John Carr of York Architect 1723 -1807

Born at Horbury near Wakefield England

He was the eldest of nine children and the son of a master mason, under whom he trained. He started an independent career in 1748 and continued until shortly before his death. During his long life there were several major changes in architectural style. His early work is a mixture of the Palladian and the Rococo. He then sought a purer Antique Roman style with occasional French influences before adapting the currently fashionable style associated with Robert Adam. At the end of his life he returned to the bolder Palladian style of his youth but with detail that looked forward to 19th century usage.

He decided to remain in Yorkshire rather than move to London because he calculated that there was ample patronage and the wealth to sustain it. No job was too small. His largest work, only partially finished, was the St Antonio Hospital in Oporto Portugal.

Carr’s own favourite work was the Crescent at Buxton Derbyshire England. An early example of multifunctional architecture. As well as hotels and lodging houses, it contained Assembly Rooms shops a post office and a public promenade all under one roof. On a smaller scale, the same is true of his Newark Town Hall.

Other public buildings included hospitals e.g. Lincoln and York, racecourse Grandstands e.g. York Doncaster and Nottingham; prisons at Wakefield and Northallerton. His work as a bridgemaster to the West and North Riding of Yorkshire as well as privately brought him almost eighty commissions almost all of which still stand. He designed new churches as well as repairing old ones. His single span roof construction allowed him to build without the traditional subdivision into nave and aisles.

His commissions for country houses included model villages and farms, stable blocks, a variety of gate lodges and gateways, garden temples and other ornamental buildings.

He took particular care with their planning and construction in order to maximise value for money for both the immediate patron and for the buildings future long term maintance. He used traditional materials and methods of construction where these had proved sound, but adopted new methods and materials where these could be shown to have an advantage. He liked well proportioned rooms which were satisfactory living spaces with or without decorative enrichment. In his view the latter could be provided later if money permitted. As a result most of his buildings were completed and because of the soundness of construction most survive.

Among the buildings accessible in whole or part to members of the public are: Buxton Crescent Newark Town Hall, virtually all his bridges Harewood House Tabley House and Constable Burton Hall.

List of Works

dem = demolished

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

• York The Pikeing Well-House New Walk 1752-6
• York Grandstand Knavesmire Racecourse 1755-6 dem
• Beverley Assembly Rooms, 1761-3 dem
• Wakefield, The House of Correction , 1766-70.dem, Leeds, The General Infirmary, 1768-71.dem
• York, Assize Courts ,1773-7
• Nottingham ,RacecourseGrandstand,1777 dem
• Nottingham , Assembly Rooms, 1778 dem
• Kelso ,Roxb. design for Racecourse Grandstand, 1778
• York , The Female Prison , 1780-83
• Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Town Hall, 1787-8dem
• Lismore, Ireland, design for Session House 1799

• +Newark , Notts., Town Hall, Assembly Rooms and Market Hall,1773-6
• +Oporto, Portugal , The Hospital of San Antonio 1769- c.1843
• +York County Lunatic Asylum , 1774-7
• +Northallerton, Court House, dem. and House of Correction 1784-8
• +Buxton, Derbyshire, The Assembly Rooms in the Crescent 1779-90
• +Lincoln, County Hospital 1776Doncaster,Racecourse Grandstand, 1777-81 dem-7

CHURCHES

• Ravenfield, 1756;
• Kirkleatham, Payment for design, 1759;
• Dewsbury, Partly rebuilt 1765-7;
• Bierley , 1766; attributed:
• Boynton , largely rebuilt 1768-70;
• York Minster , survey and repairs 1770-3 and 1794-97;
• Sheffield, St. Peter, alterations 1773-5 ;
• Rokeby , completed church 1777-8;
• Denton,1776; attributed
• Ossington, Notts., 1782-3;
• Horbury, 1790-4.

