![[Inigo_Jones.jpg]] Portrait of Inigo Jones by William Hogarth, 1758, based on a 1636 painting by Anthony van Dyck (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
In the annals of British architecture, few figures loom as large as Inigo Jones. Born in 1573, Jones would go on to become England‘s first classically inspired architect, leaving an indelible mark on the country‘s built environment and earning the title "the father of British architecture."
Through his introduction of a new architectural vocabulary based on the principles of ancient Rome and the Italian Renaissance, Jones reshaped the landscape of 17th century England. His iconic works, from the Queen‘s House to Covent Garden, set the stage for a flowering of neo-Palladian architecture in the 18th century and beyond.
But Jones was more than just an architect. He was a visionary who helped usher in a new era of design, one that prized symmetry, proportion, and classical beauty over the ornate Gothic style that had previously prevailed. He was also a influential cultural figure, whose close ties to the Stuart court and innovations in theatre design made him a key shaper of aristocratic tastes and entertainer of the elite.
This article will delve into the life, works, and lasting legacy of Inigo Jones, exploring how this groundbreaking architect transformed England and laid the foundation for centuries of British design.
The Making of an Architectural Revolutionary
![[Italy_Jones.jpg]] Inigo Jones‘ travels to Italy exposed him to the classical architecture of ancient Rome and Palladio‘s villas, like the Villa Rotonda pictured here (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Inigo Jones was born in London in 1573 into a Welsh family. While little is definitively known about his early life and education, one event would shape his path like no other: a trip to Italy sponsored by a wealthy patron impressed by Jones‘ drawing abilities.
In Italy, Jones encountered the classical architecture of ancient Rome and the designs of 16th century architect Andrea Palladio. Palladio‘s work, which drew on the principles of ancient Roman architecture and adapted them for contemporary villas and palaces, would prove particularly influential. As historian John Summerson notes:
"The decisive moment in [Jones‘] formation came when he saw the buildings of Palladio in the Veneto. From that moment, Jones became a convinced Palladian and the rest of his career was largely devoted to spreading the Palladian gospel in England."
Jones returned to England armed with a new architectural language. He would soon get the chance to implement it on a grand scale through royal patronage. In 1615, King James I appointed Jones as Surveyor-General of the King‘s Works, putting him in charge of designing and overseeing construction of royal buildings.
A New Architectural Language
![[Queens_House.jpg]] The Queen‘s House at Greenwich, designed by Inigo Jones in 1616, was the first purely classical building in England. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
As Surveyor-General, Jones designed a series of landmark buildings that introduced a new classical vocabulary to English architecture. His first major commission, the Queen‘s House at Greenwich, completed in 1635, is widely considered the first building in England designed in a pure classical style.
Drawing on Palladio‘s principles and Jones‘ studies of ancient Roman ruins, the Queen‘s House featured clean lines, geometric shapes, and strict symmetry. Its H-shaped plan, with two main floors linked by bridges over an open ground-level loggia, created a sense of grandeur while providing ample natural light. Architectural historian Vaughan Hart describes the impact:
"The Queen‘s House, with its rational plan and severe, almost austere classical elevations must have appeared extraordinarily alien in early Stuart England, and it remains one of the most important buildings in the history of English architecture."
Jones continued to pioneer this classical language in his subsequent royal commissions. The Banqueting House at Whitehall Palace, completed in 1622, featured a grand hall with soaring Ionic columns and a coffered ceiling, resembling a Roman basilica. The Queen‘s Chapel at St. James‘s Palace, finished in 1627, took inspiration from Palladio‘s Il Redentore church in Venice.
These buildings marked a radical break from the elaborate, decorative Tudor and Jacobean styles that had previously dominated English architecture. As Sir John Summerson explains, Jones "brought English architecture into line with the European Renaissance" and "laid down the canon of taste which determined the course of English architecture for 150 years or more."
Redesigning London
![[Covent_Garden.jpg]] Inigo Jones‘ Covent Garden design, 1630, was the first formal square in London and a model for future town planning. St Paul‘s Church can be seen on the left. (Source: British Library)
Beyond individual buildings, Inigo Jones also left his mark on the layout and appearance of London itself. His most famous urban design was the Covent Garden square, completed in 1630.
Modeled on the piazzas of Italy, Covent Garden was the first formal square in London. Bounded by grand terraced houses on three sides and Jones‘ St Paul‘s Church on the west, it created an ordered, harmonious space for elite residents and visitors. As architecture critic Stephen Bayley notes:
"Covent Garden was, and remains, a triumph of urbanism. It introduced the idea of the public square to London, conceived as a single architectural composition rather than a marketplace."
The success of Covent Garden made it a prototype for future developments in London‘s fast-growing West End. Architectural historian Elisabeth McKellar argues that Jones‘ square "had a major influence on town planning in London and provincial towns" and "set a new standard for urban living which endured for several centuries."
