Victorian Architecture (2024)

The architectural profession is largely a Victorian creation. In the 18th century it was common for architects to act as developers and surveyors too, but by the 1820s such roles were being devolved, leaving architects free to experiment with a profusion of styles.

A NEW PROFESSION

The identity of the profession was cemented by the creation in 1834 of the Institute of British Architects (from 1837 the Royal Institute of British Architects). Its first president was Earl de Grey, who had designed his own house in the 1830s at Wrest Park, Bedfordshire, in a French Baroque style. Such amateur architects had largely disappeared by the end of the century.

The designers of many of England’s 19th-century buildings were the largely anonymous in-house architects of building firms such as Thomas Cubitt. Cubitt himself built large parts of Belgravia and Pimlico in London, as well as Osborne House on the Isle of Wight for the royal family.

BUILDING REVOLUTION

Changes in the building world had just as much of an impact on the look of Victorian buildings as the contribution of architects.

The arrival of the railways gave firms such as Cubitt a national reach and meant that, for example, Welsh slates largely replaced tiles in many parts of Britain. Other technical developments included iron-framed construction, plate glass, terracotta and polished granite, commercially available for the first time thanks to steam power.

Brodsworth Hall, Yorkshire (1863), built during the peak decade of country house construction, is just such a product of the railway age. It was completed within two years and entirely furnished by the London firm Lapworths, with Minton tiles and machine-made carpets.

CLASSICAL VERSUS GOTHIC

Most Victorian buildings were classical, although the style was used with greater flexibility and variety than ever before. It could encompass both the formal magnificence of such buildings as Witley Court, Worcestershire, and the picturesque Italian Renaissance of Osborne House.

In the middle of the century, however, classical styles were being fiercely challenged by the Gothic Revival.

This was promoted by its adherents for a number of reasons. It was regarded as the national style, which is why it was chosen for the design of the new Houses of Parliament after the old Palace of Westminster was destroyed by fire in 1834. It symbolised the traditional identity of Christianity, and thus became the preferred style for Anglican churches.

It was also a style that encouraged architects to collaborate with artists and other designers to create sculpture, wall-paintings and stained glass. William Burges’s St Mary's, Studley Royal, North Yorkshire, is a magnificent demonstration of what such collaborations could achieve.

REVIVING CRAFTS

Partly because it had such unshakeable religious overtones, Gothic failed to become a universal style. Its emphasis on the architectural crafts had an important legacy, though, in the form of the Arts and Crafts movement, whose most famous proponent was William Morris, a trained architect.

Arts and Crafts combined a strong interest in the Middle Ages and the revival of traditional crafts with a rejection of many of the technological innovations that had made mid-Victorian architecture so distinctive. The impact of Arts and Crafts designers was felt largely in houses of modest size, such as the remodelled monastic guest house at Mount Grace Priory, North Yorkshire.

CIVIC PRIDE

Despite the international interest in the Arts and Crafts movement, it was just one strand in the varied architectural landscape of late Victorian England.

Across the country local pride transformed towns and cities with new town halls, libraries, museums, concert halls and schools, built in Gothic, neoclassical and Italianate styles. This was a golden age of civic as well as church architecture.

Victorian Architecture (2024)

FAQs

Why do people like Victorian architecture? ›

Victorian buildings often feature high ceilings and large windows, which create that bright and spacious feel that is highly sought after in homes today, yet their unique character features make them stand out from a new build style of home.

How would you describe Victorian architecture? ›

Victorian homes often have steep, imposing rooflines with many gables facing in different directions. The Second Empire Victorian style has a flat-topped Mansard roof with windows in the side to allow for maximum space inside the house.

What was the architecture like in the Victorian era? ›

Most Victorian buildings were classical, although the style was used with greater flexibility and variety than ever before. It could encompass both the formal magnificence of such buildings as Witley Court, Worcestershire, and the picturesque Italian Renaissance of Osborne House.

