__NOTOC__ Sir William Chambers (23 February 1723 – 10 March 1796) was a Swedish-Scottish architect, based in London. Among his best-known works are

Somerset House Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadrangle was built on the site of a Tudor palace ("O ...

, and the

pagoda A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...

at Kew. Chambers was a founder member of the

Royal Academy The Royal Academy of Arts (RA) is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly in London. Founded in 1768, it has a unique position as an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects. Its pur ...

Biography

William Chambers was born on 23 February 1723 in

Gothenburg Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...

, Sweden, to a Scottish merchant father. Between 1740 and 1749 he was employed by the Swedish East India Company making three voyages to China where he studied

Chinese architecture Chinese architecture ( Chinese:中國建築) is the embodiment of an architectural style that has developed over millennia in China and it has influenced architecture throughout Eastern Asia. Since its emergence during the early ancient era, t ...

and decoration. Returning to Europe, he studied architecture in Paris (with J. F. Blondel) and spent five years in Italy. Then, in 1755, he moved to London, where he established an architectural practice. In 1757, through a recommendation of Lord Bute, he was appointed architectural tutor to the Prince of Wales, later

George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...

, and in 1766 also, along with

Robert Adam Robert Adam (3 July 17283 March 1792) was a British neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam (1689–1748), Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him. With his ...

, Architect to the King, (this being an unofficial title, rather than an actual salaried post with the Office of Works). He worked for Augusta, Dowager Princess of Wales, making fanciful garden buildings at Kew, and in 1757 he published a book of Chinese designs which had a significant influence on contemporary taste. He developed his Chinese interests further with his ''Dissertation on Oriental Gardening'' (1772), a fanciful elaboration of contemporary English ideas about the naturalistic style of gardening in China. Somerset House

His more serious and academic ''Treatise on Civil Architecture'' published in 1759 proved influential on builders; it went into several editions and was still being republished in 1862. It dealt with the use of the classical orders, and gave suggestions for decorative elements, rather than dealing with construction and planning; for its third edition it was retitled ''A Treatise on the Decorative Parts of Civil Architecture''. It included ideas from the works of many 16th- and 17th-century Italian architects then still little known in Britain. His influence was also transmitted through a host of younger architects trained as pupils in his office, including

Thomas Hardwick Thomas Hardwick (1752–1829) was an English architect and a founding member of the Architects' Club in 1791. Early life and career Hardwick was born in Brentford, Middlesex the son of a master mason turned architect also named Thomas Hard ...

(1752–1825), who helped him build

and who wrote his biography. He was the major rival of Adam in British

Neoclassicism Neoclassicism (also spelled Neo-classicism) was a Western cultural movement in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that drew inspiration from the art and culture of classical antiquity. Neoclassicism ...

. Chambers was more international in outlook (his knighthood being originally a Swedish honour) and was influenced by continental neoclassicism (which he in turn influenced) when designing for British clients. A second visit to Paris in 1774 confirmed the French cast to his sober and conservative refined blend of Neoclassicism and

Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

conventions. From around 1758 to the mid-1770s, Chambers concentrated on building houses for the nobility, beginning with one for Lord Bessborough at Roehampton. In 1766 Chambers was elected a foreign member of the

Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences ( sv, Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien) is one of the royal academies of Sweden. Founded on 2 June 1739, it is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization that takes special responsibility for prom ...

. From 1761 he held the unofficial post of Joint Architect to the King, he was then promoted to his first official post in the

Office of Works The Office of Works was established in the English royal household in 1378 to oversee the building and maintenance of the royal castles and residences. In 1832 it became the Works Department forces within the Office of Woods, Forests, Land Reven ...

and was from 1769–82 Comptroller of the King's Works, his final promotion put him in charge, from 1782 being Surveyor-General and Comptroller a post he kept until his death. When a scheme to unite a number of government offices on the site of

in the

Strand Strand may refer to: Topography *The flat area of land bordering a body of water, a: ** Beach ** Shoreline * Strand swamp, a type of swamp habitat in Florida Places Africa * Strand, Western Cape, a seaside town in South Africa * Strand Street ...

