Design drawing in pencil and ink on tracing paper for windows for Forthampton Court, Tewkesbury by Philip Webb. The drawing is inscribed with a note indicating it was sent on 11 June 1890. It shows numerous drawings and dimensions of windows for each room in the house, which were to be finished with lead glazing. Webb has indicated that the window details are the same as those in his design for Clouds House.
This drawing is part of a series that Webb drew for John Reginald Yorke. In 1889 and 1890 Yorke commissioned the architect to build a new house on the site of Forthampton Court, a decaying country home Yorke had recently inherited. Webb, however, was greatly concerned for historic preservation and convinced Yorke to renovate rather than demolish the existing structure. In early 1890 Webb drew numerous plans for the renovation and the addition of a new wing, many of which are in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Philip Speakman Webb (Oxford, 1831-Sussex, 1915) was a prominent British architect who designed numerous buildings throughout Great Britain. Known for his contributions to British vernacular architecture, Webb was also a skilled draughtsman, and designer of tableware, tiles, stained glass, and furniture. He also designed gravestones and memorials for his friends and clients. Webb lent his hand to many collaborative projects and worked closely with his colleagues, namely William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and Edward Burne Jones. His precise drawings of animals, particularly birds, frequently adorn tiles, stained glass, textiles, and wallpaper produced by Morris and Co. Webb is best known for designing Morris’ Red House in Bexleyheath, as well as Clouds House, Naworth Castle, and several London town houses. Among his other accomplishments, Webb is attributed with laying the groundwork for the Arts and Crafts and Modern movements, establishing longstanding principles in historic preservation, and creating some of the most influential designs still studied and celebrated today.