Gwilt, Joseph

Gwilt, Joseph (1784–1863). English architect, he was the younger son of George Gwilt (1746–1807), and designed in various eclectic styles, but is better known as a writer. His works include A Treatise on the Equilibrium of Arches (1811), an edition of Chambers's Treatise on the Decorative Part of Civil Architecture (1825), which included a new section on Greek architecture, a translation of Vitruvius (1826), and the very important expanded version of his Rudiments of Architecture of 1826, An Encyclopaedia of Architecture, Historical, Theoretical, and Practical (1842—work on which was partly carried out by his son, John Sebastian Gwilt (1811–90) ), with many subsequent editions, the last three of which were enlarged by Wyatt Papworth. His brother, George Gwilt (1775–1856), rebuilt the steeple of Wren's Church of St Mary-le-Bow, London (1818–20), and carried out works at Southwark Cathedral (then the Church of St Mary Overie) in 1818–33.

Bibliography

Colvin (1995);
Gwilt (1811, 1818, 1822, 1825, 1826, 1826a, 1837, 1848, 1903);
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (1917);
Pevsner (ed.) (1972)