George Dance the Younger RA (1 April 1741 – 14 January 1825) was an English architect and

surveyor Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ...

as well as a

portraitist A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expressions are predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this re ...

. The fifth and youngest son of the architect

George Dance the Elder George Dance the Elder (1695 – 8 February 1768) was a British architect. He was the City of London surveyor and architect from 1735 until his death. Life Originally a mason, George Dance was appointed Clerk of the city works to the City of ...

, he came from a family of architects, artists and dramatists. He was described by Sir

John Summerson Sir John Newenham Summerson (25 November 1904 – 10 November 1992) was one of the leading British architectural historians of the 20th century. Early life John Summerson was born at Barnstead, Coniscliffe Road, Darlington. His grandfather w ...

as "among the few really outstanding architects of the century", but few of his buildings remain.

Life

Background and education

The architect George Dance the elder married Elizabeth Gould in 1719. Their fifth son, George, was born 1 April 1741 at the family home in Chiswell Street,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

and was educated at St Paul's School.page 16, Catalogue of the Drawings of George Dance the younger (1741–1825) and of George Dance the elder (1695–1768) from the Collection of Sir John Soane's Museum, Jill Lever, 2003, Azimuth Editions, Dance spent the six years between 1759 and 1765 studying architecture and draughtsmanship in Rome. Aged 17, he set off on his

Grand Tour The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tut ...

, sailing from

Gravesend, Kent Gravesend is a town in northwest Kent, England, situated 21 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Charing Cross (central London) on the south bank of the River Thames and opposite Tilbury in Essex. Located in the diocese of Rochester, it is th ...

in December 1758.page 62, George Dance Architect 1741–1825 Architect, Dorothy Stroud, 1971, Faber & Faber, After a short stay in

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico ...

, where he was joined by his brother

Nathaniel , nickname = {{Plainlist, * Nat * Nate , footnotes = Nathaniel is an English variant of the biblical Greek name Nathanael. People with the name Nathaniel * Nathaniel Archibald (1952–2018), American basketball player * Nate ...

, who was already studying painting in Italy, he and his brother set off for Rome, arriving in early May 1759. By the early 1760s the brothers were living at 77 Strada Felice.page 63, George Dance Architect 1741–1825 Architect, Dorothy Stroud, 1971, Faber & Faber, At Rome, Dance was acquainted with the architect, James Adam, who was staying nearby at the Casa Guarini, Robert Mylne (they remained lifelong friends), Abbot Peter Grant and

Giovanni Battista Piranesi Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi (; also known as simply Piranesi; 4 October 1720 – 9 November 1778) was an Italian Classical archaeologist, architect, and artist, famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric ...

. As a student of the

Accademia di San Luca The Accademia di San Luca (the "Academy of Saint Luke") is an Italian academy of artists in Rome. The establishment of the Accademia de i Pittori e Scultori di Roma was approved by papal brief in 1577, and in 1593 Federico Zuccari became its fir ...

,page 64, George Dance Architect 1741–1825 Architect, Dorothy Stroud, 1971, Faber & Faber, Dance measured and drew several buildings in Rome, including the three remaining columns of the

Temple of Castor and Pollux The Temple of Castor and Pollux ( it, Tempio dei Dioscuri) is an ancient temple in the Roman Forum, Rome, central Italy. It was originally built in gratitude for victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus (495 BC). Castor and Pollux (Greek Polydeuces ...

, the

Arch of Constantine The Arch of Constantine ( it, Arco di Costantino) is a triumphal arch in Rome dedicated to the emperor Constantine the Great. The arch was commissioned by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of ...

and the dome of

St. Peter's Basilica The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican ( it, Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply Saint Peter's Basilica ( la, Basilica Sancti Petri), is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal e ...

,page 65, George Dance Architect 1741–1825 Architect, Dorothy Stroud, 1971, Faber & Faber, showing much promise as a draughtsman. Much of his later work was inspired by Piranesi. In late 1759 Dance received his first commission – to design two

chimneypiece The fireplace mantel or mantelpiece, also known as a chimneypiece, originated in medieval times as a hood that projected over a fire grate to catch the smoke. The term has evolved to include the decorative framework around the fireplace, and ca ...

s for Sir Robert Mainwaring. In early 1762 Dance was measuring and drawing the

Temple of Vesta, Tivoli The Temple of Vesta is a Roman temple in Tivoli, Italy, dating to the early 1st century BC. Its ruins sit on the acropolis of the city, overlooking the falls of the Aniene that are now included in the Villa Gregoriana. History It is not known ...

and later that year he entered a competition organised by the ''Accademia di

Parma Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, music, art, prosciutto (ham), cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 inhabitants, Parma is the second m ...

