Jacobean architecture

Hatfield House is a red brick country house considered a prime example of Jacobean architecture. Built in 1611 by Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, it is a Grade I listed building located north of London.

1 Introduction
2 The transition from Elizabethan to Jacobean
3 Inigo Jones and the English classical tradition
4 Related articles on Designing Buildings

[edit] Introduction

Jacobean architecture is a style associated with King James VI of Scotland who later ruled as James I over the unified kingdoms of England and Ireland (as well as Scotland) from 1603 to 1625. Jacobean architecture is an early form of the Stuart architectural style which continued to evolve throughout the reign of the British House of Stuart. Some historians refer to the Stuart era as the golden age of British architecture. This period ended in 1714 with the death of the last Stuart ruler, Queen Anne.

[edit] The transition from Elizabethan to Jacobean

Influences of the preceding Elizabethan architectural style (named after Queen Elizabeth I) dominated early Jacobean architecture. Common features in both styles included classical, symmetric Italian and French style ornamentation (introduced during the English Renaissance) as well as gabled facades and decorative motifs such as strapwork carvings - looking almost like cut leather - from the Netherlands.

This c12th font at Codford St Peter has a c17th cover with strapwork carving.

Another shared characteristic was large windows with mullions and transoms (which in some cases grew so large as to dominate entire walls).

The Jacobean style gradually began to set itself apart from the Elizabethan style. This was initially apparent in the construction of large houses. These stately buildings were often designed in the shape of an E or H and excluded internal courtyards. Some houses included increasingly extravagant decorations of wood and plaster.

The church of St James in Runcton Holme has a Jacobean pulpit and sounding board.

This style of rich decoration gradually made its way into church furnishings, where wooden Jacobean pulpits began to replace the stone pulpits that were common in earlier periods. Renaissance decorative motifs as well as strapwork were sometimes incorporated into these pulpits, which may have been topped by a tester (or sounding board) adorned with small pendants.

[edit] Inigo Jones and the English classical tradition

The most noteworthy architect of the Jacobean period was Inigo Jones, who was appointed surveyor of works to the heir to the throne, Henry, prince of Wales in 1610. After the prince’s death in 1612, Jones succeeded Simon Basil as the king’s surveyor of works in 1615.

Influenced by the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio, Jones introduced the style of Palladian architecture to England after a trip he made to Italy in 1613 - 1614. It was during this trip that he picked up inspiration from the Renaissance architecture expressed in the works of Palladio.

Palladian designs were based on the symmetry and perspective of classical architecture, particularly the temples of the Ancient Greeks and Romans. It was characterised by proportions of mathematics and classical facades rather than ornament.

Some of the defining features of Palladianism included:

Corinthian columns.
Decorative motifs such as masked faces and scallop shells.
Pediments over doors and windows, both external and internal.
Terms – free-standing stones representing the head and upper torso of the Roman god Terminus, on top of a pillar.