'A W N Pugin'

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852) was born in London, the son of a French draughtsman Augustus Charles Pugin (1762-1832). He made a great number of sketches for architectural publications, mainly of Gothic architecture and decoration. In his teens he designed furniture for Windsor Castle. Soon he was operating his own business, and wrote several books on architecture, which exerted a strong influence on the Gothic architecture designed throughout the whole Victorian period. He was also a strong influence of John Ruskin and some of the early workers in the Arts and Crafts Movement.

He was a convert to Roman Catholicism, and designed a number of mainly Catholic churches. He was also responsible for some alteration work to monastic and collegiate buildings.

He designed schools and country houses, the best example of house being Scarisbrick Hall in Lancashire (1837), another being Alton Towers in Staffordshire (1840). His most important commission was the the Palace of Westminster, begun in 1840, with Sir Charles Barry, though there was bitter dispute at the time of the relative contribution of the two architects.

He died, insane, at the age of 40. His son, Edward Welby Pugin, continued his father's work, completing his outstanding projects.

Two guesthouses in Windermere - 1849 96: SD 414987 Alice Howe Guest House Boston Guest House

Alice Howe and Boston House are situated on The Terrace which is believed to date from 1849, and were probably some of the first houses to be built in Windermere. Windermere didn’t exist as a village until the advent of the railways in 1847, and this Terrace was built for railway executives. One of the fireplaces in the house is a copy of one of his in the Palace of Westminster. Other Places in Cumbria designed by A W N Pugin : Warwick Bridge Our Lady and St Wilfrid 1841 86: NY 476568