'' to design ''A Public Gallery for Statues, Pictures & c.''. His drawings were dispatched to Parma in April 1763, and a few weeks later it was announced that he had won the gold medal, and his designs were exhibited at the Ducal Palace. The projected building was in the latest style of

neoclassical architecture Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing sty ...

. During June 1764 the Dance brothers were in

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adm ...

, but later that year they were back in Rome, entertaining the actor

David Garrick David Garrick (19 February 1717 – 20 January 1779) was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and producer who influenced nearly all aspects of European theatrical practice throughout the 18th century, and was a pupil and friend of Sa ...

and his wife. On 21 December 1764 George Dance and his brother were elected to the Accademia di S. Luca, where he was described as ''Giorgo Danze, architetto Inglese''. On 16 February 1765 Dance dined with the painter

Angelica Kauffman Maria Anna Angelika Kauffmann ( ; 30 October 1741 – 5 November 1807), usually known in English as Angelica Kauffman, was a Swiss Neoclassical painter who had a successful career in London and Rome. Remembered primarily as a history painter, K ...

and

James Boswell James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (; 29 October 1740 ( N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his biography of his friend and older contemporary the English writer ...

who was visiting Rome. A few weeks later the brothers left Rome to return to London.

Career

On his return from the Grand Tour, George (the younger) joined his

father A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. An adoptive fathe ...

's office. His earliest London project was the rebuilding of

All Hallows-on-the-Wall All Hallows-on-the-Wall is a Church of England church located in the City of London. Its name refers to its location, inside and adjacent to London Wall, the former city wall. Current use From 2014 All Hallows became the headquarters of the urban ...

Church. He was one of five architects asked to submit designs, and his design was chosen on 8 May 1765. Work on the building starting in June 1765, at a cost of £2,941, and the building was

consecrated Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service. The word ''consecration'' literally means "association with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different gro ...

on 8 September 1767. In 1768, when he was only 27, George succeeded as Architect and Surveyor to the

Corporation of London The City of London Corporation, officially and legally the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, is the municipal governing body of the City of London, the historic centre of London and the location of much of the United Ki ...

on his father's death. His first major public works were the rebuilding of

Newgate Prison Newgate Prison was a prison at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey Street just inside the City of London, England, originally at the site of Newgate, a gate in the Roman London Wall. Built in the 12th century and demolished in 1904, t ...

in 1770 and building the front of the

Guildhall A guildhall, also known as a "guild hall" or "guild house", is a historical building originally used for tax collecting by municipalities or merchants in Great Britain and the Low Countries. These buildings commonly become town halls and in some ...

, London. Other London works of his include the rebuilding of the Church of St Bartholomew the Less (1793), a former chapel within the precincts of Barts Hospital. At

Bath, Somerset Bath () is a city in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary area in the county of Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths. At the 2021 Census, the population was 101,557. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, ...

he largely designed the Theatre Royal, built by

John Palmer John Palmer may refer to: People Politicians * John Palmer (fl. 1377–1394), English politician *Sir John Palmer, 5th Baronet (1735–1817), British politician * John Palmer (1785–1840), U.S. congressman from New York * John Palmer (1842–190 ...

in 1804–5. Coleorton Hall was one of his few buildings in the Gothic style. Many of Dance's buildings have been demolished, including the

Royal College of Surgeons The Royal College of Surgeons is an ancient college (a form of corporation) established in England to regulate the activity of surgeons. Derivative organisations survive in many present and former members of the Commonwealth. These organisations ...

(apart from the portico),

St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics was founded in London in 1751 for the treatment of incurable pauper lunatics by a group of philanthropic apothecaries and others. It was the second public institution in London created to look after mentally ill ...