Jones‘ town planning extended to his work on Lincoln‘s Inn Fields, then the largest public square in London. His design for Lindsey House on the west side, with its rusticated ground floor and sequence of pilasters and columns above, established a model for classically inspired terraced housing that would influence generations of British architects.
Theatre and the Court
![[Jones_Theatre.jpg]] A sketch by Inigo Jones for a stage set, showing his innovative use of perspective and scenery. (Source: Chatsworth House)
Inigo Jones‘ impact on 17th century English culture extended beyond architecture into the realm of theatre. As the main designer of sets, costumes, and special effects for elaborate court entertainments known as masques, Jones played a key role in shaping the visual culture of the Stuart court.
Jones‘ surviving sketches for masques show his innovative approach to stage design. He used perspective scenery and movable sets to create dynamic, three-dimensional spaces that could transport audiences to classical landscapes, heavenly realms, or exotic locations. As theatre historian Stephen Orgel explains:
"Jones‘ designs constitute a revolution in English stagecraft. He brought to the English stage the latest Italian scenic techniques, with their use of perspective illusion and change of scene…The result was a theatre of illusion, in which the audience was invited to participate in the world of the play."
Jones‘ spectacular stage sets were not just frivolous entertainments. They were also political statements, designed to glorify the monarchy and impress foreign dignitaries. The lavishness of the masques, with their costly sets and costumes, was a display of royal power and wealth. As historian Roy Strong notes, "The Stuart masque was the visual expression of the king‘s divine right."
Jones‘ most famous collaborator on masques was the poet and playwright Ben Jonson. Together, they produced some of the most memorable court entertainments of the era, such as The Masque of Blackness (1605) and Oberon, the Faery Prince (1611). However, their relationship was also marked by tension, with Jonson arguing for the supremacy of his words and Jones asserting the importance of visual spectacle.
Civil War and Legacy
![[Wilton_House.jpg]] Wilton House in Wiltshire, remodeled by Inigo Jones in the 1630s, is considered one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in England. (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
Inigo Jones‘ career reached its zenith in the 1630s, with commissions like the remodeling of St Paul‘s Cathedral and Wilton House in Wiltshire, considered one of the first and finest examples of Palladian architecture in England. However, the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642 and the seizure of the king‘s properties the following year effectively ended Jones‘ role as Surveyor-General.
Though the Civil War halted Jones‘ practice, it could not diminish his legacy. His classical language and Palladian principles continued to shape British architecture long after his death in 1652. Architectural historian John Harris argues:
"The Palladian style which Jones introduced became the norm for English country houses and public buildings in the 18th century. It was taken up by Lord Burlington and his circle in the 1720s, and later by Robert Adam and John Wood, becoming the dominant style until the rise of Neoclassicism in the 1760s."
Jones‘ influence can be seen in landmarks like William Kent‘s Holkham Hall, Lord Burlington‘s Chiswick House, and James Gibbs‘ St Martin-in-the-Fields church. His designs also provided a model for the elegant Georgian squares and terraces that came to define cities like London, Bath, and Edinburgh in the 18th century.
More broadly, Jones played a pivotal role in professionalizing the practice of architecture in England. Before Jones, there was no established architectural profession; building design was largely the domain of masons and craftsmen. Through his example as a learned, well-traveled architect steeped in classical theory and practice, Jones helped raise the status of the architect and paved the way for subsequent figures like Sir Christopher Wren.
Conclusion
Inigo Jones was a transformative figure in British architecture and culture. He not only introduced a new classical language that would dominate building design for centuries; he also reshaped the physical fabric and visual culture of 17th century England through his town planning and theatre work.
Jones‘ legacy extended far beyond his own buildings. His fusion of Palladian principles with English traditions created a new national style and ideal, one that prized order, symmetry, and proportion over decorative excess. This ideal would guide the course of British architecture and aesthetics into the 18th century and beyond.
As the architectural historian John Summerson concludes, "Inigo Jones ranks with Christopher Wren as one of the two greatest English-born architects and one of the great European architects of his time." Through his vision and force of personality, Jones forever changed the face of England and earned his place as the father of British architecture.
References:
Chaney, E. (2000). Inigo Jones and the Classical Tradition. Cambridge University Press.
Harris, J. (1973). Inigo Jones. A. Zwemmer Ltd.
Hart, V. (2011). Inigo Jones: The Architect of Kings. Yale University Press.
McKellar, E. (1999). The Birth of Modern London: The Development and Design of the City 1660-1720. Manchester University Press.
Orgel, S. (1975). The Illusion of Power: Political Theater in the English Renaissance. University of California Press.
Strong, R. (1973). Splendor at Court: Renaissance Spectacle and the Theater of Power. Houghton Mifflin.
Summerson, J. (1966). Inigo Jones. Penguin Books.
Summerson, J. (1983). Architecture in Britain, 1530-1830. Yale University Press.
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