This is a design drawing in pencil and ink on paper showing the bay window panelling of Forthampton Court, Tewkesbury, by Philip Webb. An inscription states that it was sent 21 Jan 1890. The drawing shows plans of the hall and details of the bay window panelling.
John Reginald Yorke commissioned Webb to build a new house on the site of Forthampton Court, a decaying country home Yorke had recently inherited. Guided by his own concern for historic preservation, Webb 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.