58-516: Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyens OM KCIE PRA FRIBA ( / ˈ l ʌ t j ə n z / LUT -yənz ; 29 March 1869 – 1 January 1944) was an English architect known for imaginatively adapting traditional architectural styles to the requirements of his era. He designed many English country houses , war memorials and public buildings. In his biography, the writer Christopher Hussey wrote, "In his lifetime (Lutyens)
116-694: A Stone of Remembrance , designed by him. The best known of these monuments are The Cenotaph in Whitehall , Westminster , and the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme , Thiepval . The Cenotaph was originally commissioned by David Lloyd George as a temporary structure to be the centrepiece of the Allied Victory Parade in 1919. Lloyd George proposed a catafalque , a low empty platform, but it
174-491: A bridge over the River Liffey (unbuilt) and two tiered sunken gardens; Heywood House Gardens , County Laois (open to the public), consisting of a hedge garden, lawns, tiered sunken garden and a belvedere; extensive changes and extensions to Lambay Castle, Lambay Island , near Dublin, consisting of a circular battlement enclosing the restored and extended castle and farm building complex, upgraded cottages and stores near
232-485: A house for Jekyll at Munstead Wood near Godalming , Surrey. It was the beginning of a professional partnership that would define the look of many Lutyens country houses. The "Lutyens–Jekyll" garden had hardy shrubbery and herbaceous plantings within a structural architecture of stairs and balustraded terraces. This combined style, of the formal with the informal, exemplified by brick paths, herbaceous borders, and with plants such as lilies, lupins, delphiniums and lavender,
290-465: A means to acknowledge "exceptionally meritorious service in Our Navy and Our Army, or who may have rendered exceptionally meritorious service towards the advancement of Art, Literature and Science". All modern aspects of the order were established under his direction, including the division for military figures. From the outset, prime ministers attempted to propose candidates or lobbied to influence
348-730: A member of the newly created Royal Fine Art Commission , a position he held until his death. While work continued in New Delhi, Lutyens received other commissions including several commercial buildings in London and the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Washington, D.C. . In 1924 he completed the supervision of the construction of what is perhaps his most popular design: Queen Mary's Dolls' House . This four-storey Palladian villa
406-659: A more conventional Classicism , a change of direction which had a profound influence on wider British architectural practice. His commissions were of a varied nature from private houses to two churches for the new Hampstead Garden Suburb in London to Julius Drewe 's Castle Drogo near Drewsteignton in Devon and on to his contributions to India's new imperial capital , New Delhi (where he worked as chief architect with Herbert Baker and others). Here he added elements of local architectural styles to his classicism, and based his urbanisation scheme on Mughal water gardens. He also designed
464-740: A neck ribbon (as a necklet ), while women wear theirs on a ribbon bow pinned to the left shoulder, and aides-de-camp may wear the insignia on their aiguillettes . Since 1991, the insignia must be returned upon the recipient's death. number appointment There have been no honorary members of the Order of Merit since the death of the last such member, Nelson Mandela , in December 2013. Secretary and Registrar : Robin Janvrin, Baron Janvrin GCB , GCVO , QSO , PC As
522-475: A number of projects, including Lindisfarne Castle and the Country Life headquarters building in London, at 8 Tavistock Street . One of his assistants in the 1890s was Maxwell Ayrton . By the turn of the century, Lutyens was recognised as one of architecture's coming men. In his major study of English domestic buildings, Das englische Haus , published in 1904, Hermann Muthesius wrote of Lutyens, "He
580-561: Is The Salutation , a house in Sandwich, Kent, England. Built in 1911–1912 with a 3.7-acre (1.5 ha) garden, it was commissioned by Henry Farrer , one of three sons of Sir William Farrer . Lutyens heavily influenced Sigurd Frosterus when he designed Vanajanlinna Manor in Finland . He was knighted in 1918 and elected a Royal Academician in March 1920. In 1924, he was appointed
638-885: Is a young man who has come increasingly to the forefront of domestic architects and who may soon become the accepted leader among English builders of houses". The bulk of Lutyens's early work consisted of private houses in an Arts and Crafts style, strongly influenced by Tudor architecture and the vernacular styles of south-east England. This was the most innovative phase of his career. Important works of this period include Munstead Wood, Tigbourne Court , Orchards and Goddards in Surrey , Deanery Garden and Folly Farm in Berkshire, Overstrand Hall in Norfolk and Le Bois des Moutiers in France. After about 1900 this style gave way to