, the

Shakespeare Gallery The Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London, England, was the first stage of a three-part project initiated in November 1786 by engraver and publisher John Boydell in an effort to foster a school of British history painting. In addition to the e ...

in Pall Mall, the library at Lansdowne House, the Common Council Chamber and Chamberlain's Court at the

Ashburnham Place Ashburnham Place is an English country house, now used as a Christian conference and prayer centre, five miles west of Battle, East Sussex. It was one of the finest houses in the southeast of England in its heyday, but much of the structure was d ...

, and

Stratton Park Stratton Park, in East Stratton, Hampshire, was an English country house, built on the site of a grange of Hyde Abbey after the dissolution of the monasteries; it was purchased with the manor of Micheldever in 1546 by Thomas Wriothesley, 1st E ...

(demolished save for its Tuscan

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cul ...

). Dance retired from practice in 1815. Dance's long career spanned several of the conventional phases of the Neo-Classical movement, from mid-18th century French Classicism to the full blown Greek Revival of the early 19th century. As such, he also played an important role in the careers of several major architects within this continuum, such as

Sir John Soane Sir John Soane (; né Soan; 10 September 1753 – 20 January 1837) was an English architect who specialised in the Neoclassical architecture, Neo-Classical style. The son of a bricklayer, he rose to the top of his profession, becoming professo ...

and Sir Robert Smirke. His innovative interiors for the church of

, the

Common Council Chamber, and the sculpture gallery of Lansdowne House were key to the development of Soane's first work at the

Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the English Government's banker, and still one of the bankers for the Government o ...

, the Bank Stock Office in 1792. On Dance's recommendation, Robert Smirke joined Soane's office as a pupil in 1796, but when the two fell out after less than a year, Dance continued to champion Robert Smirke who went on to become the country's leading

Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but a ...

architects. Significantly, some of Dance's later work embraced the increasingly austere Greek Revival style, such as the Ionic portico on

of 1803 and on the

(built 1806 onwards, so one of the first strict Greek Revival porticos in London).

The Royal Academy

With his brother Nathaniel, George Dance was a founder member of the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

, founded on 10 December 1768. In 1795, with William Tyler, Dance was appointed to examine the accounts of the Royal Academy following the resignation of

Sir William Chambers __NOTOC__ Sir William Chambers (23 February 1723 – 10 March 1796) was a Swedish-Scottish architect, based in London. Among his best-known works are Somerset House, and the pagoda at Kew. Chambers was a founder member of the Royal Academy. Bio ...

, and in 1796 they became the Academy's first auditors, helping put the institution on a sounder financial footing. In 1798 Dance succeeded

Thomas Sandby Thomas Sandby (1721 – 25 June 1798) was an English draughtsman, watercolour artist, architect and teacher. In 1743 he was appointed private secretary to the Duke of Cumberland, who later appointed him Deputy Ranger of Windsor Great Park, wh ...

as professor of architecture at the Royal Academy, but as he failed to deliver a single lecture he was dismissed in 1805 and replaced by his former pupil,

. For a number of years he was the last survivor of the 40 original

Royal Academician The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its purp ...

A Collection of portraits

Dance's years after 1798 were devoted to art rather than architecture. His Academy contributions consisted of highly finished pencil profile portraits of his friends in Regency London's artistic establishment. 72 etchings were engraved after them by William Daniell and ''A Collection of Portraits'' were published over ten years from 1804.Roger Bowdler, ' Dance, George, the younger (1741–1825)',

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

, Oxford University Press, 2004 Many are now held by the National Portrait Gallery.

Personal life

Dance married Mary Gurnell (born 7 February 1752 in

Pitzhanger Manor Pitzhanger Manor is an English country house famous as the home of neoclassical architect, Sir John Soane. Built between 1800 and 1804 in Walpole Park Ealing, to the west of London), the Regency Manor is a rare and spectacular example of a bui ...

) on 24 March 1772 at

St. George's, Bloomsbury St George's, Bloomsbury, is a parish church in Bloomsbury, London Borough of Camden, United Kingdom. It was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and consecrated in 1730. The church crypt houses the Museum of Comedy. History The Commissioners for the ...

