Chronological Gazetteer of the works of E.W. Pugin
By GJ Hyland – 11 March 2010 This article is undergoing continual refinement, and is updated periodically.
PREFACE
This Gazetteer of the works of Edward Welby Pugin (1834-75) reveals that in his short professional life of only 23 years (1852 to 1875) he produced a vast amount of work, ranging from cathedrals to minor pieces of furniture, the majority of which was executed. It has so far been possible to identify a total of 272 executed works (239 of which are ecclesiastical or related) and at least 56 unexecuted designs. In the UK, his output comprised both ecclesiastical and secular/domestic buildings, the former mainly for the Catholic (RC) Church, and includes places of worship, convents, monasteries, and community houses, whilst many of his secular commissions came from Catholic landed gentry. In Ireland, where, from 1860 to 1868, he was in partnership with his former pupil GC Ashlin under the style Pugin & Ashlin, his output was almost exclusively ecclesiastical. In addition, he received several commissions from the Church of England, and was responsible for very many extensions and alterations to existing churches, both Catholic and Anglican, as well as for institutional buildings (almshouses, orphanages, etc), colleges/schools and a vast amount of miscellaneous, smaller works, both ecclesiastical and secular. See Appendix I for some biographical information on Ashlin and other one-time partners/collaborators of EW Pugin.
He maintained offices in Dublin, Liverpool, London and Ramsgate, and, unlike his father, let his churches go out to tender among local builders, although Smith & Son of Ramsgate were often employed on buildings in SE England; carving, however, was invariably reserved for his preferred specialists, particularly, in later years, RL Boulton of Cheltenham (Worcester, pre-1866). For internal fittings - in particular, stained glass and metalwork - Hardman & Co (where the chief designer was EW Pugin's brother-in-law, John Hardman Powell) were often, but not invariably, used. Appendix II lists some firms who executed carving, stained glass and metalwork in EW Pugin's churches. Other fittings, such as altars, holy water stoups, church benches and items of domestic furniture were often supplied by EW Pugin's own South-Eastern Works in Ramsgate, with which it is possible that his brother Cuthbert (1840-1928) was involved in some capacity.
Apart from a very small number of essays in Romanesque and Classical (Italianate) styles, EW Pugin's designs, both ecclesiastical and secular, are, in common with those of his father, AWN Pugin (1812-1852), exclusively Gothic.
In the case of work done in partnership with others (Ashlin, Béthune, Hansom, and Murray - see Appendix I), it is often difficult, except in the case of Hansom, to establish the relative contribution of each partner to the final design. However, the large Irish churches of Ss Peter & Paul, Cork and the Augustinian Church, Dublin, constructed during the early days of the Pugin-Ashlin partnership, are almost certainly, like Cobh cathedral, the work of EW Pugin alone, Ashlin having been initially engaged, soon after the commencement of the Cork church, essentially to set up an office in Dublin to facilitate management of this commission. It should be appreciated that attribution of a given building to Pugin & Another does not imply that the design was necessarily a joint one. In the case of the Pugin & Ashlin partnership, many of the later realised designs could well have been Ashlin's alone; indeed it would not be unreasonable to assume that this was so particularly in the case of those commissions that Ashlin oversaw the completion of after the dissolution of the partnership towards the end of 1868, although some initial input from EW Pugin cannot, of course, be ruled out. (This date is consistent with the final joint attribution, Glenealy, being dated 1 November 1868.) The same holds in the case of those 'Ashlin-only' commissions that immediately post-date the dissolution of the partnership, namely:
1869 (16 May)-70: Brosna, Co. Kerry, Ireland - Ss Moling & Carthage: built through the munificence of Maurice Fitzgerald Sandes, JP. Plans by Pugin & Ashlin date from at least 1866, but were revised by Ashlin after the dissolution of the partnership, the NW. tower of the original design being replaced by a W. gable bell-cote. Ashlin's design is essentially a variation on the Pugin & Ashlin church at Glenealy, whose W. end rose window is here replaced by 3 lancets.
1869 (8 Jun)-71 (18 Jun): Lislevane, Barryroe, Co Cork, Ireland - Our Lady, Star of the Sea: very similar to Ashlin's church at Brosna.