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#1732773234332696-713: Is also known as " Lutyens' Delhi ". In collaboration with Sir Herbert Baker , he was also the main architect of several monuments in New Delhi such as the India Gate ; he also designed the Viceroy's House, which is now known as the Rashtrapati Bhavan . Many of his works were inspired by Indian architecture. He was elected Master of the Art Workers' Guild in 1933. Lutyens was born in Kensington , London,
754-509: Is built on an area of some 330 acres (130 ha) and incorporates a private garden also designed by Lutyens. The building was designed as the official residence of the Viceroy of India and is now the official residence of the President of India . The Delhi Order columns at the front entrance of the palace have bells carved into them, which, it has been suggested, Lutyens had designed with
812-627: The Buildings of England series , while noting that; "the genius and the charlatan were very close together in Lutyens". In the introduction to the catalogue for the 1981 Lutyens exhibition at the Hayward Gallery , the architectural writer Colin Amery described Lutyens as "the builder of some of our finest country houses and gardens". In 2015 a memorial to Lutyens by the sculptor Stephen Cox
870-625: The Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, First Lord of the Admiralty Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham and William Pitt exchanged correspondence concerning the possible creation of an order of merit, though nothing came of the idea. Later, Queen Victoria , her courtiers , and politicians alike, thought that a new order, based on the Prussian order Pour le Mérite , would make up for the insufficient recognition offered by
928-524: The Court of St. James's . Between 1915 and 1928, Lutyens also produced designs for a new palace for the Duke of Alba's younger brother, Hernando Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duke of Peñaranda . The palace of El Guadalperal, as it was to be called, would have been, if built, Edwin Lutyens's largest country house. Lutyens married Lady Emily Bulwer-Lytton (1874–1964) on 4 August 1897 at Knebworth , Hertfordshire. She
986-552: The Delhi Order and was used by him for several designs in England, such as Campion Hall, Oxford . Unlike the more traditional British architects who came before him, he was both inspired by and incorporated various features from the local and traditional Indian architecture—something most clearly seen in the great drum-mounted Buddhist dome of Viceroy's House, now Rashtrapati Bhavan . This palatial building, containing 340 rooms,
1044-471: The Ernest George and Harold Peto architectural practice. It was here that he first met Sir Herbert Baker . For many years he worked from offices at 29 Bloomsbury Square , London. He began his own practice in 1888, his first commission being a private house at Crooksbury, Farnham, Surrey . During this work, he met the garden designer and horticulturalist Gertrude Jekyll . In 1896 he began work on
1102-612: The Hyderabad House for the last Nizam of Hyderabad , as his Delhi palace and planned the layout for the Janpath and Rajpath roads. Before the end of World War I , he was appointed one of three principal architects for the Imperial War Graves Commission (now Commonwealth War Graves Commission ) and was involved with the creation of many monuments to commemorate the dead . Larger cemeteries have
1160-595: The Liria Palace , a neoclassical building which was severely damaged during the Spanish Civil War . The palace was originally built in the 18th century for James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick , and still belongs to his descendants. Lutyens's reconstruction was commissioned by Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 17th Duke of Alba . The Duke had been in contact with Lutyens while serving as the Spanish ambassador to
1218-588: The Royal Air Force and, in 1969, the definition of honorary recipients was expanded to include members of the Commonwealth of Nations that are not realms. The order has always been open to women, Florence Nightingale being the first woman to receive the honour, in 1907. Several individuals have refused admission into the Order of Merit, including Rudyard Kipling , A. E. Housman , and George Bernard Shaw . Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh , remains
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#17327732343321276-497: The "Order of Minerva " with membership restricted to 24 distinguished artists and authors. Knights would be entitled to the post-nominal letters KM , and would wear a silver nine-pointed breast star with the image of Minerva at its centre, along with a "straw-coloured" sash worn across the chest from the right shoulder. The motto of the Order would be "Omnia posthabita scientiae" (in Latin , 'Everything comes after science'). Once
1334-557: The "youth of Ireland", and it has been a hostel ever since. Largely designed by Lutyens over 20 or so years (1912 to 1930), New Delhi, situated within the metropolis of Delhi , popularly known as ' Lutyens' Delhi ', was chosen to replace Calcutta as the seat of the British Indian government in 1911; the project was completed in 1929 and officially inaugurated in 1931. In undertaking this project, Lutyens invented his own new order of classical architecture, which has become known as