What are the elements of Victorian architecture? ›

“Recognizable characteristics are steep, tiled roofs, painted brick, bay windows, and asymmetrical design,” Dadswell says. “Wooden floorboards, plaster cornicing, sweeping staircases, wooden sash windows, and tiled entrance hallways would have been incorporated into most Victorian homes.”

What makes the Victorian era unique? ›

The Victorian era saw revolutionary breakthroughs in the arts and sciences, which shaped the world as we know it today. These transformations led to many social changes with the birth and spread of political movements, most notably socialism, liberalism and organised feminism.

What makes Victorian fashion unique? ›

The typical Victorian dress shape was an elongated V-shaped bodice, and full skirts with the sides of bodices stopping at the natural waistline with sleeves that were tight at the top, but wider from the elbow to the wrist.

Where was Victorian architecture mostly used? ›

In Great Britain and former British colonies, a Victorian house generally means any house built during the reign of Queen Victoria. During the Industrial Revolution, successive housing booms resulted in the building of many millions of Victorian houses which are now a defining feature of most British towns and cities.

What does Victorian architecture symbolize? ›

Named after one of the longest-reigning monarchs in history, the Victorian style has outlived its origins to become a truly international style. This design style remains quite popular and symbolizes wealth, abundance, and industrialization.

What is Victorian design style? ›

Victorian interior design is a style that originated in the United Kingdom during the Victorian era. Known for its abundance of pattern (in wall coverings and in textiles), ornamentation, and use of jewel tones, the interior decoration style absorbs the visitor in its rich world.

Is Victorian architecture still used today? ›

This flair even found its way across the world, with Queen Anne–style homes lining the streets of American cities and Second Empire style becoming widely popular in Australia. Today, the steeply pitched roofs, decorative wood trim, and imposing octagonal towers of Victorian homes continue to charm the masses.

What is late Victorian architecture style? ›

Late Victorian Style homes, often referred to as Boom style, have perhaps the most decorative features in all of the known architectural styles to date. – Combination of plaster, stone, coloured bricks, terracotta, mosaic tiles and marble; or the entire exterior rendered and painted.

What makes it Victorian? ›

The Victorian era spans the 63 years of Queen Victoria's reign over Great Britain and Ireland from 1837 until her death in 1901. It was a time of great power and wealth for Britain as it expanded its empire across the globe.

What is unique about Victorian architecture? ›

Unlike the modular builds of the modern era, Victorian-style architecture features elaborate roof lines, towers, and turrets. “Victorian homes often have steeply pitched roofs with multiple gables facing in different directions,” Scheck says.

What is Victorian architectural detail? ›

Victorian-era architecture is marked by its unapologetic devotion to ornament and flourish and its ornate maximalist interior design. While there are many different styles encompassed in Victorian-era architecture, some common features that will help you spot a Victorian from the outside include: Steeply pitched roofs.

How to identify Victorian architecture? ›

What are the main characteristics of a Victorian property?
  1. Coloured brickwork.
  2. High pitched roof.
  3. Ornate gable trim.
  4. Geometric tiled hallways.
  5. A brickwork porch.
  6. Front door to the side of the façade.
  7. Narrow hallway.
  8. Stained glass windows.
Oct 3, 2017

When did Victorian architecture become popular? ›

Victorian architecture is a series of architectural revival styles in the mid-to-late 19th century. Victorian refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901), called the Victorian era, during which period the styles known as Victorian were used in construction.

Where is Victorian style most commonly used? ›

In Great Britain and former British colonies, a Victorian house generally means any house built during the reign of Queen Victoria. During the Industrial Revolution, successive housing booms resulted in the building of many millions of Victorian houses which are now a defining feature of most British towns and cities.

What makes a Victorian style? ›

Victorian interior design is a style that originated in the United Kingdom during the Victorian era. Known for its abundance of pattern (in wall coverings and in textiles), ornamentation, and use of jewel tones, the interior decoration style absorbs the visitor in its rich world.

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