. Their first child, Thomas, was born in Autumn 1773 and died in 1813. Two more sons followed: George (1778–1813) and Charles Webb (1785–1844). Mary Dance died at the age of 38 in 1791. Dance suffered from ill health for the last three or four years of his life. He died on 14 January 1825, at No. 91 Gower Street, which is now marked with a

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term ...

. He was buried in the crypt at

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London ...

List of works

Works in London

* All Hallows on the Wall Church (1765) * Duroure Monument, in

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

Cloisters (1766) *

Minories Minories ( ) is the name of a small former administrative unit, and also of a street in central London. Both the street and the former administrative area take their name from the Abbey of the Minoresses of St. Clare without Aldgate. Both are ...

, development of Crescent, Circus, ''etc'' (1767 onwards), bombed during

The Blitz The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'. The Germa ...

and demolished *

& Sessions House (1769–1777) damaged in the

Gordon riots The Gordon Riots of 1780 were several days of rioting in London motivated by anti-Catholic sentiment. They began with a large and orderly protest against the Papists Act 1778, which was intended to reduce official discrimination against Briti ...

(1780) and restored (1780–1783), demolished (1902–04) * Whitecross Street, Lord Mayor's

coach house Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coa ...

(1768–71) & almshouses (1770–71), both demolished * Fleet Market, repairs and new office for Collector (1770–74), demolished * Stratford Place,

Oxford Street Oxford Street is a major road in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, running from Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch via Oxford Circus. It is Europe's busiest shopping street, with around half a million daily visitors, and ...

, development and alterations to conduits (1771–72) *

, London, repairs (1772), rooms over Matted Gallery (1773), Old Council Chamber (1774), New Council Chamber (1777), alterations to Chapel (1774 & 1782), Town Clerk's House (1781), new façade (1785–88), Chamberlain's House (1785–86), New Houses, west side of the Yard (1795), exterior

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

ed (1805), windows of the Great Hall redesigned (1806) & Court of the King's Bench, altered (1804–06), all now demolished save the Guildhall's Façade *

Smithfield Market Smithfield, properly known as West Smithfield, is a district located in Central London, part of Farringdon Without, the most westerly ward of the City of London, England. Smithfield is home to a number of City institutions, such as St Barth ...

, new bell & frame (1775), & alterations (1804), rebuilt *

All Hallows Staining All Hallows Staining was a Church of England church located at the junction of Mark Lane and Dunster Court in the north-eastern corner of Langbourn ward in the City of London, England, close to Fenchurch Street railway station. All that rem ...

, foot passage under porch (1775–76), demolished *

Billingsgate Fish Market Billingsgate Fish Market is located in Canary Wharf in London. It is the United Kingdom's largest inland fish market. It takes its name from Billingsgate, a ward in the south-east corner of the City of London, where the riverside market was or ...

, alterations (1776), iron column inserted to support upper floor (1777–78) & New Market house and embankment (1798), rebuilt * Banner Street and

Finsbury Square Finsbury Square is a square in Finsbury in central London which includes a six-rink grass bowling green. It was developed in 1777 on the site of a previous area of green space to the north of the City of London known as Finsbury Fields, in the pa ...

(1777), none of Dance's buildings are still standing * New wall and Gates for the Honourable Artillery Company's,

Artillery Ground The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is an open space originally set aside for archery and later known also as a cricket venue. Today it is used for military exercises, cricket, rugby and football matches. It belongs to the Honourable Artillery Com ...

Bunhill Fields Bunhill Fields is a former burial ground in central London, in the London Borough of Islington, just north of the City of London. What remains is about in extent and the bulk of the site is a public garden maintained by the City of London C ...

, ( 1777) * New houses,

Chiswell Street Chiswell Street is in Islington, London, England. Historic England have seven entries for listed buildings in Chiswell Street. Location The street, in St Luke's, Islington, runs east-west and forms part of the B100 road. At the west end it be ...

(1777) * Mr Lowry's House, Lombard Street (1777), demolished * New House for Keeper of

(1777), demolished * Newgate Market, alterations (1777) & (1784–85), demolished * Obelisk erected on

Putney Heath Wimbledon Common is a large open space in Wimbledon, southwest London. There are three named areas: Wimbledon Common, Putney Heath, and Putney Lower Common, which together are managed under the name Wimbledon and Putney Commons totalling 4 ...

to commemorate invention of

Fire insurance marks Fire insurance marks are metal plaques marked with the emblem of the insurance company which were affixed to the front of insured buildings as a guide to the insurance company's fire brigade. These identification marks were used in the eighteenth ...