1869 (4 Nov)-72 (15 May): Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork, Ireland - St Mary: very similar to the Pugin-Ashlin church at Ballyhooley.
1871 (Mar)-73 (5 Oct): Kilmoyley, Ardfert, Co. Kerry, Ireland - Sacred Heart: project dates from Dec 1868, just after the dissolution of partnership. The design is a variation on Ashlin's Carrigtwohill church whose three W. end lancets are here replaced by a four-light window with geometrical tracery.
Conversely, the church at Crosshaven, the first (unrealised) design of which was by Pugin & Ashlin, became the responsibility of EW Pugin after the dissolution of the partnership, when he supplied a somewhat different design of his own, suggesting, perhaps, that it was 'his' from the start. According to ref. iii, it is possible that the same obtained in the case of the church at Kilanerin.
In this Gazetteer, EW Pugin's work is divided into nine categories, most of which are prefaced with some introductory remarks and illustrations that highlight specific points of architectural/historical significance. Each category is subdivided, as appropriate, into:
a) Realised designs,
b) Unrealised designs, and
c) Commissions/works that were notified in contemporary architectural journals and
elsewhere, which were either erroneously attributed, never executed, or for which no
evidence of execution has yet been found.
Some subdivisions contain, under 'Uncorroborated,' works whose attribution to EW Pugin has not yet been definitively confirmed.
Where two dates are given, the first refers to the laying of the Foundation Stone of a particular building, and the second to its Dedication/Opening/Completion. An interval of more than three years between these two dates usually signifies that building work was interrupted on account of shortage of funds. Where a single date is given, the accompanying text specifies the event.
Joint commissions that were both commenced and finished during a particular partnership are identified by the insertion: with *****: immediately after the second date. In the case of commissions that were commenced, but not completed during a partnership, the partner's name appears parenthetically after the first date, whilst the name of the architect who oversaw the completion of the work after the dissolution of the partnership appears parenthetically after the second date.
Despite the fact that not all the churches/chapels listed in this Gazetteer are correctly orientated ritually (i.e. with the High Altar in the geographic East (E.) end of the building), all descriptions given herein assume that they are.
TP denotes True Principles, the journal of the Pugin Society.
This Gazetteer of the works of Edward Welby Pugin (1834-75) reveals that in his short professional life of only 23 years (1852 to 1875) he produced a vast amount of work, ranging from cathedrals to minor pieces of furniture, the majority of which was executed. It has so far been possible to identify a total of 272 executed works (239 of which are ecclesiastical or related) and at least 56 unexecuted designs. In the UK, his output comprised both ecclesiastical and secular/domestic buildings, the former mainly for the Catholic (RC) Church, and includes places of worship, convents, monasteries, and community houses, whilst many of his secular commissions came from Catholic landed gentry. In Ireland, where, from 1860 to 1868, he was in partnership with his former pupil GC Ashlin under the style Pugin & Ashlin, his output was almost exclusively ecclesiastical. In addition, he received several commissions from the Church of England, and was responsible for very many extensions and alterations to existing churches, both Catholic and Anglican, as well as for institutional buildings (almshouses, orphanages, etc), colleges/schools and a vast amount of miscellaneous, smaller works, both ecclesiastical and secular. See Appendix I for some biographical information on Ashlin and other one-time partners/collaborators of EW Pugin.
He maintained offices in Dublin, Liverpool, London and Ramsgate, and, unlike his father, let his churches go out to tender among local builders, although Smith & Son of Ramsgate were often employed on buildings in SE England; carving, however, was invariably reserved for his preferred specialists, particularly, in later years, RL Boulton of Cheltenham (Worcester, pre-1866). For internal fittings - in particular, stained glass and metalwork - Hardman & Co (where the chief designer was EW Pugin's brother-in-law, John Hardman Powell) were often, but not invariably, used. Appendix II lists some firms who executed carving, stained glass and metalwork in EW Pugin's churches. Other fittings, such as altars, holy water stoups, church benches and items of domestic furniture were often supplied by EW Pugin's own South-Eastern Works in Ramsgate, with which it is possible that his brother Cuthbert (1840-1928) was involved in some capacity.