1392-773: The British Raj, Lutyens was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (KCIE) on 1 January 1930. As a chivalric order, the KCIE knighthood held precedence over his earlier bachelor knighthood . A bust of Lutyens in the former Viceroy's House is the only statue of a Westerner left in its original position in New Delhi. Lutyens's work in New Delhi is the focus of Robert Grant Irving 's book Indian Summer . In spite of his monumental work in India, Lutyens held views on
1450-624: The Indian traders would participate in "the grand shopping centre for the residents of Shahjahanabad and New Delhi", thus giving rise to the D-shaped market seen today. Many of the garden-ringed villas in the Lutyens' Bungalow Zone (LBZ)—also known as Lutyens' Delhi—that were part of Lutyens's original scheme for New Delhi are under threat due to the constant pressure for development in Delhi. The LBZ
1508-573: The King's proposal was made public, however, arguments within intellectual circles over who would be most deserving of the new order grew so heated that George ultimately dropped the idea, though he briefly reconsidered it in 1789; on 6 February of that year, he revised the design of the order, with the breast star to have sixteen points, the motto to be the Latin for "Learning improves character" and with membership to include distinguished scientists. Following
1566-477: The Order of Merit is open to the citizens of 15 countries, each with their own system of orders, decorations, and medals, the order's place of precedence varies from country to country. While, in the United Kingdom, the order's postnominal letters follow those of Knights and Dames Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath , membership in the Order of Merit itself gives members no place in any of the orders of precedence in
1624-425: The Order of Merit, members are entitled to use the post-nominal letters OM and are entrusted with the badge of the order. The insignia consists of a badge, which consists of a golden crown from which is suspended a red enamelled cross pattée , itself centred by a disk of blue enamel, surrounded by a laurel wreath . The obverse of the badge's central disk bears the words FOR MERIT in gold lettering, while
1682-837: The RIBA Royal Gold Medal in 1921, and the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal in 1925. In November 2015 the British government announced that all 44 of Lutyens's surviving First World War memorials in Britain had now been listed on the advice of Historic England , and were therefore all protected by law. This involved the one remaining memorial—the Gerrards Cross Memorial Building in Buckinghamshire —being added to
1740-786: The Royal Academy's planning for post-war London, an endeavour dismissed by Osbert Lancaster as "... not unlike what the new Nuremberg might have been had the Führer enjoyed the inestimable advantage of the advice and guidance of the late Sir Aston Webb ". Works in Ireland include the Irish National War Memorial Gardens in Islandbridge in Dublin , which consists of a bridge over the railway and
1798-461: The United Kingdom . However, Stanley Martin says in his book The Order of Merit 1902–2002: One Hundred Years of Matchless Honour , that the Order of Merit is the pinnacle of the British honours system. Similarly, though it was not listed in the Canadian order of precedence for honours, decorations, and medals until December 2010, Christopher McCreery, an expert on Canadian honours and secretary to
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1856-511: The architecture of the Empire – Hardinge wanted elements of the Indian vernacular for political reasons. An unapologetic spokesman of British imperialism he built the Viceroy's Palace as a symbol of glory of the Raj, and considered Indians to be primitive as yet on the verge of civilization who deserved to be ruled in perpetuity by the British. In Madrid , Lutyens's work can be seen in the interiors of
1914-461: The established honours system to achievement outside public service, in fields such as art, music, literature, industry and science. Victoria's husband, Albert, Prince Consort , took an interest in the matter; it was recorded in his diary that he met Sir Robert Peel on 16 January 1844 to discuss the "idea of institution of a civil Order of Merit" and, three days later, he conferred with the Queen on
1972-467: The harbour, a real tennis court, a large guest house (The White House), a boathouse and a chapel; alterations and extensions to Howth Castle , County Dublin ; the unbuilt Hugh Lane gallery straddling the River Liffey on the site of the Ha'penny Bridge and the unbuilt Hugh Lane Gallery on the west side of St Stephen's Green ; and Costelloe Lodge at Casla (also known as Costelloe), County Galway (that
2030-475: The idea that as the bells were silent the British rule would never come to an end. At one time, more than 2,000 people were required to care for the building and serve the Viceroy's household. The new city contains both the Parliament buildings and government offices (many designed by Herbert Baker) and was built distinctively of the local red sandstone using the traditional Mughal style. When composing