(1777) * Lady Dacre's Almshouses, repairs (1778) *

Wesley's Chapel Wesley's Chapel (originally the City Road Chapel) is a Methodist church situated in the St Luke's area in the south of the London Borough of Islington. Opened in 1778, it was built under the direction of John Wesley, the founder of the Metho ...

Finsbury Finsbury is a district of Central London, forming the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Islington. It borders the City of London. The Manor of Finsbury is first recorded as ''Vinisbir'' (1231) and means "manor of a man called Finn ...

(1778) * Jewin Street, widened (1779) * Blackfriars, London, creation of new streets and platform adjoining bridge (1779–92), none of Dance's buildings survive * Mansion House, London, new entrance, covering of internal courtyard with a roof, new ceiling and lowered the roof of the Egyptian Hall (1782) *

, Old Street (1780), demolished *

Market in Honey Lane ''Market in Honey Lane'' was an ATV British television weekly series, which switched to a twice weekly soap opera format (shown at varying times around the ITV regions) after the first year. It was broadcast between April 1967 and March 1969. ...

rebuilt (1780–88), demolished * Whitefriars Wharf abutment (1781–82), demolished *

Monument to the Great Fire of London The Monument to the Great Fire of London, more commonly known simply as the Monument, is a fluted Doric column in London, England, situated near the northern end of London Bridge. Commemorating the Great Fire of London, it stands at the jun ...

, repairs (1783) * Fleet Bridge repairs (1783), demolished * Roger's Almshouses, Hart Street, repairs & alterations (1783) *

Borough Compter The Borough Compter was a small compter or prison initially located in Southwark High Street but moved to nearby Tooley Street in 1717, where it stood until demolished until 1855. It took its name from 'The Borough', a historic name for the South ...

, rebuilding (1785), demolished * Castle Street,

Spitalfields Spitalfields is a district in the East End of London and within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The area is formed around Commercial Street (on the A1202 London Inner Ring Road) and includes the locale around Brick Lane, Christ Church, ...

widened (1786) * Beech Street, constructed (1786–88) * Jewin Crescent, (1786–88), demolished * Lansdowne House Gallery and other Alterations (1786) *

Giltspur Street Compter The Giltspur Street Compter was a compter or small prison, designed by English architect and surveyor George Dance the Younger, mainly used to hold debtors. It was in Giltspur Street, Smithfield, close to Newgate, in the City of London, between ...

(1787–91), demolished *

Boydell Shakespeare Gallery The Boydell Shakespeare Gallery in London, England, was the first stage of a three-part project initiated in November 1786 by engraver and publisher John Boydell in an effort to foster a school of British history painting. In addition to the e ...

(1788), demolished *

Moorfields Moorfields was an open space, partly in the City of London, lying adjacent to – and outside – its northern wall, near the eponymous Moorgate. It was known for its marshy conditions, the result of the defensive wall acting like a dam, ...

, Watch and Engine House (1790), demolished *

Leadenhall Market Leadenhall Market is a covered market in London, located on Gracechurch Street but with vehicular access also available via Whittington Avenue to the north and Lime Street to the south and east, and additional pedestrian access via a number o ...

re-roofed (1790–92) & new warehouses (1813), rebuilt * Development and improvements of

Holborn Holborn ( or ) is a district in central London, which covers the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Camden and a part ( St Andrew Holborn Below the Bars) of the Ward of Farringdon Without in the City of London. The area has its ro ...

, (1790 onwards) *

St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by Rahere (die ...

, Surgeon's Theatre and other buildings (1791–96), demolished * Martin's Bank, Lombard Street, rebuilt (1793), demolished * St Bartholomew the Less Church, rebuilt (1793) * Formation of Pickett Street, The Strand improvements (1793 onwards) * Legal Quays, rebuilt (1793–96) * St Margaret at Hill Court House

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

, new façade (1796), demolished *

Tottenham Court Road Tottenham Court Road (occasionally abbreviated as TCR) is a major road in Central London, almost entirely within the London Borough of Camden. The road runs from Euston Road in the north to St Giles Circus in the south; Tottenham Court Road t ...