BRIDGES

• Aysgarth (R.Ure), 1788;
• Ayton (R.Derwent), 1775;
• Bainbridge(Yore Bridge, R. Ure) 1793;
• Birdforth (Birdforth Beck ) 1798dem;
• Bow Bridge, (R.Rye), 1789;
• Catterick (R.Swale) 1792;
• Crambeck 1785;
• Croft (R. Tees), 1795;
• Danby Wiske , 1782;
• Downholme , (R.Swale) ,1773;
• East Row,Sandsend, nr. Whitby, 1777;
• Ellerbeck, nr. Osmotherley, 1790;
• Greta, nr.Rokeby, 1773;
• Grinton (R.Swale ), 1797;
• Hawnby (R.Rye ), 1800;
• Kilvington ( Spital Beck) , 1774dem;
• Low Bourn (R.Burn ), nr. Masham 1775;
• Morton on Swale (R.Swale) , 1800-3;
• South Otterington (R.Wiske) 1776;
• Reeth ( Arkle Beck ) , 1772-3;
• Riccall,nr. Helmsley, 1803;
• Richmond (R.Swale), 1789;
• Rutherford (R.Greta) , 1773;
• Skeeby nr. Richmond, 1782;
• Skipton on Swale, 1783;
• Strensall, (R.Foss),1798 ,
• Thirkleby, 1799;
• Thirsk Mill, Millgate, (over Cod Beck) 1789;
• York, Yearsley Bridge (R.Foss) 1794-5;
• West Riding:
• Carlton Ferry, nr. Snaith , (R.Aire)1774;
• Coniston Cold, (R.Aire) , 1763;
• Ferrybridge , (R.Aire), 1797-1804) ;
• Marle Bridge (R.Dearne) , nr. Darfield, 1766;
• Selby, 1795 in part for the wooden bridge at.
• North and East Ridings :
• Howsham Bridge not executed
• Kirkham Bridge not executed .

PRIVATE BRIDGES

• Blyth , Notts. , dated 1776, (now public);
• Denton Park, c. 1770;
• Harewood Park, Yorks. c. 1771;
• Norton Place Park, Lincs., c. 1776;
• Unexecuted bridge designs for Wentworth Woodhouse, Yorks.

DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE

(The following are in Yorkshire , unless otherwise stated)

