John Webb
Encyclopedia
John Webb was an English
architect
and scholar.
and became son-in-law and personal assistant to fellow architect and theatre designer Inigo Jones
from 1628, having married Jones' niece Anne. Jones and Webb's joint credit Wilton House
(near Salisbury, Wiltshire
) with its distinctive Single and Double Cube rooms.
At the beginning of the English Civil War
, Inigo Jones left London to attend the King at Oxford. He was later in Basing House
and captured at the end of the siege and storm. John Webb stayed in London, having been appointed Deputy Surveyor by Inigo Jones. He acted as a spy for Charles I
, probably out of zeal rather than by appointment, and sent the plans of London's Lines of Communication
(new fortifications) together with the number and location of the newly-mounted guns.
Upon Jones' death in 1652, Webb inherited a substantial fortune as well as a library of drawings and designs, many of which dated back to Jones' influential travels to Italy.
In 1654 Webb designed the first classical
portico
on an English country house, at The Vyne
in Hampshire
. In the Corinthian
style, this portico stamps this older house as Palladian
, 50 years before the birth of Lord Burlington
.
Webb also designed Gunnersbury House
in Ealing
.
The two architects share a connection with Greenwich, London. Webb designed King Charles Court in 1662, which later formed the first part of Greenwich Hospital, a short distance from the Queen's House
, Jones' masterpiece at the foot of Greenwich Park
. Webb also went on to design the enlargement of the Queen's House in 1662.
Further afield they also share a connection with Kingston Lacy
, a stately home in Dorset
where Webb supervised early works (c. 1660) on the building, following designs originally prepared by Jones.
Webb also designed the rebuild of Belvoir Castle
in Leicestershire
between 1654 and 1668, and made alterations to Northumberland House
.
to produce a book about Stonehenge
. Ten years later, he published his own Vindication of Stone-henge Restored. 1669 saw the appearance of his An historical essay endeavoring a probability that the language of the Empire of China is the primitive language
, the first treatise on the Chinese language
in any European language. Having never visited China or mastered the language, he based his essay on the travelogues of the Jesuit missionaries.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and scholar.
Life
He was born in Little Britain, Smithfield London and died in Butleigh in SomersetSomerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
and became son-in-law and personal assistant to fellow architect and theatre designer Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones
Inigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
from 1628, having married Jones' niece Anne. Jones and Webb's joint credit Wilton House
Wilton House
Wilton House is an English country house situated at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire. It has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years....
(near Salisbury, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
) with its distinctive Single and Double Cube rooms.
At the beginning of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Inigo Jones left London to attend the King at Oxford. He was later in Basing House
Basing House
Basing House was a major Tudor palace and castle in the village of Old Basing in the English county of Hampshire. It once rivaled Hampton Court Palace in its size and opulence. Today only its foundations and earthworks remain...
and captured at the end of the siege and storm. John Webb stayed in London, having been appointed Deputy Surveyor by Inigo Jones. He acted as a spy for Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, probably out of zeal rather than by appointment, and sent the plans of London's Lines of Communication
Lines of Communication (London)
The Lines of Communication were English Civil War fortifications commissioned by Parliament and built around London between 1642 and 1643 to protect the capital from attack by the Royalist armies of Charles I.In 1642 some basic fortifications were built, in the form of street barricades and small...
(new fortifications) together with the number and location of the newly-mounted guns.
Upon Jones' death in 1652, Webb inherited a substantial fortune as well as a library of drawings and designs, many of which dated back to Jones' influential travels to Italy.
In 1654 Webb designed the first classical
Classicism
Classicism, in the arts, refers generally to a high regard for classical antiquity, as setting standards for taste which the classicists seek to emulate. The art of classicism typically seeks to be formal and restrained: of the Discobolus Sir Kenneth Clark observed, "if we object to his restraint...
portico
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...
on an English country house, at The Vyne
The Vyne
The Vyne is a 16th-century country house outside Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, Hampshire, England.The Vyne was built for Lord Sandys, King Henry VIII's Lord Chamberlain. The house retains its Tudor chapel, with stained glass. The classical portico on the north front was added in 1654 by Inigo...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. In the Corinthian
Corinthian order
The Corinthian order is one of the three principal classical orders of ancient Greek and Roman architecture. The other two are the Doric and Ionic. When classical architecture was revived during the Renaissance, two more orders were added to the canon, the Tuscan order and the Composite order...
style, this portico stamps this older house as Palladian
Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
, 50 years before the birth of Lord Burlington
Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington
Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington and 4th Earl of Cork PC , born in Yorkshire, England, was the son of Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington and 3rd Earl of Cork...
.
Webb also designed Gunnersbury House
Gunnersbury Park
Gunnersbury Park is a park in the Brentford ward of the London Borough of Hounslow, in west London, England. Purchased for the nation from the Rothschild family, it was opened to the public by Neville Chamberlain, then Minister of Health, on 21 May 1926...
in Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
.
The two architects share a connection with Greenwich, London. Webb designed King Charles Court in 1662, which later formed the first part of Greenwich Hospital, a short distance from the Queen's House
Queen's House
The Queen's House, Greenwich, is a former royal residence built between 1614-1617 in Greenwich, then a few miles downriver from London, and now a district of the city. Its architect was Inigo Jones, for whom it was a crucial early commission, for Anne of Denmark, the queen of King James I of England...
, Jones' masterpiece at the foot of Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park is a former hunting park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. One of the Royal Parks of London, and the first to be enclosed , it covers , and is part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site. It commands fine views over the River Thames, Isle of...
. Webb also went on to design the enlargement of the Queen's House in 1662.
Further afield they also share a connection with Kingston Lacy
Kingston Lacy
Kingston Lacy is a country house and estate near Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England, now owned by the National Trust. From the 17th to the late 20th centuries it was the family seat of the Bankes family, who had previously resided nearby at Corfe Castle until its destruction in the English Civil War...
, a stately home in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
where Webb supervised early works (c. 1660) on the building, following designs originally prepared by Jones.
Webb also designed the rebuild of Belvoir Castle
Belvoir Castle
Belvoir Castle is a stately home in the English county of Leicestershire, overlooking the Vale of Belvoir . It is a Grade I listed building....
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
between 1654 and 1668, and made alterations to Northumberland House
Northumberland House
Northumberland House was a large Jacobean mansion in London, which was so called because for most of its history it was the London residence of the Percy family, who were the Earls and later Dukes of Northumberland, and one of England's richest and most prominent aristocratic dynasties for many...
.
Scholarship
Webb was also an amateur scholar. He collaborated with Inigo Jones and Walter CharletonWalter Charleton
Walter Charleton was an English writer. According to Jon Parkin, he was "the main conduit for the transmission of Epicurean ideas to England".-Life:...
to produce a book about Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
. Ten years later, he published his own Vindication of Stone-henge Restored. 1669 saw the appearance of his An historical essay endeavoring a probability that the language of the Empire of China is the primitive language
Adamic language
The Adamic language is, according to certain sects within Abrahamic traditions, the language spoken by Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, i.e., either the language used by God to address Adam, or the language invented by Adam ....
, the first treatise on the Chinese language
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
in any European language. Having never visited China or mastered the language, he based his essay on the travelogues of the Jesuit missionaries.