Sir Howard Montagu ColvinCVOCBEFBAFRHistSFSA (15 October 1919 – 27 December 2007) was a British architectural historian who produced two of the most outstanding works of scholarship in his field: A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600–1840 and The History of the King's Works.
He is most notably the author of A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600–1840 which appeared in its original form in 1954. Yale University Press produced a third edition in 1995, and he had just completed his work on the fourth edition at the time of his death. On first publication this reference work of heroic scale immediately became the standard in its field: it "changed the face of English architectural history", according to David Watkin. In the revised edition, Colvin expanded the range to include Scottish and Welsh architects as well.
The work includes every building within its time range with which the name of an architect can be associated, based on documentary evidence from extensive archival research, both by him and a growing network of correspondents. He was particularly an enemy of attributions based on style alone. This resulted in an index that is an architectural gazetteer, and which also gives a comprehensive listing of architectural books published in Britain, listed by author. The prefatory essay, "The Practice of Architecture, 1600–1840", is divided into two sections, covering the building trades and the architectural profession, both contributions to the broader social history of Britain.
He also was general editor, and wrote large parts, of the official multi-volume study of all the buildings with which the Crown had been associated through history, The History of the King's Works, published in stages between 1963 and 1982.
Colvin's work in government parallels his academic achievement. Just as he rose to become the acknowledged authority within academia, he also rose via membership of the bodies listed above and others to be Chair of the committee of English Heritage that dealt with Britain's built environment.
His most famous coup was to lead a campaign which succeeded in inducing the then Chancellor of the ExchequerNigel Lawson to alter the 1984 Budget so as to save Calke Abbey in Derbyshire for the nation.
Colvin's research papers and correspondence associated with the Dictionary of British Architects, 1600–1840 are held in the archives of the Paul Mellon Centre in London. These arrived along with a number of architectural history publications including country house guidebooks which were bequeathed to the Paul Mellon Centre's library.[2]
^"Lady Christina Colvin". Oxford Mail. 23 August 2003. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
^"Howard Colvin Archive Howard Colvin Library". Retrieved 9 August 2017.
^"Colvin, Sir Howard Montagu". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 20 September 2016. Howard Colvin contributed the following 2 articles ...(subscription or UK public library membership required)
Sourcesedit
"Sir Howard Colvin". The Times. London. 1 January 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2008.
of SAHGB in Oxford: "ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY AFTER COLVIN"
The Howard Colvin Archive Research notes and correspondence
January 01, 1970
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For the fictional character from The Wire see Howard Bunny Colvin For the organic chemist see Howard Colvin chemist This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Howard Colvin news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2023 Learn how and when to remove this message Sir Howard Montagu Colvin CVO CBE FBA FRHistS FSA 15 October 1919 27 December 2007 was a British architectural historian who produced two of the most outstanding works of scholarship in his field A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600 1840 and The History of the King s Works Memorial plaque in Latin at St John s College Oxford Contents 1 Life and works 2 Honours 3 Personal life 4 Archive and library 5 Publications 5 1 The History of the King s Works 5 2 Other works 6 References 7 Sources 8 External linksLife and works editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this message Born in Sidcup Colvin was educated at Trent College and University College London In 1948 he became a Fellow of St John s College Oxford where he remained until his death in 2007 He was a member of the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England 1963 76 the Historic Buildings Council for England 1970 84 the Royal Fine Art Commission 1962 72 and other official bodies He is most notably the author of A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600 1840 which appeared in its original form in 1954 Yale University Press produced a third edition in 1995 and he had just completed his work on the fourth edition at the time of his death On first publication this reference work of heroic scale immediately became the standard in its field it changed the face of English architectural history according to David Watkin In the revised edition Colvin expanded the range to include Scottish and Welsh architects as well The work includes every building within its time range with which the name of an architect can be associated based on documentary evidence from extensive archival research both by him and a growing network of correspondents He was particularly an enemy of attributions based on style alone This resulted in an index that is an architectural gazetteer and which also gives a comprehensive listing of architectural books published in Britain listed by author The prefatory essay The Practice of Architecture 1600 1840 is divided into two sections covering the building trades and the architectural profession both contributions to the broader social history of Britain He also was general editor and wrote large parts of the official multi volume study of all the buildings with which the Crown had been associated through history The History of the King s Works published in stages between 1963 and 1982 Colvin s work in government parallels his academic achievement Just as he rose to become the acknowledged authority within academia he also rose via membership of the bodies listed above and others to be Chair of the committee of English Heritage that dealt with Britain s built environment His most famous coup was to lead a campaign which succeeded in inducing the then Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson to alter the 1984 Budget so as to save Calke Abbey in Derbyshire for the nation Honours editColvin was knighted in 1995 He served as president of the Society of Architectural Historians of Great Britain 1979 81 and a special issue of its journal Architectural History was produced in his honour in 1984 citation needed Personal life editColvin married Christina Edgeworth Butler a literary scholar and historian of Oxfordshire in 1943 they had two sons She predeceased him in 2003 1 Archive and library editColvin s research papers and correspondence associated with the Dictionary of British Architects 1600 1840 are held in the archives of the Paul Mellon Centre in London These arrived along with a number of architectural history publications including country house guidebooks which were bequeathed to the Paul Mellon Centre s library 2 Publications editThe History of the King s Works edit London HMSO 1963 1982 Vol 1 2 The Middle Ages R Allen Brown H M Colvin and A J Taylor ISBN 0 11 670571 X also includes plans 1 4 Vol 3 1485 1660 part 1 H M Colvin D R Ransome John Summerson ISBN 0 11 670568 X Vol 4 1485 1660 part 2 H M Colvin D R Ransome John Summerson ISBN 0 11 670832 8 Vol 5 1660 1782 H M Colvin J Mordaunt Crook Kerry Downes John Newman ISBN 0 11 670571 X Vol 6 1782 1851 J Mordaunt Crook M H Port ISBN 0 11 670286 9 Plans 5 7 ISBN 0 11 671116 7 Other works edit A History of Deddington Oxfordshire London SPCK 1963 Unbuilt Oxford Yale University Press 1983 ISBN 0 300 03126 2 The Canterbury Quadrangle St John s College Oxford Oxford Oxford University Press 1988 ISBN 0 19 920159 5 Architecture and the After Life New Haven Yale University Press 1991 ISBN 0 300 05098 4 A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600 1840 4th ed New Haven Yale University Press 2008 1954 ISBN 978 0 300 12508 5 OCLC 1147989725 via Internet Archive Entries for Charles Long 1st Baron Farnborough and Isaac de Caus in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 3 Calke Abbey Derbyshire a Hidden House Revealed 1985 National Trust ISBN 9780540010844 The White Canons in England Oxford Oxford University Press 1951 ISBN 978 0198212096 References edit Lady Christina Colvin Oxford Mail 23 August 2003 Retrieved 6 April 2021 Howard Colvin Archive Howard Colvin Library Retrieved 9 August 2017 Colvin Sir Howard Montagu Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Retrieved 20 September 2016 Howard Colvin contributed the following 2 articles subscription or UK public library membership required Sources edit Sir Howard Colvin The Times London 1 January 2008 Retrieved 2 January 2008 External links editObituary in The Independent Alumni of History Faculty Newsletter Oxford Obituary in The Guardian Obituary in The Times Obituary in The Daily Telegraph dead link May 2011 meeting of SAHGB in Oxford ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY AFTER COLVIN The Howard Colvin Archive Research notes and correspondence Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Howard Colvin amp oldid 1175896904, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