, estate to the east, North & South Crescents and Alfred Place, (1796 onwards), none of Dance's buildings survive * Limehouse Canal & warehouses

West India Docks The West India Docks are a series of three docks, quaysides and warehouses built to import goods from and export goods and occasionally passengers to the British West Indies on the Isle of Dogs in London the first of which opened in 1802. Follow ...

(1796 onwards), largely demolished * London Custom House, repairs (1799), demolished *

St George in the East St George-in-the-East is an Anglican Church dedicated to Saint George and one of six Hawksmoor churches in London, England. It was built from 1714 to 1729, with funding from the 1711 Act of Parliament. Its name has been used for two forms of p ...

, alterations to the

Rectory A clergy house is the residence, or former residence, of one or more priests or ministers of religion. Residences of this type can have a variety of names, such as manse, parsonage, rectory or vicarage. Function A clergy house is typically o ...

(1802) *

Commercial Road Commercial Road is a street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in the East End of London. It is long, running from Gardiner's Corner (previously the site of Gardiners department store, and now Aldgate East Underground station), through ...

, laid out (1803) * 33 Hill Street,

Mayfair Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world ...

(1803), demolished *

Royal College of Surgeons of England The Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) is an independent professional body and registered charity that promotes and advances standards of surgical care for patients, and regulates surgery and dentistry in England and Wales. T ...

Lincoln's Inn Fields Lincoln's Inn Fields is the largest public square in London. It was laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder and contractor William Newton, "the first in a long series of entrepreneurs who took a hand in develo ...

, rebuilt (1806 onwards) later altered by

Sir Charles Barry Sir Charles Barry (23 May 1795 – 12 May 1860) was a British architect, best known for his role in the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster (also known as the Houses of Parliament) in London during the mid-19th century, but also respon ...

, Dance's portico survives * 143

Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Cour ...

for his brother

Nathaniel Dance-Holland Sir Nathaniel Dance-Holland, 1st Baronet (8 May 1735 – 15 October 1811) was an English portrait painter and later a politician. Early life The third son of architect George Dance the Elder, Dance (he added the 'Holland' suffix later in li ...

(his brother changed his name) (1807) * Whitecross Street Penitentiary (1808–14), demolished * Lombard Street, widened (1811) * New Court, St Swithin's Lane, alterations to

Nathan Mayer Rothschild Nathan Mayer Rothschild (16 September 1777 – 28 July 1836) was an English-German banker, businessman and financier. Born in Frankfurt am Main in Germany, he was the third of the five sons of Gutle (Schnapper) and Mayer Amschel Rothschild, a ...

's house (1811), demolished *

Finsbury Circus Finsbury Circus is a park in the Coleman Street Ward of the City of London, England. The 2 acre park is the largest public open space within the City's boundaries. It is not to be confused with Finsbury Square, just north of the City, or Fi ...

(1815–16), none of Dance's buildings survive.

Works outside London

Ealing Ealing () is a district in West London, England, west of Charing Cross in the London Borough of Ealing. Ealing is the administrative centre of the borough and is identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Ealing was his ...

, Dance's own house (1768) later owned by Sir John Soane, who demolished all Dance's work bar the south wing *

Cranbury Park Cranbury Park is a stately home and country estate situated in the parish of Hursley, Winchester, England. It was formerly the home to Sir Isaac Newton and later to the Chamberlayne family, whose descendants now own and occupy the house and su ...

, Hampshire, extensive remodelling, including the new-classical Ballroom (1776–81) * Monument to

Jeremiah Meyer Jeremiah Meyer (born ''Jeremias Majer''; 18 January 1735 – 20 January 1789) was an 18th-century English miniature painter. He was Painter in Miniatures to Queen Charlotte, Painter in Enamels to King George III and was one of the founder me ...

, St. Anne's Church, Kew (1790) * Coleorton Hall, Leicestershire (1802) * Laxton Hall, Northamptonshire (1894) *

, Hampshire, (1803) demolished apart from the Greek Doric portico and replaced by a modern house (1963–65) *

Theatre Royal, Bath The Theatre Royal in Bath, England, was built in 1805. A Grade II* listed building, it has been described by the Theatres Trust as "One of the most important surviving examples of Georgian theatre architecture". It has a capacity for an audien ...