was projected, his position did not give him automatic authority over the construction; however when William Robinson, secretary to the board, who had been put in charge of the new building, died in 1775, Chambers became its architect. His initial plans for a great oval courtyard, connected to three smaller, narrow rectangular courts, were soon modified into a simpler rectilinear scheme. On 10 December 1768 the

was founded. Chambers played an important role in the events that led to the Academy's foundation, the ''Minutes of the General Assembly of the Royal Academy'' of 14 December 1768 record 'That some time towards the latter end of November 1768, Mr Chambers waited upon the King and informed him that many artists of reputation together with himself are very desirous of establishing a Society that should more effectively promote the Arts of Design'. He was appointed the Academy's first Treasurer. Chambers died in London in 1796. He is buried in

Poets' Corner Poets' Corner is the name traditionally given to a section of the South Transept of Westminster Abbey in the City of Westminster, London because of the high number of poets, playwrights, and writers buried and commemorated there. The first poe ...

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United ...

. His tombstone is inscribed:

Visits by Swedes

One of Chambers friends, James Maule, wrote in his journal in August 1771: ''I visited the

Stock Exchange A stock exchange, securities exchange, or bourse is an exchange where stockbrokers and traders can buy and sell securities, such as shares of stock, bonds and other financial instruments. Stock exchanges may also provide facilities for t ...

and met John Wilson. I also met several Swedes at sir William Chambers. I spent the Sunday with sir William Chambers at

Hampton Court Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chi ...

, where his family lives.'' The orientalist Jakob Jonas Björnståhl wrote after a visit at Chambers house in London in 1775:

Writings

* ''Designs of Chinese Buildings, Furniture, Dresses, Machines, and Utensils. To which is annexed, a Description of their Temples, Houses, Gardens, &c.'' (London) 1757 * (London) 1757 * ''A treatise on civil architecture in which the principles of that art are laid down and illustrated by a great number of plates accurately designed and elegantly engraved by the best hands'' (London) 1759 * ''Plans, Elevations, Sections and Perspective Views of the Gardens and Buildings at Kew in Surrey'' (London) 1763 * ''A dissertation on oriental gardening.'' (London) 1772

Main works

Roehampton Roehampton is an area in southwest London, in the Putney SW15 postal district, and takes up a far western strip running north to south of the London Borough of Wandsworth. It contains a number of large council house estates and is home to the U ...

Villa (largely extant including interior ceilings), now called

Parkstead House Parkstead House, formerly known as Manresa House and Bessborough House, is a neo-classical Palladian villa in Roehampton, London, built in the 1760s. The house and remaining grounds are now Whitelands College, part of the University of Roehampt ...

, for William Ponsonby, 2nd Earl of Bessborough. Also designed two garden temples (one to be re-erected by 2008), similar to those at the

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. An internationally important botanical research and education institution, it employs 1,100 ...

. * Within Kew Gardens, some of his buildings are lost, those remaining being the ten-storey Great Pagoda, the Orangery, the Ruined Arch, the Temple of Bellona and the Temple of Aeolus. The Temple of the Sun survived until 1916, when it was destroyed in a storm. *The Pagoda, in Pagoda Gardens,

Blackheath, London Blackheath is an area in Southeast London, straddling the border of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and the London Borough of Lewisham. It is located northeast of Lewisham, south of Greenwich and southeast of Charing Cross, the traditional ...

, is attributed to Chambers. A three-storey house built as a pavilion (c. 1775) for the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch, it features a gabled Chinese-style roof with dramatic upturned corners.

Caroline of Brunswick Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (Caroline Amelia Elizabeth; 17 May 1768 – 7 August 1821) was Queen of the United Kingdom and Hanover from 29 January 1820 until her death in 1821, being the estranged wife of King George IV. She was Pri ...

lived here after her separation from her husband, the

Prince Regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch regnant, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illne ...

