William Vertue (died 1527) was an English architect specialising in
Fan vault
A fan vault is a form of vault used in the Gothic style, in which the ribs are all of the same curve and spaced equidistantly, in a manner resembling a fan. The initiation and propagation of this design element is strongly associated with Eng ...
ceilings.
Along with his brother
Robert
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
, he was involved in the construction of the
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...
(1501–1502),
Bath Abbey
The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is a parish church of the Church of England and former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England. Founded in the 7th century, it was reorganised in the 10th ...
, the Vertue brothers are reported as telling Bishop
Oliver King
Oliver King (29 August 1503) was a Bishop of Exeter and Bishop of Bath and Wells who restored Bath Abbey after 1500.
Early life
King was educated at Eton, where he was a king's scholar, and King's College, Cambridge, where he graduated Maste ...
the patron of the work that the vaulting "Ther shal be no one so goodeley, neither in England nor in France" and the vaulting and the
clerestory
In architecture, a clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey) is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both.
Historically, ''clerestory'' denoted an upper l ...
windows and walls of the
Henry VII's chapel
The Henry VII Lady Chapel, now more often known just as the Henry VII Chapel, is a large Lady chapel at the far eastern end of Westminster Abbey, paid for by the will of King Henry VII. It is separated from the rest of the abbey by brass gates a ...
at
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, Bu ...
, between 1506 and 1509, though Robert Virtue was dead by then and William is thought to be entirely responsible.
He advised
John Wastell
John Wastell (1518) was an English gothic architect and master mason responsible for the fan vaulted ceiling and other features of King's College Chapel, Cambridge, the crossing tower (Bell Harry Tower) of Canterbury Cathedral, and sections of bot ...
about the design for the
fan vault
A fan vault is a form of vault used in the Gothic style, in which the ribs are all of the same curve and spaced equidistantly, in a manner resembling a fan. The initiation and propagation of this design element is strongly associated with Eng ...
ed ceiling at
King's College Chapel, Cambridge
King's College Chapel is the chapel of King's College in the University of Cambridge. It is considered one of the finest examples of late Perpendicular Gothic English architecture and features the world's largest fan vault. The Chapel was bui ...
,. The fan vault over the crossing at
St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle in England is a castle chapel built in the late-medieval Perpendicular Gothic style. It is both a Royal Peculiar (a church under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch) and the Chapel of the Order of the Gar ...
in 1528 finished after his death was his last known architectural work.
[page 656, Geoffrey Tyack, Simon Bradley & Nikolaus Pevsner, Buildings of England Berkshire, 2010, Yale University Press]
Gallery of architectural work
File:Bath.abbey.fan.vault.arp.jpg, Fan Vault, Bath Abbey, the vault by Virtue is in the distance, in the chancel, the nearer vault is a Victorian copy by Sir George Gilbert Scott
Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started ...
File:Castell de Windsor - Capella de Sant Jordi.JPG, St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, vaulting, the vault by Vertue is the fan vault over the crossing
File:Westminster abbey16.jpg, Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, main vault
File:Henry7Chapel 07.jpg, Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, aisle vault
File:Henry7Chapel 04.jpg, Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, exterior from the south-east
File:Henry7Chapel 01.jpg, Henry VII's chapel, Westminster Abbey, interior looking west
References
Architects from Somerset
Gothic architects
1527 deaths
Year of birth unknown
15th-century English people
16th-century English architects
{{England-architect-stub