John Whichcord Snr
Encyclopedia
John Whichcord Snr was a British architect who worked in Maidstone
, Kent
and designed many public and institutional buildings in the town.
, Wiltshire. He was articled to the Bath architect Charles Harcourt Masters
and then worked in the drawing office of the architect of the London Docks
, Daniel Asher Alexander
, who was also engaged on the prison at Maidstone. In 1819 Whichcord took over the post of surveyor of Maidstone gaol
, and two years later also became surveyor of of Canterbury gaol. In 1825, when the county surveyor of Kent was dismissed, Whichcord was appointed to the post. His works in the county included the Maidstone Union Workhouse (1836), the Kent Fire Offices, the Maidstone Corn Exchange, and the West Kent Infirmary. He was also surveyor to the Medway Navigation
Company, carrying out various works on the river, including tidal locks. The Kent County Lunatic Asylum is described as his Magnum Opus by John Newman (Buildings of England Series, 1969).
He designed the new churches of St John, Blindley Heath
in Surrey, and Holy Trinity, Maidstone, St Stephen, Tovil
, Holy Trinity, East Peckham
, St Mary the Virgin, Platt
, and Christ Church at Dunkirk
, near Faversham, all in Kent. He also produced plans for enlargement or reseating of a number of existing ones.
His son John Whichcord Jr.
(1823–1885) was a notable architect.
Maidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and designed many public and institutional buildings in the town.
Life
Whichcord, the son of a surveyor, was born in DevizesDevizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, Wiltshire. He was articled to the Bath architect Charles Harcourt Masters
Charles Harcourt Masters
Charles Harcourt Masters was an English surveyor and architect in Bath.He made a set of maps of Bath turnpike roads in 1786. In 1789 made a scale model of Bath which he displayed at his home, 21 Old Orchard Street, and later in London: the plans were published in 1794...
and then worked in the drawing office of the architect of the London Docks
London Docks
The London Docks were one of several sets of docks in the historic Port of London. They were constructed in Wapping downstream from the City of London between 1799 and 1815, at a cost exceeding £5½ million. Traditionally ships had docked at wharves on the River Thames, but by this time, more...
, Daniel Asher Alexander
Daniel Asher Alexander
Daniel Asher Alexander was a British architect and engineer, born in London.-Life:Daniel Asher Alexander was educated at St Paul's School, London, and admitted to the Royal Academy Schools in 1782....
, who was also engaged on the prison at Maidstone. In 1819 Whichcord took over the post of surveyor of Maidstone gaol
Maidstone (HM Prison)
HM Prison Maidstone is a Category C men's prison, located in Maidstone, Kent, England. The prison is operated by Her Majesty's Prison Service.-History:...
, and two years later also became surveyor of of Canterbury gaol. In 1825, when the county surveyor of Kent was dismissed, Whichcord was appointed to the post. His works in the county included the Maidstone Union Workhouse (1836), the Kent Fire Offices, the Maidstone Corn Exchange, and the West Kent Infirmary. He was also surveyor to the Medway Navigation
Medway Navigation
The River Medway in England flows for from Turners Hill, in West Sussex, through Tonbridge, Maidstone and the Medway Towns conurbation in Kent, to the River Thames at Sheerness, where it shares the latter's estuary. The Medway Navigation runs from the Leigh Barrier south of Tonbridge to Allington...
Company, carrying out various works on the river, including tidal locks. The Kent County Lunatic Asylum is described as his Magnum Opus by John Newman (Buildings of England Series, 1969).
He designed the new churches of St John, Blindley Heath
Blindley Heath
Blindley Heath is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Surrey, England....
in Surrey, and Holy Trinity, Maidstone, St Stephen, Tovil
Tovil
Tovil is a civil parish in the Borough of Maidstone, in Kent in the South East of England.It is a mixture of residential and industrial zoning, with an increase in commercial usage towards the centre of Maidstone, and more arable use on the outskirts....
, Holy Trinity, East Peckham
East Peckham
East Peckham is a village in Kent, England, made up of nine hamlets and situated about east of Tonbridge on the River Medway. It was the centre for the hop growing industry in Kent and is still home to the Hop Farm which has the world's largest collection of Oast Houses.-History:The Domesday entry...
, St Mary the Virgin, Platt
Platt, Kent
Platt, or St. Mary's Platt is a village in the local government district of Tonbridge and Malling in Kent, England. The village contains a church which was built in 1843 and which stands on a hill overlooking the village centre. The architects were Whichcord and Walker of Maidstone.The hamlet of...
, and Christ Church at Dunkirk
Dunkirk, Kent
Dunkirk is a village and civil parish between Faversham and Canterbury in southeast England.-Toponymy:The origin of the village's name is still not very clear, but it is understood to come from a house called "Dunkirk", lived in by a Fleming from Dunkerque on the border between France and...
, near Faversham, all in Kent. He also produced plans for enlargement or reseating of a number of existing ones.
His son John Whichcord Jr.
John Whichcord Jr.
John Whichcord, Jr. was an English architect, who designed several office buildings in London and, also, the Grand Hotel in Brighton.-Life and work:...
(1823–1885) was a notable architect.