, in 1799. *

in London, his most famous building, which absorbed most of his energies over a period of two decades (1776–1796) *The gilded state coach that is still used at

coronation A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the presentation of o ...

s. * Hedsor House, Buckinghamshire, the seat of Lord Boston, equerry to George III. *For

James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont James Caulfeild, 1st Earl of Charlemont KP PC (Ire) (18 August 1728 – 4 August 1799) was an Irish statesman. Life Early life The son of James Caulfeild, 3rd Viscount Charlemont, he was born in Dublin, and succeeded his father as 4th ...

, he designed Charlemont House and the

Casino at Marino The Casino at Marino is a small summer or pleasure house, located in Marino, Dublin, Ireland. Sometimes erroneously described as a folly, it was designed by Scottish architect William Chambers for James Caulfeild, the 1st Earl of Charlemont ...

, as well as the chapel and public theatre in

Trinity College, Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

. *He is also associated with

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

additions to

Milton Abbey Milton Abbey school is an independent school for day and boarding pupils in the village of Milton Abbas, near Blandford Forum in Dorset, in South West England. It has 224 pupils , in five houses: Athelstan, Damer, Hambro, Hodgkinson and Tregonw ...

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , ...

and the planning of the nearby rural village of

Milton Abbas Milton Abbas is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England, lying around southwest of Blandford Forum. In the 2011 Census the civil parish had a population of 755. This planned community was built after the old Town was demolished in the ...

, sometimes considered the first planned settlement in England. This work was carried out in collaboration with

landscape gardener Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor areas, landmarks, and structures to achieve environmental, social-behavioural, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic design and general engineering of various structures for constructio ...

Capability Brown Lancelot Brown (born c. 1715–16, baptised 30 August 1716 – 6 February 1783), more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English gardener and landscape architect, who remains the most famous figure in the history of the English lan ...

in 1780 for Joseph Damer, the

Earl of Dorchester Earl of Dorchester, in the County of Dorset, was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1792 for Joseph Damer, 1st Baron Milton. He was a politician but is best remembered for the reshaping of Milton Abbey and the crea ...

, who wanted to relocate the existing village further away from his home at the Abbey. *

Wick House, Richmond Hill Wick House is a Grade II listed house in Richmond, Greater London, located near the corner of Nightingale Lane and Richmond Hill in Surrey. The painter Sir Joshua Reynolds commissioned the house from Sir William Chambers and it was complet ...

, commissioned in 1771 by painter Sir Joshua Reynolds.

List of architectural workpages 196–256, Sir William Chambers Knight of the Polar Star, John Harris, 1970, A. Zwemmer Ltd

London work

* Kew Gardens, Kew, Surrey, various structures: House of Confucius (1749) demolished; Frederick, Prince of Wales, Mausoleum (unexecuted); Gallery of Antiquities (1757) demolished; Orangery (1757–61); Temple of Pan (1758) demolished; Temple of Arethusa (1758) demolished; Alhambra (1758) demolished; Garden Seat (1758) demolished; Porter's Lodge (1758) demolished; Stables (1758) demolished; Temple of Victory (1759) demolished; Ruined Arch (1759); Theatre of Augusta (1760) demolished; Temple of Bellona (1760); Menagerie (1760) demolished; Exotic Garden (1760) demolished; Mosque (1761) demolished; Temple of the Sun (1761) demolished 1916 after damage in a storm; Great Pagoda (1761–62); Temple of Peace (1763) demolished; Temple of Aeolus (1763); Temple of Solitude (1763) demolished; Palladian Bridge (1763) demolished; Dairy (1773) demolished; and alterations to Kew House – demolished *Leicester House,

Leicester Square Leicester Square ( ) is a pedestrianised square in the West End of London, England. It was laid out in 1670 as Leicester Fields, which was named after the recently built Leicester House, itself named after Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicest ...

