- Roger Morris (1695-1749)
Roger Morris (
London ,19 April 1695 —31 January 1749 ) [Dates, and much of the other information in this article, are fromHoward Colvin , "A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840", 3rd ed. (Yale University Press) 1995, "s.v." "Roger Morris".] was an English architect whose connection withColen Campbell ["He was Campbell's assistant through the 1720s," John Harris remarked, noting Morris's drawing of Campbell's design for Pembroke House, Whitehall, of 1723, in the Wilton archives (Harris, "An English Neo-Palladian Episode and Its Connections with Visentini in Venice" "Architectural History" 27 ["Design and Practice in British Architecture: Studies in Architectural History Presented to Howard Colvin", 1984:231-240] p. 232).] brought him to the attention ofHenry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke , with whom Morris collaborated on a long series of projects.Morris received thorough practical training as a bricklayer, as he was described in 1724, when he built a house for himself on the Harley estate in
Oxford Street, London , but by 1730, in a larger house he built for himself in Green Street, he was described in the rates as a 'gentleman'. [Colvin 1995.] On his own account he was successfully involved in speculative building in London, which may have supported his position in life.Professionally his career was closely bound at first with Sir Andrew Fountaine, avirtuoso and amateur architect, at Narford, and then toColen Campbell , to whom he seems to have acted as assistant, as atStudley Royal in Yorkshire, [Colvin notes archival drawings by or attributed by Morris that are clkosely related to Campbell designs.] and Lord Pembroke, one of the 'architect earls'. Lord Pembroke's connoisseurship combined with Morris's practical experience producedMarble Hill House ("illustration, above right") forHenrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk , 1724-29; the White Lodge, Richmond 1727-28; [, 1736-37; and probably, Howard Colvin suggests, Westcombe House, Blackheath, near London, (ca 1730) which became Pembroke's own. [John Harris found that "so closely does it adhereto the idiosyncratic style employed by Morris in his eseparate capacity as an architect from under Pembroke's umbrella, that it must have been designed by hi8m, rather than Pembroke" (Harris, "The Water Tower at Houghton, Norfolk" "The Burlington Magazine" 111 No. 794 (May 1969:300) Morris's designs at Coombe Bank, Kent, or whitton Park, Middlesex, for comparison.; Harris adduces ] Lord Pembroke presented Morris with a silver cup in 1734 as a token of his regard for him. [Preserved by Morris's descendents, it was discussed and illustrated in "Country Life" 31 October 1952, p. 1409; noted by Colvin 1995, "loc. cit.".] Morris's ability and the recommendations of his well-placed patrons secured him a post in theOffice of Works , from which all designs for the Crown emanated. The new office of Clerk of the Works at Richmond New Park Lodge was created for him in 1727, when he was engaged in building the structure. In 1734 he succeeded in the post of Master Carpenter to the Office of Ordnance, [Colvin ("loc. cit.") suggests that Morris owed this post to his patron and friend John Campbell, Duke of Argyll, for whom he had been extending Adderbury House, Oxfordshire] which was worth £2 or £3000 a year, for works at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich and elsewhere. [Colvin 1995, "eo. loc.".] He was also appointed Surveyor to the Mint. [Sir Andrew Fountaine had been appointed Warden of the Mint in 1727, Colvin notes.]John Morris's Palladian villa in town, at 12, Grosvenor Square (1727, for
John Aislabie ) has been thoroughly dissected by the "Survey of London" [F.H.W. Sheppard, ed., "Survey of London", vol. XL: The Grosvenor Estate in London. Part II:The Buildings.] Morris's independent designs are not pale exercises in Palladianism by any means. "His villas, for example, were, and are, strikingly original in contrast to Campbell's," John Harris has observed, [Harris1969:300.] "and Carné's Seat atGoodwood characterises the individual style Morris bestowed upon temple buildings." John Harris has demonstrated that Morris made a design for the Porter's Lodge atWilton House ,ca. 1733. [Harris 1984:231f.]Notes
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