2088-414: The last person so honoured. Honorary members form another group, to which there is no numerical limit, though such appointments are rare; individuals from countries in the Commonwealth of Nations that are not headed by King Charles are therefore considered foreigners, and thus are granted only honorary admissions, such as Nelson Mandela (South Africa) and Mother Teresa (India). Upon admission into
2146-435: The later years of his life, Lutyens suffered with several bouts of pneumonia . In the early 1940s he was diagnosed with cancer . He died on 1 January 1944 and was cremated at East Finchley Crematorium in north London, also known as St Marylebone Crematorium. His ashes were interred in the crypt of St. Paul's Cathedral , beneath a memorial designed by his friend and fellow architect William Curtis Green . Lutyens received
2204-488: The list, plus a further fourteen having their statuses upgraded. For the Imperial Tobacco Company 's First World War memorial, installed in 1921 at its Bedminster Head Office, this protection arrived too late to prevent its destruction following the company's take-over in 1986 by Hanson Trust plc . The architectural critic Ian Nairn wrote of Lutyen's Surrey "masterpieces" in the 1971 Surrey volume of
2262-799: The monarch's decision on appointments. But, the Royal Household adamantly guarded information about potential names. After 1931, when the Statute of Westminster came into effect and the Dominions of the British Empire became independent countries within the empire, equal in status to the UK, the Order of Merit continued as an honour open to all these realms and, in many, became a part of their newly developing national honours systems. The order's statutes were amended in 1935 to include members of
2320-568: The order remains the personal gift of its Sovereign—currently Edward VII's great-great-grandson Charles III —and is restricted to a maximum of 24 living recipients from the Commonwealth realms, plus honorary members. While all members are awarded the right to use the post-nominal letters OM and wear the badge of the order, the Order of Merit's precedence among other honours differs between countries. In around 1773, George III considered establishing an order of knighthood to be called
2378-477: The peoples of the Indian sub-continent which would now be considered racist, although they were common at the time among many of his contemporaries. He thought the Indian Indo-Saracenic style was "formless, not of carved decoration, an anathema...hardly qualified as architecture at all." Endless battles were fought between him and Viceroy Hardinge over architectural style: Lutyens wanted classical,
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2436-404: The plans for New Delhi, Lutyens planned for the new city to lie southwest of the walled city of Shahjahanbad . His plans for the city also laid out the street plan for New Delhi consisting of wide tree-lined avenues. Built in the spirit of British colonial rule, the place where the new imperial city and the older native settlement met was intended to be a market. It was there that Lutyens imagined
2494-555: The post-nominal letters KMS , and the Order of Artistic Merit, for Knights of Merit in Art, with the post-nominal letters KMA . However, Frederic Leighton , President of the Royal Academy of Arts , advised against the new order, primarily because of its selection process. It was Victoria's son Edward VII who eventually founded the Order of Merit on 26 June 1902 (the date for which his coronation had been originally scheduled ) as
2552-447: The reigning monarch of the realms, currently Charles III , with the assistance of his private secretaries; the order has thus been described as "quite possibly, the most prestigious honour one can receive on planet Earth." Within the limited membership is a designated military division, with its own unique insignia; though it has not been abolished, it is currently unpopulated, Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma having been
2610-414: The reverse bears the royal cypher of the reigning monarch in gold. The insignia for the military grouping is distinguished by a pair of crossed swords behind the central disk. The ribbon of the Order of Merit is divided into two stripes of red and blue. The neck ribbon is 50mm in width, while the ribbon bar width is the standard British 32mm size for military or civilian wear. Men wear their badges on
2668-497: The subject. Though nothing came of the idea at the time, the concept did not wither and, more than 40 years later, on 5 January 1888, Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury submitted to the by then long-widowed Queen a draft constitution for an Order of Merit in Science and Art, consisting of one grade split into two branches of knighthood: the Order of Scientific Merit, for Knights of Merit in Science, with
2726-743: The tenth of thirteen children of Mary Theresa Gallwey (1832/33–1906) from Killarney , Ireland, and Captain Charles Augustus Henry Lutyens (1829–1915), a soldier and painter. His sister, Mary Constance Elphinstone Lutyens (1868–1951), wrote novels under her married name of Mrs George Wemyss. He grew up in Thursley , Surrey. He was named after a friend of his father, the painter and sculptor Edwin Henry Landseer . Lutyens studied architecture at South Kensington School of Art , London, from 1885 to 1887. After college he joined