, alterations (1757) – demolished * Carlton House, alterations, (1757–61), new porters lodge and remodelled entrance passage (c. 1761), later virtually rebuilt (1783–6) by Henry Holland – demolished *Richmond House, Whitehall, gallery, greenhouse, gate to Privy Garden (1759–60) – demolished *

(formerly Manresa House and Bessborough House),

(1760) *47 Leicester Square, Sir

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter, specialising in portraits. John Russell said he was one of the major European painters of the 18th century. He promoted the "Grand Style" in painting which depend ...

's house, new painting room and gallery (c. 1760-2) – demolished *Pembroke House, Whitehall, internal decoration (1760) riding house (1773) – demolished *

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...

(then Queen's House), addition of north & south wings, west and east libraries, the Octagon Library, interior decorations and riding house (1762–68) – none of this work survives *Grantham House, Whitehall, alterations (1760s) – demolished *25 Grosvenor Square, internal alterations (1762) – demolished *Richmond Palace,

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, Californi ...

, various designs (1762, 1764, 1769, 1775) – none executed *45

Berkeley Square Berkeley Square is a garden square in the West End of London. It is one of the best known of the many squares in London, located in Mayfair in the City of Westminster. It was laid out in the mid 18th century by the architect William Ke ...

, internal decoration (1763–7) *13–22, 44–58

Berners Street Berners Street is a thoroughfare located to the north of Oxford Street in the City of Westminster in the West End of London, originally developed as a residential street in the mid-18th century by property developer William Berners, and later ...

(1764–70) *Gower House,

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea. It is the main thoroughfare running south from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament Sq ...

, Chamber's largest town house (1765–74) – demolished *German Lutheran Chapel, Savoy Palace, (1766) – demolished *20

Grosvenor Square Grosvenor Square is a large garden square in the Mayfair district of London. It is the centrepiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from the duke's surname "Grosvenor". It was developed for fashionable ...

, internal alterations (1767) – demolished * Kew Observatory, Old Deer Park, for George III (1768) *6 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea (c. 1768) *

St James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster in London. Alt ...

, internal decorations (late 1760s) *21 Arlington Street,

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...

(1769) *Milton House,

Park Lane Park Lane is a dual carriageway road in the City of Westminster in Central London. It is part of the London Inner Ring Road and runs from Hyde Park Corner in the south to Marble Arch in the north. It separates Hyde Park to the west from ...

, entrance gate and screen (1769–71) – demolished *Bedford House,

Bloomsbury Bloomsbury is a district in the West End of London. It is considered a fashionable residential area, and is the location of numerous cultural, intellectual, and educational institutions. Bloomsbury is home of the British Museum, the largest ...

, London, alterations and internal decorations (c. 1769 – c. 1772) – demolished *79

Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Cour ...

, alterations including addition of attic storey (1770–71) – demolished *Errington House (later Warwick House), Cleveland Row (1770–71) – demolished *House

Knightsbridge Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End. Toponymy Knightsbridge is an ancien ...

(1770–72) – demolished *Wick House,

(1771–72) *3

St. James's Square St James's Square is the only square in the St James's district of the City of Westminster and is a garden square. It has predominantly Georgian and Neo-Georgian architecture. For its first two hundred or so years it was one of the three or fo ...

, internal alterations (1771) – demolished * The Earl and Countess of Mountrath's tomb, St John's Chapel,

(1771) * Melbourne House Piccadilly, (1771–76) converted to the Albany by Henry Holland (1803–4) * Marlborough House, addition of attic and internal alterations including new chimney-piece in the state drawing room (1771–74) *14 Cecil Street, interior work (c. 1772) *62 Curzon Street (1773) *15 George Street, internal alterations and Doric porch (1774) *51 Grosvenor Street, alterations (1774–5) *

, Chambers' magnum opus (1776–96), the building was unfinished at Chambers' death and continued in (1829–31) under Robert Smirke who added the east wing

England outside London

Goodwood House Goodwood House is a country house and estate covering in Westhampnett, Chichester, West Sussex, England and is the seat of the Duke of Richmond. The house was built in about 1600 and is a Grade I listed building. Description The house and it ...

