Real Free-masons

Bartholomew’s lasting idea was that Gothic is rational construction. “In Pointed Architecture,” he wrote, “all is structural”. The medieval mason groined his vaults “because he would so relieve from thrust and weight the window-heads, voids and other weak parts of a fabrick”.11 Specifications (1840), Preface §§XXII–XXIII.

In 1842 he came close to building the idea. His design for rebuilding the chapel at Kentish Town “was chosen out of a competition of 5”.22 CEAJ, vol. V, September 1842, p. 324; St Pancras Notes and Queries, note 219, p. 171 (after July 1901; Google Books 5UfinYCXihUC). It was to cost about £6,000 and seat 1,650. Inside, “arches span the fabric in all directions, interchangeably counter-abutting each other, rising from four iron columns and four piers, containing cores of iron”.33 CEAJ, vol. V, September 1842, p. 324. The design had “two steeples about 50 ft. high”, with walls of white brick and ornament in terracotta. Two lithographs of it were published (CEAJ, vol. V, September 1842, pp. 294–295); none has been located. The Ecclesiologist condemned it: “the architect runs wild with his ingenious constructions and novel inventions; and produces in consequence a building totally unlike a church”.44 The Ecclesiologist, vol. 2 (October 1842), pp. 23–24. The review does not name him; the identification rests on its reference to the CEAJ account. In November a correspondent pointed out that the architect “has himself written against Competition” (The Ecclesiologist, vol. 2, November 1842, “Answers to Correspondents”). It was not built, and why is not known. J. H. Hakewill rebuilt the chapel in 1843–5.55 Architectural Publication Society, Dictionary (“was not executed”); Colvin (1954: “was not executed”; 2008: “was not carried out”); Historic England list entry 1379013 (“The rest rebuilt and extended 1843-5 by JH Hakewill”); Illustrated London News, 7 September 1844, p. 156 (a temporary wooden church in use, so the change came before his death); St Pancras Notes and Queries, note 219: “I have not been able to make out why Mr. Bartholomew did not carry out the work”.

On Advent Eve 1842 he founded a society “for the recovery, maintenance, and furtherance of the true principles and practice of architecture”, known as the Freemasons of the Church. He was its founder and secretary, and for a time its “Professor of Carpentry”.66 The Gentleman’s Magazine, January 1843, p. 76 (“founded in London on Advent-eve, 1842”, which fell on 26 November); The Builder, 18 January 1845, p. 29 (“which was commenced by him”); Fisher’s Colonial Magazine, vol. II (1843), pp. 112 and 216 (“its founder”; “Honorary Secretary”); The Builder, 6 January 1844, p. 8 (“Professor of Carpentry to the Free-Masons of the Church”), 27 January 1844, p. 47 (“Secretary”) and 20 April 1844, p. 200 (“English Secretary”). A writer of 1915 called him the society’s “first Grand Master” (Notes and Queries, 11th ser., vol. XI, 6 March 1915, pp. 190–191); no contemporary source uses that title. According to Alexandrina Buchanan, Robert Willis (1800–1875) and the Foundation of Architectural History (Boydell, 2013), p. 110, the society’s central aim was the national college proposed in Specifications. Giving an inaugural address on 30 March 1844, he showed “a scientific catenary composed of spring weighing machines”, which indicated the strain on each link of a hanging chain and the pressures in arches.77 The Builder, 6 April 1844, pp. 180–181. The CEAJ ridiculed the society’s many professorial titles.88 CEAJ, vol. VI, January 1843, pp. 10–11, “New Architectural Society Extraordinary”.