Apart from a very small number of essays in Romanesque and Classical (Italianate) styles, EW Pugin's designs, both ecclesiastical and secular, are, in common with those of his father, AWN Pugin (1812-1852), exclusively Gothic.
In the case of work done in partnership with others (Ashlin, Béthune, Hansom, and Murray - see Appendix I), it is often difficult, except in the case of Hansom, to establish the relative contribution of each partner to the final design. However, the large Irish churches of Ss Peter & Paul, Cork and the Augustinian Church, Dublin, constructed during the early days of the Pugin-Ashlin partnership, are almost certainly, like Cobh cathedral, the work of EW Pugin alone, Ashlin having been initially engaged, soon after the commencement of the Cork church, essentially to set up an office in Dublin to facilitate management of this commission. It should be appreciated that attribution of a given building to Pugin & Another does not imply that the design was necessarily a joint one. In the case of the Pugin & Ashlin partnership, many of the later realised designs could well have been Ashlin's alone; indeed it would not be unreasonable to assume that this was so particularly in the case of those commissions that Ashlin oversaw the completion of after the dissolution of the partnership towards the end of 1868, although some initial input from EW Pugin cannot, of course, be ruled out. (This date is consistent with the final joint attribution, Glenealy, being dated 1 November 1868.) The same holds in the case of those 'Ashlin-only' commissions that immediately post-date the dissolution of the partnership, namely:
1869 (16 May)-70: Brosna, Co. Kerry, Ireland - Ss Moling & Carthage: built through the munificence of Maurice Fitzgerald Sandes, JP. Plans by Pugin & Ashlin date from at least 1866, but were revised by Ashlin after the dissolution of the partnership, the NW. tower of the original design being replaced by a W. gable bell-cote. Ashlin's design is essentially a variation on the Pugin & Ashlin church at Glenealy, whose W. end rose window is here replaced by 3 lancets.
1869 (8 Jun)-71 (18 Jun): Lislevane, Barryroe, Co Cork, Ireland - Our Lady, Star of the Sea: very similar to Ashlin's church at Brosna.
1869 (4 Nov)-72 (15 May): Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork, Ireland - St Mary: very similar to the Pugin-Ashlin church at Ballyhooley.
1871 (Mar)-73 (5 Oct): Kilmoyley, Ardfert, Co. Kerry, Ireland - Sacred Heart: project dates from Dec 1868, just after the dissolution of partnership. The design is a variation on Ashlin's Carrigtwohill church whose three W. end lancets are here replaced by a four-light window with geometrical tracery.
Conversely, the church at Crosshaven, the first (unrealised) design of which was by Pugin & Ashlin, became the responsibility of EW Pugin after the dissolution of the partnership, when he supplied a somewhat different design of his own, suggesting, perhaps, that it was 'his' from the start. According to ref. iii, it is possible that the same obtained in the case of the church at Kilanerin.
In this Gazetteer, EW Pugin's work is divided into nine categories, most of which are prefaced with some introductory remarks and illustrations that highlight specific points of architectural/historical significance. Each category is subdivided, as appropriate, into:
a) Realised designs,
b) Unrealised designs, and
c) Commissions/works that were notified in contemporary architectural journals and
elsewhere, which were either erroneously attributed, never executed, or for which no
evidence of execution has yet been found.
Some subdivisions contain, under 'Uncorroborated,' works whose attribution to EW Pugin has not yet been definitively confirmed.
Where two dates are given, the first refers to the laying of the Foundation Stone of a particular building, and the second to its Dedication/Opening/Completion. An interval of more than three years between these two dates usually signifies that building work was interrupted on account of shortage of funds. Where a single date is given, the accompanying text specifies the event.
Joint commissions that were both commenced and finished during a particular partnership are identified by the insertion: with *****: immediately after the second date. In the case of commissions that were commenced, but not completed during a partnership, the partner's name appears parenthetically after the first date, whilst the name of the architect who oversaw the completion of the work after the dissolution of the partnership appears parenthetically after the second date.
Despite the fact that not all the churches/chapels listed in this Gazetteer are correctly orientated ritually (i.e. with the High Altar in the geographic East (E.) end of the building), all descriptions given herein assume that they are.
TP denotes True Principles, the journal of the Pugin Society.
