The Oxford Movement, an eminent Tractarian, Sir William Butterfield (1814-1900), Architect

 


The Assize Sermon of Keble in 1833 fuelled the development of the Oxford Movement, focussing on the activities of Keble, Newman, Pusey, Manning and several others. In particular on the Tracts that were published by members of the group led to the term The Tractarian Movement being used to describe the group and its followers. Sir William Butterfield was an architect who became involved in the Cambridge Camden Society in 1842. This society was founded by two Oxford undergraduates, Benjamin Webb and John Mason Neale, who were evangelicals but became advocates of the Tractarian Movement after reading the Tracts. Butterfield contributed to the Society’s Journal, the Ecclesiologist. This journal had a list of “Architects Approved” and “Architects condemned”. Butterfield was on the approved list whereas Charles Barry was one of those condemned. In 1854 Butterfield parted company with the Society, as he was just beginning to establish his reputation as an “Anglican Pugin”.

In the eighteenth century “Gothic” when applied to architecture was regarded as a perjorative description. A.W.N. Pugin then led an architectural revival returning its interpretation to that of a simple elegance. Butterfield operated within this style becoming known for his designs of Adelaide Cathedral and All Saints, St. Margaret Street London. These were parishes where the churches operated on Tractarian principles and among the congregation at All Saints were William Gladstone and William Butterfield himself (due to the presence of Frederick Oakley, a leading Tractarian divine).

At All Saints the new church was built in 1849 and described as the “model of Tractarian Revival”, using different coloured bricks (causing offence to some). This was a feature of Butterfield’s designs and led to another of his works, Keble College Chapel in Oxford being described as “holy Zebra style”, whilst some criticised his design for Rugby College Chapel as “uncouth”. Butterfield absorbed from Pugin the concept of “moral integrity” in architecture, whereby the design of a building should reflect its inner purpose and function. In the case of a church the worship and glorification of God. For Butterfield the “Truthfulness” of his architecture reflected his commitment to the Tractarian Revival. His town churches always dominated their settings because Butterfield believed churches should be a constant reminder of God’s presence with his people. Do you see evidence of moral integrity in contemporary architecture? Does it matter?

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