2784-553: The youngest person ever inducted into the Order, having been admitted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1968, when he was 47 years old. Robin Eames , Baron Eames represented the order at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla on 6 May 2023. All citizens of the Commonwealth realms are eligible for appointment to the Order of Merit. There may be, however, only 24 living individuals in the order at any given time, not including honorary appointees, and new members are personally selected by
2842-537: Was Lutyens's idea for the taller monument. The design took less than six hours to complete. Lutyens also designed many other war memorials, and others are based on or inspired by Lutyens's designs. Examples of Lutyens's other war memorials include the War Memorial Gardens in Dublin, the Tower Hill memorial , the Manchester Cenotaph and the Arch of Remembrance memorial in Leicester. Lutyens also refurbished Lindisfarne Castle for its wealthy owner. One of Lutyens's smaller works, but considered one of his masterpieces,
2900-406: Was Sir Frederick Gibberd . In 1945, a year after his death, A Plan for the City & County of Kingston upon Hull was published. Lutyens worked on the plan with Sir Patrick Abercrombie and they are credited as its co-authors. Abercrombie's introduction in the plan makes special reference to Lutyens's contribution. The plan was, however, rejected by Hull City Council . He was also involved in
2958-547: Was built in 1/12 scale and is now a permanent exhibit in the public area of Windsor Castle . It was not conceived or built as a plaything for children; its goal was to exhibit the finest British craftsmanship of the period. Lutyens was commissioned in 1929 to design a new Roman Catholic cathedral in Liverpool . He planned a vast building of brick and granite, topped with towers and a 510-foot (160 m) dome, with commissioned sculpture work by Charles Sargeant Jagger and W. C. H. King . Work on this building started in 1933, but
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#17327732343323016-430: Was erected in Apple Tree Yard, Mayfair, London, adjacent to the studio where Lutyens prepared the designs for New Delhi. Member of the Order of Merit The Order of Merit (French: Ordre du Mérite ) is an order of merit for the Commonwealth realms , recognising distinguished service in the armed forces, science, art, literature, or the promotion of culture. Established in 1902 by Edward VII , admission into
3074-411: Was halted during World War II . After the war, the project ended due to a shortage of funding, with only the crypt completed. A model of Lutyens's unrealised building was given to and restored by the Walker Art Gallery in 1975 and is now on display in the Museum of Liverpool . The architect of the present Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral , which was built over part of the crypt and consecrated in 1967,
3132-423: Was in contrast to the formal bedding schemes favoured by the previous generation in the 19th century. This "natural" style was to define the "English garden" until modern times. Lutyens's fame grew largely through the popularity of the new lifestyle magazine Country Life created by Edward Hudson , which featured many of his house designs. Hudson was a great admirer of Lutyens's style and commissioned Lutyens for
3190-485: Was placed on the 2002 World Monuments Fund Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. None of the bungalows in the LBZ were designed by Lutyens—he only designed the four bungalows in the Presidential Estate surrounding Rashtrapati Bhavan at Willingdon Crescent, now known as Mother Teresa Crescent. Other buildings in Delhi that Lutyens designed include Baroda House , Bikaner House , Hyderabad House , and Patiala House . In recognition of his architectural accomplishments for
3248-467: Was third daughter of Edith (née Villiers) and the 1st Earl of Lytton , a former Viceroy of India . Lady Emily had proposed to Lutyens two years before the wedding, and her parents disapproved of the marriage. Their marriage was largely unsatisfactory, practically from the start, with Lady Emily developing interests in theosophy , Eastern religions, and being drawn both emotionally and philosophically to Jiddu Krishnamurti . They had five children: During
3306-458: Was used for refuge by J. Bruce Ismay , the Chairman of the White Star Line , following the sinking of the RMS Titanic ). In 1907, Lutyens designed Tranarossan House , located just north of Downings on the Rosguill Peninsula on the north coast of County Donegal . The house was built of local granite for Mr and Mrs Phillimore, from London, as a holiday home. In 1937, Mrs Phillimore donated it to An Óige (Irish Youth Hostels Association) for
3364-432: Was widely held to be our greatest architect since Wren if not, as many maintained, his superior". The architectural historian Gavin Stamp described him as "surely the greatest British architect of the twentieth (or of any other) century". Lutyens played an instrumental role in the construction of New Delhi , which would later on serve as the seat of the Government of India . In recognition of his contribution, New Delhi
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