
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nicholas Hawksmoor known for?
Nicholas Hawksmoor is known for his six London churches, including Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Woolnoth and St George’s Bloomsbury, and for his work with Wren and Vanbrugh.
Did Hawksmoor work with Christopher Wren?
Yes. He joined Wren’s office as a young clerk and worked with him for decades on St Paul’s and the royal buildings.
What is the best book on Nicholas Hawksmoor?
From the Shadows by Owen Hopkins (Reaktion) covers his architecture and afterlife. Nicholas Hawksmoor: London Churches (Lars Müller) is a photographic study.
