The Present State of Ecclesiastical Architecture in England

Augustus Welby Pugin (1812–52), architect, writer, and designer, learned his draughtsmanship and love of medieval architecture from his father. Initially he was better known as a designer rather than an architect. His conversion to Roman Catholicism was a key moment for him, and shaped his subsequent career. His most famous book, Contrasts, was published in 1836, and expressed his belief in the aesthetic and moral superiority of pre-Reformation architecture. This 1843 book comprises two ill...