James Harrison (1814–1866) was an English architect who practised in

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

, Cheshire, England. He is considered to be a pioneer of the

Black-and-white Revival The Black-and-white Revival was a mid-19th-century architectural movement that revived historical Vernacular architecture, vernacular elements with timber framing. The wooden framing is painted black and the panels between the frames are painted ...

, an example of which is 51–53, Bridge Street, Chester, built in 1858. In 1862 he rebuilt the

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

timber-framed Timber framing () and "post-and-beam" construction are traditional methods of building with heavy Beam (structure), timbers, creating structures using squared-off and carefully fitted and Woodworking joints, joined timbers with joints secure ...

God's Providence House in Chester, which has been described as "the first conservation case in the modern sense". He designed new churches in

Gothic Revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic or neo-Gothic) is an Architectural style, architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half ...

style, some of which have been designated as

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Hi ...

s, including

Holy Ascension Church, Upton by Chester Holy Ascension Church is in Church Lane, Upton-by-Chester, Chester, Cheshire, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Chester, the archdeaconry of Chester and the diocese of Chester. The church is recorded in the Nat ...

, Holy Trinity Church, Capenhurst, St Luke's Church, Dunham on the Hill, and Holy Trinity Church, Chester. Harrison also made alterations to other churches, including the virtual rebuilding of St Michael's Church, Chester, rebuilding the

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

All Saints Church, Handley All Saints Church stands to the north of the village of Handley, Cheshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building. The church is an active Anglican parish church in the d ...

, and working on the tower of the Church of St Mary-on-the Hill, Chester. He designed the Trustee Savings Bank in Chester, and converted the

St Nicholas' Chapel in Chester into a concert hall. Harrison worked for Robert Balfour, building farms on his Bolesworth estate, and at Tattenhall Hall.

References

Bibliography * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, James (architect) 1814 births 1866 deaths 19th-century English architects English ecclesiastical architects Gothic Revival architects People from Chester Architects from Cheshire

See also

References