John Martin Robinson FSA (born 1948) is a British architectural historian and officer of arms. He was born in

Preston, Lancashire Preston () is a city on the north bank of the River Ribble in Lancashire, England. The city is the administrative centre of the county of Lancashire and the wider City of Preston local government district. Preston and its surrounding distr ...

, and educated at

Fort Augustus Abbey Fort Augustus Abbey, properly St. Benedict's Abbey, at Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire, Scotland, was a Benedictine monastery, from late in the nineteenth century to 1998 that also housed a school for young boys until 1993. Inception It owed its ...

, a

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

school in Scotland, the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

(graduating MA and awarded D.LITT in 2002) and then in 1970 arrived at

Oriel College, Oxford Oriel College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title formerly claimed by University College, ...

, to prepare for a

DPhil A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

. The doctoral degree was awarded in 1974 for work on the architect

Samuel Wyatt Samuel Wyatt (8 September 1737, Weeford, Staffs. – London, 8 February 1807) was an English architect and engineer. A member of the Wyatt family, which included several notable 18th- and 19th-century English architects, his work was primarily in a ...

. He worked for the

Greater London Council The Greater London Council (GLC) was the top-tier local government administrative body for Greater London from 1965 to 1986. It replaced the earlier London County Council (LCC) which had covered a much smaller area. The GLC was dissolved in 198 ...

Historic Buildings Division from 1974 to 1986, where he worked inter alia as architectural editor of the Survey of London, and Historic Buildings Inspector for Westminster, and also revised the Statutory Lists of Historic Buildings for 2 east London boroughs. As an independent consultant since 1988 he has advised on the restoration of numerous country houses, churches and other listed buildings. His contribution to the Conservation Plan for 7 Dials and

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

in London won the 1998 Camden Environmental Award. He also wrote the Conservation Plan for the

Ashmolean Museum The Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology () on Beaumont Street, Oxford, England, is Britain's first public museum. Its first building was erected in 1678–1683 to house the cabinet of curiosities that Elias Ashmole gave to the University o ...

, Oxford, in association with Rick Mather Architects. He has been an Architectural Writer for ''Country Life'' for over 40 years contributing nearly 400 articles and reviews. As chairman of the Art and Architecture Committee of Westminster Cathedral he has overseen the completion of the mosaics in St George's and St Joseph's chapels, the Vaughan Chantrey and several individual panels. Robinson was Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary at the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sover ...

from 1982 and is now Maltravers Herald Extraordinary. In 1978 he was appointed Librarian to the Duke of Norfolk

Earl Marshal Earl marshal (alternatively marschal or marischal) is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England (then, following the Act of Union 1800, in the U ...

. Robinson is also a Knight of Magistral Grace of the

Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...

. He lives at Beckside House,

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. ...

, and is an active member of the Georgian Group of which he was a trustee and vice-chairman for 20 years, acquiring their HQ Adam townhouse in Fitzroy Square, setting up the Casework committee, and instituting the Young Georgians, and founding and presiding over the Annual conservation Awards for 10 years from 2003 to 2013. He served on the North West Regional Committee of the National Trust for 10 Years and is Heraldic Adviser to the National Trust. He was a trustee of the Lakeland Arts Trust for 25 years, and served on the Council of the Society of Antiquaries, the council of the National Records Association, and is a trustee of

Arundel Castle Arundel Castle is a restored and remodelled medieval castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England. It was established during the reign of Edward the Confessor and completed by Roger de Montgomery. The castle was damaged in the English Civil War a ...

Burghley House Burghley House () is a grand sixteenth-century English country house near Stamford, Lincolnshire. It is a leading example of the Elizabethan prodigy house, built and still lived in by the Cecil family. The exterior largely retains its Elizabet ...

and Wilton House. He was a founder member of the Friends of Christ Church Spitalfields and helped establish the music Festival there. His scholarly book on James Wyatt is the definitive treatment of the subject. His ''New Georgian Handbook'', written jointly with Alexandra Artley of Harpers Magazine, was the architectural face of the

Young Fogey "Young fogey" is a term humorously applied, in British context, to some younger-generation, rather buttoned-down men, many of whom were writers and journalists. The term is attributed to Alan Watkins writing in 1984 in ''The Spectator''. However ...

movement and has become collectable.

Bibliography

* ''The Observations of Humphrey Repton'' (Phaidon 1978) * ''The Wyatts: An Architectural Dynasty'' (1979) Foreword by Woodrow Wyatt,

Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print book ...

