| Description | This series brings together architectural plans and maps in the collection of the dean and chapter. A small proportion of this material had been previously catalogued in a series with the reference MPD, standing for Maps, Plans and Diagrams. This catalogue no longer survives.
On its staff the cathedral employed a man who was responsible for the fabric of the cathedral. The holder of this office was usually called the clerk of works, although sometimes the term 'architect' was used. These were often trained architects and many of the plans in this catalogue were drawn up by these men. H G Austin, J H Spinks and C W Walker were all clerks of works.
Usually the cathedral also had a surveyor to the fabric on its staff, as well as a clerk of works. Harold Anderson, who drew up many of these plans, worked as the surveyor to the fabric between 1942 and 1968. He maintained an office in Canterbury and often signed plans using this address.
It is possible that some plans which do not relate to the cathedral's properties have strayed into the dean and chapter's collection because of outside business conducted by the surveyor and clerk of works.
The dean and chapter also appointed non-salaried 'cathedral architects'. These received commission for their services. Sir George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878) worked for the cathedral in this capacity, as did his son, George Gilbert junior, who finished off some of his father's projects after his death. Sir Arthur Blomfield also worked as the 'cathedral architect'.
Canterbury Cathedral also had a long association with William Douglas Caroe (1857-1938), lasting from 1901 until his death in 1938. The firm became known as Caroe and Passmore in 1903, after Herbert Passmore (1868-1966) began working for it. Alban D R Caroe, William Douglas's son, also joined the firm, which continued to do work for the dean and chapter until the 1940s. For further details, see J M Freeman, W D Caroe: his architectural achievement (Manchester, 1990).
Many of the plans are not signed by an architect. The architect's address is often given, however. Plans by W D Caroe and Caroe and Passmore can be identified by the address of the architects' premises, 3 Great College St, Westminster. Frequently plans were drawn up by subordinates in an architect's office rather than by the architict who actually signed them.
The Fabric series (DCc/Fabric) includes much material which corresponds to material in this catalogue, including some small plans.
20th-century files on individual properties belonging to the cathedral in the precincts and in the city can be found amongst the records of the cathedral's Estates department (DCc/ES), those of the surveyor to the fabric (DCc/SF), and those of the Receiver-General (DCc/CO and DCc/RG). Some of these files include further plans. These records form part of the dean and chapter's modern records, and access to them is restricted.
There is a separate series of 'Maps, plans and pictures' in the archive (Map). This includes maps from the city (CC), diocese (DCb), parish (U3) and unofficial deposit (U) collections as well as maps from the dean and chapter collection.
Relevant material amongst the Additional Manuscripts series in the archive includes
Add Ms 1 (sketch book of George Austin, sen, architect to the cathedral)
Add Ms 154 (altar frontal designs)
Add Ms 210 (sketch book of Henry George Austin)
Add Ms 291 (design by Hendrik Strik for the Corona altar)
Add Ms 302 (plans by W F Howard for South Close, The Precincts) |