Henry Flitcroft (30 August 1697 – 25 February 1769) was a major English

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

in the second generation of Palladianism. He came from a humble background; his father was a labourer in the gardens at

Hampton Court Hampton Court Palace is a Listed building, Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. Opened to the public, the palace is managed by Historic Royal ...

. Flitcroft began his career as a joiner. While working as a carpenter at

Burlington House Burlington House is a building on Piccadilly in Mayfair, London. It was originally a private English Baroque and then Neo-Palladian mansion owned by the Earl of Burlington, Earls of Burlington. It was significantly expanded in the mid-19th cent ...

, he fell from a scaffold and broke his leg. During his recovery, the young Lord Burlington noticed his talent with a pencil. By 1720, Flitcroft was Burlington's draughtsman and general architectural assistant, surveying at

Westminster School Westminster School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Westminster, London, England, in the precincts of Westminster Abbey. It descends from a charity school founded by Westminster Benedictines before the Norman Conquest, as do ...

for Burlington's dormitory and superintending on site at

Tottenham House Tottenham House is a large Grade I listed English country house in the parish of Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire, about five miles southeast of the town of Marlborough. It is separated from the town by Savernake Forest, which is part of the Tottenha ...

. Working within Burlington's inner circle, which championed the new

Palladian architecture Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

, provided Flitcroft with valuable education. Flitcroft redrew the plates for publication in ''The Designs of Mr. Inigo Jones,'', published by

William Kent William Kent (c. 1685 – 12 April 1748) was an English architect, landscape architect, painter and furniture designer of the early 18th century. He began his career as a painter, and became Principal Painter in Ordinary or court painter, b ...

in 1727 under Burlington's patronage and supervision. In May 1726, Burlington secured his protégé an appointment at the Office of Works, where he advanced from Master Carpenter and Master Mason to

Comptroller of the King's Works The Office of Works was an organisation responsible for structures and exterior spaces, first established as part of the England, English Royal Household, royal household in 1378 to oversee the building and maintenance of the royal castles and re ...

, a prestigious position. He also received royal commissions for private projects for junior members of the

British royal family The British royal family comprises Charles III and other members of his family. There is no strict legal or formal definition of who is or is not a member, although the Royal Household has issued different lists outlining who is considere ...

, notably Prince William, Duke of Cumberland. His work for the Duke at Windsor Great Park included creating Virginia Water Lake. Flitcroft was constantly occupied with private commissions. Like most professional architects (and unlike virtuoso earls), he also engaged in speculative construction in newly developing London streets, supplied stone, and contracted to erect the buildings he designed. Panelling and a mantelpiece from an old panelled room designed by Flitcroft in the 1720s for Potternewton Hall near

Leeds Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire, England. It is the largest settlement in Yorkshire and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds Metropolitan Borough, which is the second most populous district in the United Kingdom. It is built aro ...

were installed in Sutton Park after 1935. From 1746 to 1756, he served as Surveyor of the Fabric of St Paul's Cathedral. In 1724, Flitcroft married Sarah Minns at St Benet's, Paul's Wharf. His son Henry was born in Hampton (1742). Flitcroft is buried at St Mary with St Alban, Teddington, alongside his son Henry (died 1826) and wife Jane (died 1778). The inscription on his tomb records that "Here lies the body of HENRY FLITCROFT of Whitehall in the county of Middlesex who had the honour of serving three first Princes of the House of Brunswick in the Board of Works of which he was successively Appointed Clerk, Master Mason & Controller in the last of which Office he continued till his death which happened on the 25th of February 1769." A memorial to Henry Flitcroft is located on the west wall inside the church. Flitcroft Street, near St Giles in the Fields, London, was named after Henry Flitcroft.

Major commissions

* Lilford Hall, Northamptonshire: 1740s. He designed the interiors at Lilford. * Bower House, Essex: 1729. * St Giles in the Fields, London: 1731–1734. * Ditchley Park, Oxfordshire: 1724 onwards. At Ditchley, he designed interiors, collaborating harmoniously with

. *

Wentworth Woodhouse Wentworth Woodhouse is a Grade I listed country house in the village of Wentworth, South Yorkshire, Wentworth, in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. It is currently owned by the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation T ...

, W. Riding, Yorkshire: 1735 onwards. He rebuilt and enlarged the west front and added wings. * St Giles House, Wimborne St Giles, Dorset: 1740–1744. Interiors. *

Stowe House Stowe House is a grade I listed building, listed country house in Stowe, Buckinghamshire, Stowe, Buckinghamshire, England. It is the home of the Private schools in the United Kingdom, private Stowe School and is owned by the Stowe House Preserv ...

, Buckinghamshire: . The State gallery (attributed). *

Wimpole Hall Wimpole Estate is a large estate containing Wimpole Hall, a country house located within the civil parish of Wimpole, Cambridgeshire, England, about southwest of Cambridge. The house, begun in 1640, and its of parkland and farmland are owned ...

, Cambridgeshire: 1742–1745. * Stourhead, Wiltshire: 1744–1765. Garden temples. *

Woburn Abbey Woburn Abbey (), occupying the east of the village of Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the family seat of the Duke of Bedford. Although it is still a family home to the current duke, it is open on specified days to visitors, ...

, Bedfordshire: 1748–1761. * Milton Hall, Northamptonshire: 1750–1751. Flitcroft built extensively in the

West End of London The West End of London (commonly referred to as the West End) is a district of Central London, Central London, England, in the London Borough of Camden, London Boroughs of Camden and the City of Westminster. It is west of the City of London an ...

. File:Wimpole Hall 02.jpg, Wimpole Hall, as remodelled by Flitcroft File:Stourhead Pantheon 02 mod timm.jpg, The Pantheon, Stourhead File:Stourhead Pantheon 03.jpg, Facade The Pantheon, Stourhead File:Stourhead, Pantheon, interior.jpg, Interior, The Pantheon, Stourhead File:Temple at Stourhead.jpg, The temple of Apollo, Stourhead File:St Giles in the Fields 01 crop.jpg, North front, St. Giles-in-the-fields File:St giles down the aisle.jpg, Looking East, St. Giles-in-the-fields File:St-Giles-in-the-fields interieur.jpg, Altar, St. Giles-in-the-fields File:Woburn_Abbey.jpg, West front, Woburn Abbey File:Wentworth Woodhouse 02.jpg, West front, Wentworth Woodhouse, the wings were altered later by John Carr File:The Bower House, Havering-atte-Bower, Essex (geograph 4008009).jpg, Bower House, Essex File:Table MET DP112858.jpg, table designed c.1740-1745

References

* H.M. Colvin, ''A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600–1840'' (1997) * Heward, John and Taylor, Robert "The Country Houses of Northamptonshire". {{DEFAULTSORT:Flitcroft, Henry 1697 births 1769 deaths 18th-century English architects Chatham House people English draughtsmen Burials at St Mary with St Alban, Teddington