, (1804) burnt down (1863) main façade to Beafort Square survives *

St Mary's Church, Micheldever St Mary's Church is an Anglican church in Micheldever, Hampshire, England. It is in the Diocese of Winchester. The building, which is Grade II* listed, is unusual for its octagonal nave. Description The oldest parts of the church, the west bay ...

, Hampshire (1806) *

East Stratton East Stratton is an estate village in the parish of Micheldever at the entrance to the landscaped grounds of Stratton Park, some eight miles northeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. Both park and village demonstrate the evolution of a landsc ...

, Hampshire, cottage in the village (1806) *

, Sussex, alterations (1812) * Kidbrooke House, Sussex, alterations (1814), demolished *

Camden Place Chislehurst () is a suburban district of south-east London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies east of Bromley, south-west of Sidcup and north-west of Orpington, south-east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater L ...

Chislehurst Chislehurst () is a suburban district of south-east London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies east of Bromley, south-west of Sidcup and north-west of Orpington, south-east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater L ...

, remodelling including "the Mixed lounge, the Oval Room, the Office and the beautiful oak panelled Entrance hall with its two secret doors".

Gallery of architectural works

File:All Hallows on the Wall - geograph.org.uk - 1170310.jpg, West front of All Hallows Church, London File:All Hallowes-on-the-Wall, London Wall, London EC2 - geograph.org.uk - 1706663.jpg, All Hallows-on-the-Wall, London File:Guildhall. Engraved by E.Shirt after a drawing by Prattent. c.1805..jpg, London Guildhall, c. 1805 File:Guildhall. Home of the City of London Corporation - geograph.org.uk - 60195.jpg, City of London Guildhall, Dance's façade on right File:The Guildhall - geograph.org.uk - 45551.jpg, City of London Guildhall, Dance's façade File:Cranbury House.jpg, Cranbury House, Hampshire File:Pitzhanger manor drawing room.jpg, Drawing room at Pitzhanger, Ealing File:St Bartholomew the Less, St Bartholomews Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1 - geograph.org.uk - 1140931.jpg, St Bartholomew the Less Church in Barts Hospital, London File:St Bartholomew the Less, St Bartholomews Hospital, West Smithfield, London EC1 - East end - geograph.org.uk - 1140933.jpg, St Bartholomew the Less, West Smithfield, London File:Newgate Prison Publ 1800.jpg, Newgate Gaol, London, demolished File:Newgate West View of Newgate by George Shepherd 1784-1862 edited.jpg, Newgate Gaol, London, demolished File:Egyptian Hall Mansion House edited.jpg, Dance's Egyptian Hall ceiling in the Mansion House, London File:Royal College of Surgeons of England 1.jpg, Portico of Royal College of Surgeons at Lincoln's Inn Fields, London File:Wesley's Chapel 1.jpg, Wesley's Chapel, London File:Finsbury Circus.jpg, Finsbury Circus layout, all Dance's houses now being replaced by offices File:Iglesia de San Lawrence Jewry, Londres, Inglaterra, 2014-08-11, DD 138.JPG, St Lawrence Jewry Church, near Guildhallwww.e-architect.co.uk
/ref>

References

* * H.M. Colvin, ''A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600–1840'' (1997) *
A catalogue of the drawings of George Dance the Younger is a highlight of recent books on architecture and design
, ''Apollo'', April 2004 * "George Dance, the Younger, as Town Planner (1768–1814)'', Michael Hugo-Brunt, ''Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians'', Vol. 14, No. 4, Town Planning Issue (Dec. 1955), pp. 13–22 * "Dance, George, the younger (1741–1825)", Roger Bowdler, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, May 200
accessed 21 Sept 2007

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dance The Younger, George 1741 births 1825 deaths People from the City of London People from Bloomsbury People educated at St Paul's School, London Royal Academicians 18th-century English architects 19th-century English architects British neoclassical architects Regency London Burials at St Paul's Cathedral Sibling artists Architects from London

Life

Background and education

Career

The Royal Academy

A Collection of portraits

Personal life

List of works

Works in London

Works outside London

Gallery of architectural works

See also

References

Notes