, Sussex, South wing of house & stables (1757–60) *

Wilton House Wilton House is an English country house at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire, which has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years. It was built on the site of the medieval Wilton Abbey. Following the dissolution ...

, Wiltshire, Triumphal arch, Casina, Rock Bridge, Library, tennis court (1757–74) * Duntish Court, Dorset, new house (c. 1760–64) *Poston Court, Herefordshire, casino (1760) *

Newby Park Queen Mary's School is an independent day and boarding school for girls in Baldersby Park near Topcliffe, between Ripon and Thirsk in North Yorkshire, England. Established in 1921, the school is set on of landscaped grounds and houses approxi ...

, (now Baldersby Park), Yorkshire, alterations to the house, pheasantry and menagerie (c. 1760) *

Peper Harow Peper Harow is a rural village and civil parish in south-west Surrey close to the town of Godalming. It was a noted early cricket venue. Its easternmost fields are in part given up to the A3 trunk road. Location and history The name "Peper Haro ...

House, Surrey (1760–65) * Osterley Park, Middlesex, north front and gallery (1761); the rest of the house by

*Beechwood, Hertfordshire, dining room (1761) *The Hyde, near Ingatestone, Essex, hall and staircase (1761) *The Hoo, Hertfordshire, alterations and interior decoration, bridge, temple, gateway, stables, boathouse and gate piers (c. 1762) *Temple of Romulus and Remus, Coleby Hall, Coleby, North Kesteven, Lincolnshire (1762) *Styche Hall, Shropshire, new house and stables (1762–66) *Walcot Hall, Shropshire, remodelling (1764–7) *Teddington Grove, Middlesex, new house, greenhouse and temple (c. 1765) *Whitton Place, Middlesex, Mausoleum, redecoration of house, Roman Bathhouse, greenhouse, Temple of Aesculapius (1765–90) *Completion of John Vardy's house for Andrew Drummond (Vardy had died),

Stanmore Stanmore is part of the London Borough of Harrow in London. It is centred northwest of Charing Cross, lies on the outskirts of the London urban area and includes Stanmore Hill, one of the highest points of London, at high. The district, whi ...

, Middlesex (1765–70) * Houghton House, Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire, restoration and alterations (1765); now a ruin *Kirkleatham Hall, Kirkleatham, Yorkshire, the gallery (c. 1765) *

Woodstock Town Hall Woodstock Town Hall is a municipal building in the Market Place in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. The building, which is used as a community events venue, is a Grade II listed building. History The first municipal building in the town was a ...

Woodstock, Oxfordshire Woodstock is a market town and civil parish, north-west of Oxford in West Oxfordshire in the county of Oxfordshire, England. The 2011 Census recorded a parish population of 3,100. Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is next to W ...

(1766) *

Blenheim Palace Blenheim Palace (pronounced ) is a country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It is the seat of the Dukes of Marlborough and the only non- royal, non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, ...

, Oxfordshire, Internal decorations, furniture, gateway to kitchen garden, Blagdon Bridge, Temple of Diana, Temple of Flora, Flower Garden, erection of

Bernini Gian Lorenzo (or Gianlorenzo) Bernini (, , ; Italian Giovanni Lorenzo; 7 December 159828 November 1680) was an Italian sculptor and architect. While a major figure in the world of architecture, he was more prominently the leading sculptor of his ...

Obelisk (1766–1775) *Monument to

Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford KG (1 November 1680 – 26 May 1711) was an English nobleman and politician. He was the son of William Russell, Lord Russell, and his wife Lady Rachel Wriothesley. From 1683 until 1694, he was styled Lor ...

, St. Michael's Church, Chenies, Buckinghamshire (1766) *

Wrest Park Wrest Park is a country estate located in Silsoe, Bedfordshire, England. It comprises Wrest Park, a Grade I listed country house, and Wrest Park Gardens, also Grade I listed, formal gardens surrounding the mansion. History Thomas Carew ...