, * ''Georgian Model Farms: A Study of Decorative and Model Farm Buildings in the Age of Improvement, 1700–1846'' (1982) Oxford University Press . * ''Royal Residences'' (Macdonald 1982) * ''The Dukes of Norfolk'' (1983 & 1995) . * ''The Latest Country Houses: 1945–83'' (1984) The Bodley Head Ltd, . * ''The New Georgian Handbook''. JMR & Alexandra Artley (Harpers 1985) * ''Arundel's Remembrances'' (1987). * ''Cardinal Consalvi 1757–1824'' (1987)

The Bodley Head The Bodley Head is an English publishing house, founded in 1887 and existing as an independent entity until the 1970s. The name was used as an imprint of Random House Children's Books from 1987 to 2008. In April 2008, it was revived as an adul ...

. * ''The Oxford Guide to Heraldry'' (1988) John Martin Robinson & Thomas Woodcock, Oxford University Press, . * ''The Country House at War'' (1989) The Bodley Head Ltd, , . * ''The English Country Estate'' (Century Hutchinson/ National Trust 1988) * ''Chatto Curiosities - Heraldry'' (Chatto & Windus 1989) * ''Temples of Delight:

Stowe Landscape Gardens Stowe or Stowe Gardens, formerly Stowe Landscape Gardens, are extensive, Grade I listed gardens and parkland in Buckinghamshire, England. Largely created in the eighteenth century the gardens at Stowe are arguably the most significant example of ...

'' (1990) , . * ''A Guide to the Country Houses of the North West'' (1991) Constable, . * ''Arundel Castle'' (1994). * ''Treasures of English Churches'' (Sinclair Stevenson 1995) * ''Uppark Restored''. JMR & Christopher Rowell (National Trust 1996) * ''The National Trust Guide to Heraldry''. JMR & Thomas Woodcock (National Trust 1999) * '' Francis Johnson Architect'' (2001) J. M. Robinson & David Neave, Oblong Creative, . * ''The Staffords'' (Phillimore 2002) * ''Buckingham Palace. The Official Illustrated History'' (2004) * ''Windsor Castle. The Official Illustrated History'' (2004) * ''The Regency Country House'' (2005) * ''The Regency Country House'' (2005)

Aurum Press The Quarto Group is a global illustrated book publishing group founded in 1976. It is domiciled in the United States and listed on the London Stock Exchange. Quarto creates and sells illustrated books for adults and children, across 50 countr ...

, . * ''Grass Seed in June – The Making of an Architectural Historian'' (autobiography) (2006) Michael Russell (Publishing) Ltd, . * ''Arundel Castle'' (2011). * ''Felling the Ancient Oaks: How England Lost its Great Country Estates'' (2011) Aurum Press Ltd, . * ''James Wyatt. Architect to George III'' (Yale 2013) * ''Requisitioned: The British Country House in the Second World War'' (2014) Aurum Press * ''The

Travellers Club The Travellers Club is a private gentlemen's club situated at 106 Pall Mall in London, United Kingdom. It is the oldest of the surviving Pall Mall clubs and one of the most exclusive, having been established in 1819. It was described as "the ...

: A Bicentennial History'' (2018) ;Magazine articles * "A. D. Profile 22: Hawksmoor's Christ Church, Spitalfields" - contributor - ''

Architectural Design Building design refers to the broadly based architectural, engineering and technical applications to the design of buildings. All building projects require the services of a building designer, typically a licensed architect. Smaller, less complica ...

'', 7/1979 C. Amery, R. W. Chitham, K. Downes, M. Gillingham, J. Kenworthy-Browne, R. A. Beddard, J. M. Robinson, G. Stamp. pp. 1–32. * "Cameron discoveries" in: ''

Architectural Review ''The Architectural Review'' is a monthly international architectural magazine. It has been published in London since 1896. Its articles cover the built environment – which includes landscape, building design, interior design and urbanism ...

'', 1982, 1030. J. M. Robinson, D. Shvidkovsky. pp. 42–51 – includes bibliographical references. * "The Signior" in: ''AA-Files'', 1985, 8 J. M. Robinson. pp. 108–109 – book review. * "In pursuit of excellence" in: '' Country Life'', 1979, 4277 J. M. Robinson. pp. 2113–2114. * "Classical quartet: new country houses" in: ''Country Life'', 35/1990 J. M. Robinson. pp. 74–77. * "No. 20 St James's Square, London" in: ''Country Life'', 44/1989 J. M. Robinson pp. 152–157. * "Pavilions to pleasure" in: ''Country Life'', 14/1989 K. Powell, J. Glancey, J. M. Robinson. pp. 132–133. * "Scraping the ceiling" in: ''Country Life'', 16/1989 J. M. Robinson. pp. 192–193.

Arms

References

External links

Full text of doctoral thesis, "Samuel Wyatt, architect"
via Oxford Research Archive {{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, John Martin 1948 births Alumni of Oriel College, Oxford English architectural historians English officers of arms Living people Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London English Roman Catholics Knights of Malta Writers from Preston, Lancashire English architecture writers Country Life (magazine) people