• Kirby Hall, Ouseburn, 1747-c.55, dem.
• Huthwaite Hall,Thurgoland , 1748;
• Askham Hall, Askham Richard, Yorks.,c. 1750dem;
• Thorpe Arch Hall, 1750-4;
• Arncliffe Hall, Ingleby Arncliffe, c. 1750-4;
• York, No. 47,Bootham, 1752;
• Campsmount, Campsall nr. Doncaster , 1752-5 dem;
• Leeds, town house for J.Dixon 1753; Northallerton, 84 HighStreet, c.1754.
• Heath Hall, nr. Wakefield, , 1754-80;
• York, Petergate,house for J. Mitchell, 1755dem;
• York , Fairfax House, 27 Castlegate,c. 1755-62; Gilling Castle ,
• Plompton Hall, nr.Knaresborough, c. 1755-62;
• York , Garforth House, No. 54 Micklegate, c. 1755-7; *Lytham Hall , Lancs., 1757-64;
• Newby Hall, remodelling , c. 1758 -60;
• Everingham Hall1758-64;
• Kirklees Hall , alterations, 1759-60;
• Harewood House , 1755-71; (except the decoration of the principal rooms),
• Harewood village and other estate buildings;
• Kirkland Hall ,nr. Garstang , Lancs. 1760 ; attributed:
• Ravenfield Hall, nr. Rotherham, alterations,1760-70 dem;
• Tabley House, Cheshire, c. 1760-7;
• Hornby Castle ,c. 1760-70 partly dem;
• Wentworth Woodhouse, c. 1760- 1804,completed the house, and numerous important estate buildings.
• Clints Hall nr. Richmond, dem,
• York, Castlegate House, Castlegate, 1762-3;
• Campsall Hall , alterations, 1762-4 dem;
• Stapleton Park, c. 1762-4 dem;
• Grove Hall, nr. Retford , Notts. remodelled c. 1762 dem;
• Constable Burton , c.1762-8;
• Escrick Park, remodelled ,1763-5;
• White Windows , Sowerby Bridge,1763-8;
• Welbeck Abbey,Notts. 1763, 1774-7;
• Cannon Hall nr. Barnsley, 1764, 1778 onwards;
• Goldsborough Hall nr.Knaresborough, internal alterations ,1764-5;
• Swinton Park , nr.Masham , alterations 1764-7;
• Kirkleatham Hall ,remodelling , 1764-7dem;
• ?Swarland Hall , nr.Felton, Northumberland,1765 dem; attributed: Courteenhall, Northants., stables, after 1765;
• York, Skeldergate, his own house,1765-9dem;
• Aske Hall , c. 1765-9;
• Boynton Hall nr Bridlington, c.1765-80;
• Halifax, Somerset House and warehouse, c. 1766;
• Towneley Hall ,Lancs.,interiors , 1766-7,
• Pye Nest nr. Halifax, 1767dem;
• Thoresby House,Notts. 1767-71 dem;
• Bishop Auckland Castle,Co. Durham, alterations c.1767-72; attributed:
• Raby Castle, Co. Durham, remodelled,1768-88;
• Leeds , Bridge End,house for Mr. Green, before1769;
• Kilnwick Hall,remodelled 1769-72, 1781 dem;
• The Shay,nr. Halifax, c. 1770dem;
• Byram Hall and farm, nr.Ferrybridge, remodelled c. 1770, largely dem;
• Gledstone Hall and stables nr. Skipton, c. 1770 house dem; attributed:
• Aston Rectory, nr. Rotherham, c. 1770;
• Sedbury Park , nr. Richmond ,alterations c.1770 house dem;
• Denton Park , 1769-81;
• Chesters, nr. Hexham , Northumberland, 1771;
• Aston Hall, nr. Rotherham, 1760s;
• Thirsk Hall, additions,1771-3;
• London, Burlington House,Piccadilly], internal alterations , c. 1771-5dem;
• Ormesby Hall nr. Middlesbrough , stables and entrance lodge,c. 1772; attributed:
• Redbourne Hall, Lincs., alterations, 1773;
• Blyth Hall, Notts., 1773-6dem;
• Leventhorpe Hall , nr. Leeds,1774;
• Castle Howard, alterations and stables, 1774-82;
• Panton Hall, nr. Wragby, Lincs.,remodelling, 1775dem;
• Ribston Hall, nr. Knaresborough, alterations and stables, c. 1775; attributed:
• Norton Place ,Bishop Norton, Lincs. 1776;
• Billing Hall, Great Billing, Northants., 1776dem;
• Basildon House, Berks, 1776;
• Colwick Hall, Notts.,remodelled 1776;
• Middleton Lodge, Middleton Tyas, 1777-80;
• Sledmere, Castle Farm and designs for house 1778;
• Clifton Hall , Notts. alterations, 1778-97;
• Staunton in the Vale Hall, Notts, alterations 1778 -85;
• Bolling Hall, nr. Bradford, alterations 1779 -80;
• Thornes House, nr. Wakefield,designs for house, 1779-81dem;
• Langford Hall,Notts. c. 1780;
• Badsworth Hall, c, 1780dem;
• New Lodge , Wakefield Road, Barnsley, c. 1780;
• Wiganthorpe Hall, nr. Malton , c. 1780dem;
• Buxton ,Derbyshire, The Crescent, St. Ann’s Well, and Great Stables. 1779-90;
• Grimston Garth, nr. Aldborough, 1781-6;
• Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, internal redecoration, c. 1782-4;( and for the same patron, the repair of Hardwick Hall ).
• Clifton House, Rotherham,1783;
• Holker Hall, nr. Cartmel, Lancs., minor works c. 1783, 1787;
• Workington Hall, Cumberland, extensive remodelling, 1783-91,
• Belle Isle, Windermere, for the same patron. and minor changes to
• Sand Hutton Park, 1786dem;
• Eastwood House, Rotherham, 1786-7dem;
• Farnley Hall, nr. Otley, major extension, 1786-90;
• Castle William , Budby, Notts.,c. 1789;
• Durham Castle, remodelled gateway1791;
• Bretton Hall, alterations, 1790s;
• Wood Hall, nr.Wetherby, c. 1795;
• Fawley Court, Bucks., lodges, 1797-9;
• Belle Vue (Claife Viewing Station) nr. Hawkshead, Lancs., belvedere c. 1799;
• Coolattin Park (Malton House), Shillelagh, Co. Wicklow ,Ireland 1800-1808;
• Milton House, nr. Peterborough, Northants., internal alterations c. 1803 and orangery, 1788-9;
• Upleatham Hall , alterations, date uncertain;
• Tankersley Park, temple, date uncertain;
• Obelisk and monument: Knox’s Hill, Armagh, 1782-3;
• Bramham Park , after 1773; attributed:
• Wall monument,OtleyAll Saints, to Francis Fawkes of Farnley Hall, 1754, signed J Carr.
• Wall monument design for Buxton family ( Goodchild Collection Wakefield)

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