, Bedfordshire, Chinese Pavilion attributed (c. 1766) *Ansley Hall,

Ansley, Warwickshire Ansley is a village and civil parish in the North Warwickshire district of Warwickshire, England.OS Explorer Map 232 : Nuneaton & Tamworth: (1:25 000) : The parish includes the village of Ansley, Ansley Common, Church End, Ansley Hall, Birchle ...

Chinese temple (1767) *Barton Hall, Norfolk, Library (1767) * Terling Place, Essex, work of unknown nature (1767–8) *

Woburn Abbey Woburn Abbey (), occupying the east of the village of Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the family seat of the Duke of Bedford. Although it is still a family home to the current duke, it is open on specified days to visitors, ...

, Bedfordshire, south wing including eating room and library; and Basin Bridge (1767–72) * Cobham Hall, Kent, new rooms in south wing including the library, raising of attic (c. 1767–70) *Southill House,

Southill, Bedfordshire Southill is a rural village and civil parish in the Central Bedfordshire district of the county of Bedfordshire, England; about south-east of the county town of Bedford. The 2011 census showed the population for the civil parish as 1,192. The ...

, alterations (c. 1768); the house was later rebuilt by Henry Holland *Ampthill Park,

Ampthill Ampthill () is a town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Luton, with a population estimate of 8,100 (Mid year estimate 2017 from the ONS). It is administered bAmpthill Town Council The ward of Ampthill which also ...

, Bedfordshire, addition of wings and redecoration of the interiors (1768–72) *

, Dorset, new house, porter's lodge and west front of abbey church, uniquely for Chambers all in

Gothic revival Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...

style *New House,

(c. 1769) *

Danson House Danson House is a Palladian mansion and a Grade I listed building at the centre of Danson Park, in Welling in the London Borough of Bexley, south-east London. History The Danson Estates before Danson House The earliest reference to the Danson E ...

, Kent, internal alterations including new chimney-pieces, the Temple and 'Palladio Bridge' (late 1760s–1770) * Tottenham House, Wiltshire, work of unknown nature (1770–76) *

Milton Hall Milton Hall near Peterborough, is the largest private house in Cambridgeshire, England.This Milton Hall should not be confused with the other Milton Hall just to the north of Cambridge in the village of Milton. The Milton Hall near Cambridge is ...

, Cambridgeshire, alterations and interior decoration and garden temples (1770–76) *Trinity House Chapel,

Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull, usually abbreviated to Hull, is a port city and unitary authority in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies upon the River Hull at its confluence with the Humber Estuary, inland from the North Sea and south- ...

, Yorkshire (1772) * Amesbury Hall, Amesbury, Wiltshire, Chinese temple (1772) and ornamental bridge (1775) *Theatre Royal,

Liverpool Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

(1772); demolished *

, estate village for Milton Abbey (1773) *

Newburgh Priory Newburgh Priory is a Grade 1 listed Tudor building near Coxwold, North Yorkshire, England. Originally a house of Augustinian canons, it was founded in 1145 and became a family home following the dissolution of the priory in 1538. The present h ...

Coxwold Coxwold is a village and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England, in the North York Moors, North York Moors National Park. It is 18 miles north of York and is where the Rev. Laurence Sterne wrote ''A Sentimental Jour ...

, Yorkshire, alterations (1774) * Hedsor House, Buckinghamshire (1778)

Ireland

Abbeyleix House Abbeyleix House, sometimes called Abbeyleix Castle, is an Irish country house that was the residence of the Viscounts de Vesci in County Laois, Ireland. It was designed by architect James Wyatt and built by Sir William Chambers in 1773. The d ...

, managing the construction of the house which had earlier been designed by

James Wyatt James Wyatt (3 August 1746 – 4 September 1813) was an English architect, a rival of Robert Adam in the neoclassical and neo-Gothic styles. He was elected to the Royal Academy in 1785 and was its president from 1805 to 1806. Early life W ...

Marino, Dublin Marino () is an inner suburb on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. It was built, in a planned form, on former grounds of Marino House, in an area between Drumcondra, Donnycarney, Clontarf, and what became Fairview. The initial developmen ...

(1758–76). Garden pavilion for 1st Earl of Charlemont. Open to the public. * Marino House, Dublin. (1758–75) Alterations and additions to existing country house for 1st Earl of Charlemont. Demolished. * Marino House, Dublin. Dragon gates. Relocated from original position. *

Castletown House Castletown House, Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, is a Palladian country house built in 1722 for William Conolly, the Speaker of the Irish House of Commons. It formed the centrepiece of an estate. Sold to developers in 1965, the estate ...

, (1760) County Kildare, internal alterations of long gallery and other rooms and gate piers for Thomas Connolly * Slane Castle,

County Meath County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the ...

, work of unknown nature (1760s) * Charlemont House, Rutland (now Parnell) Square, Dublin (1762–75) for 1st Earl of Charlemont. City house. Adapted for use as City Art Gallery. Porch added by others. Rear section demolished. * Headford,

, (1765) Unexecuted design for country house with 13 bay garden front * Town Hall, Main Street,

Strabane Strabane ( ; ) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Strabane had a population of 13,172 at the 2011 Census. It lies on the east bank of the River Foyle. It is roughly midway from Omagh, Derry and Letterkenny. The River Foyle mark ...

County Tyrone County Tyrone (; ) is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the thirty-two traditional counties of Ireland. It is no longer used as an administrative division for local government but retai ...

. Design for steeple. *

Leinster House Leinster House ( ga, Teach Laighean) is the seat of the Oireachtas, the parliament of Ireland. Originally, it was the ducal palace of the Dukes of Leinster. Since 1922, it is a complex of buildings, of which the former ducal palace is the core ...

, Dublin, redecoration of first floor apartments on garden front (1767) * Hunting lodge, Roxborough Castle, Moy, County Tyrone. (1768). Two unexecuted designs for Lord Charlemont. * City Hall, Parliament Street, Dublin, (1768–1769). Unsuccessful competition entry. *

Rathfarnham Castle Rathfarnham Castle ( ga, Caisleán Rath Fearnáin) is a 16th-century fortified house in Rathfarnham, South Dublin, Ireland. The earlier Irish castle was occupied by the Harold family, who held it as tenants of the le Bret family. It was replac ...

, County Dublin, refaced 16th-century castle, provided with Georgian windows, straight roof parapets with urns and Georgian interiors (1770–71) for Henry, 4th. Viscount Loftus, Later 1st. Earl of Ely. * Lucan House,

Lucan Marcus Annaeus Lucanus (3 November 39 AD – 30 April 65 AD), better known in English as Lucan (), was a Roman poet, born in Corduba (modern-day Córdoba), in Hispania Baetica. He is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Imperial ...

County Dublin "Action to match our speech" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Dublin.svg , map_alt = map showing County Dublin as a small area of darker green on the east coast within the lighter green background of ...

, (1773–75) for Agmondisham Vesey. Now Italian Embassy. *

, East range. (1775). Not built. *

, College Exam Hall. (1775) In use as exam hall and theatre. *

, Collegiate chapel (c. 1775–1797). In use as chapel.

Scotland

Dunmore Pineapple Dunmore from the ga, Dún Mór, link=no or gd, Dùn Mòr, link=no, meaning "great fort", may refer to: People * Dunmore (surname) * Earl of Dunmore, a title in the Peerage of Scotland, includes a list of earls * Countess of Dunmore (disambigu ...

, Falkirk, attributed (1761) *

Duddingston House Duddingston House is an 18th-century mansion in Edinburgh, Scotland, located south-east of the village of Duddingston. It was built in the 1760s for James Hamilton, 8th Earl of Abercorn, and was designed by Sir William Chambers. It is now protec ...

Duddingston Duddingston ( sco, Duddiston) is a historic village in the east of Edinburgh, Scotland, next to Holyrood Park. Origins and etymology The estate wherein Duddingston Village now lies was first recorded in lands granted to the Tironensian monks ...

, house, stables and temple (1763–68) *26 St Andrew Square, Edinburgh (1769) * Dundas House, (now

The Royal Bank of Scotland The Royal Bank of Scotland plc (RBS; gd, Banca Rìoghail na h-Alba) is a major retail and commercial bank in Scotland. It is one of the retail banking subsidiaries of NatWest Group, together with NatWest (in England and Wales) and Ulster Ba ...

), St Andrew Square, Edinburgh (1771–74)

Sweden

* Råda säteri, manor house in Härryda just outside of

, (1770–72) *

Partille herrgård Partille () is a former urban area in the county of Västra Götaland in Sweden. It is the seat of Partille Municipality Partille Municipality (''Partille kommun'') is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is l ...

, manor house in

Partille Partille () is a former urban area in the county of Västra Götaland in Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of Sw ...

just outside of Gothenburg, (1772–73) * Svartsjö Palace, concept for remodeling of the royal gardens, (1773–74).

Gallery of architectural works

File:RichmondpalaceunbuiltproposalWilliamChambers1765.jpg, Richmond Palace, not executed File:Kew Orangery 5138.JPG, The Orangery, Kew Gardens File:Ruined arch Kew 7214.JPG, The Ruined Arch, Kew Gardens File:The Pagoda, Kew Gardens. - geograph.org.uk - 122634.jpg, The Pagoda, Kew Gardens File:PeperHarowHouse1.jpg, Peper Harrow House, Surrey File:Woodstock, Stocks and Town Hall. - geograph.org.uk - 138094.jpg, Wood Stock Town Hall File:Royal Bank of Scotland Headquarters.jpg, Former Dundas House, Edinburgh File:Casino at Marino.jpg, Casino at Marino, Dublin File:Casino marino.JPG, Casino at Marino, Dublin File:Pineapple Dunmore.jpg, Dunmore Pineapple, Falkirk, Scotland File:Le Royal Mews de Londres-007.JPG, The State Coach, Royal Mews, London File:Somerset House, Strand.jpg, Strand front, Somerset House, London File:Somerset House Strand Block.JPG, Strand block from courtyard, Somerset House, London File:Somerset House.jpg, Courtyard, Somerset House, London File:Somerset House - geograph.org.uk - 104076.jpg, Thames front, Somerset House, London File:Embankment view of Somerset House IMG 9268.JPG, Centre of Thames front, Somerset House, London File:Courtauld Gallery, Staircase.jpg, Staircase in Strand Block, Somerset House, London File:Coultauld Galleries 1.jpg, Room in Strand Block, Somerset House, London File:The Exhibition Room at Somerset House by Thomas Rowlandson and Augustus Pugin. 1800..jpg, The Exhibition Room, former Royal Academy, Somerset House, London File:Courtauld Galleries 2.jpg, Former Exhibition Room (Now part of Courtauld Galleries), Somerset House, London File:Osterley House, the West Front. - geograph.org.uk - 122656.jpg, West front, Osterley House, rest of building by Robert Adam File:Milton Abbey 01.jpg, Milton Abbey, Dorset, Chamber's house to left of church File:The Albany by Thomas Shepherd.jpg, Melbourne House (Later Albany), London File:Trinity_College_Building_Dublin_Ireland.jpg, the Chapel, Trinity College, Dublin

Notes

References

* * Michael Snodin (Ed.), ''Sir William Chambers'', V&A Publishing

External links

* * *
''A Dissertation on Oriental Gardening''
(London, 1772)
Sir William Chambers architectural drawings, circa 1769–1796
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chambers, William 1723 births 1796 deaths 18th-century Scottish architects Burials at Westminster Abbey British neoclassical architects Fellows of the Royal Society Knights of the Order of the Polar Star People from Gothenburg Royal Academicians Members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew British alumni of the École des Beaux-Arts Swedish East India Company people Swedish merchants Scottish merchants Scottish expatriates in Sweden 18th-century Swedish businesspeople