William Buckland: Master Builder
© Dennis McWaters
This series of articles was published to accompany an exhibit at Gunston Hall in the winter of 1977-1978. Since that time more has been discovered about William Buckland. For additional informaton see "Architect-Designed Furniture in Eighteenth-Century Virginia: The Work of William Buckland and William Bernard Sears" by Luke Beckerdite. American Furniture, Annual (1994) 29-48. Available Online.
The Library of William Buckland
Importance of William Buckland
by Frederick D. Nichols, University of Virginia, Charlottesville
The great success story in American architecture in the 18th century is that of William Buckland. Like many Americans, he came to the New World as an indentured servant — bound to Thomson Mason, the brother of George Mason, the builder of Gunston Hall. He had been apprenticed to an uncle, who was a carpenter, to learn the "mystery" of that craft in London. Some scholars believe that the uncle had worked on Honington Hall in Warwickshire. Although proof is lacking, there are many similarities to his work in the details of this great country house: the octagonal drawing room and octagonal panels in the window shutters. After completing Gunston Hall, which had already been started when he arrived, he went farther south in the Northern Neck of Virginia, where he worked on one of America's greatest Palladian houses, Mt. Airy, and at nearby Sabine Hall. From there he went to Annapolis. Before his short life was over he had found time to sit for Charles Willson Peale, who painted the great portrait of Buckland in this exhibit. Buckland is a gentleman, with penetrating eyes and a pleasant face, and a high intelligent forehead, dressed in a fine coat, holding a drawing of his masterpiece — the Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis. It is his most complete design, and one of the finest houses in American architecture. One should remember that architecture in his day in America was not a profession. It was practiced by gentlemen amateurs and experienced house-wrights, who borrowed ideas from pattern books, and each other. In the short space of three decades, he had risen from a penniless apprentice to gentleman architect, a considerable feat for those days.
Gunston Hall follows the form of a large, one and one half storey Virginia plantation house, but the splendid interior with its spacious stair hall and two superb, monumental rooms are finished in the Georgian high style. The Palladian Room was inspired by the English Palladians, led by the Earl of Burlington. It has pilasters and pediments over the doorways, derived from ancient Roman aedicules, or niches for statues of the gods. These are richly carved, and finished with egg and dart moldings. The broken pediments frame consoles, meant for either Chinese vases or small busts. The same treatment, only without pediments, is used to frame the windows, but here the pilasters rest on pedestals, whose top molding carries around the room as a chair rail. The change in scale between the door treatment, due to its function, and the higher niches and windows suggests the work of a brilliant young designer, not yet in complete control of his medium.
The adjacent room is more unified, and there are no orders to raise difficult problems. The deep cove moldings and scallop trim reflect the fashion for the Chinese taste so popular at the mid-eighteenth century. Called the "Chinese Room," the overdoors also have consoles for the support of porcelain or marble ornaments, and scallop pagoda-like designs are also used on the friezes.
We know that Buckland moved to Richmond County, Virginia, after he completed Gunston Hall, with letters of recommendation from George Mason. A certain Colonel Thornton is said to have provided a plan for Mt. Airy, the most complete Palladian plantation in Virginia, and Buckland provided the interiors. As the exterior is taken literally from James Gibbs, Book of Architecture, plate 58, the Colonel may only have loaned the book and it seems likely that Buckland designed the quadrants and advance buildings. At any rate the ultimate source is the Villa Saraceno at Finale di Agugliaro, near Vicenza, Italy, designed by Palladio himself, between about 1548 and 1552. Unfortunately, Mt. Airy burned in 1844 and the interior was rebuilt, using fragments of a Buckland cornice (in the exhibition) for mantel shelves. Menokin, nearby, has been attributed to Buckland; and the drawing for it is probably his, as he was the only skilled architect in the area. According to the drawing and old photographs, the house had elements of James Gibbs' style, and the Gibbs surround at the windows, one of his favorite devices.
Buckland next moved to Annapolis where he was employed on the Chase-Lloyd House. It has a traditional center hall plan, and the three brick stories had been erected when he began work on the finish. Here he created one of the most sophisticated and subtle designs in American architecture. The elaborate stair rises between screen columns and is lighted by a Palladian window on the landing. But the cynosure of the house is the woodwork and the splendid mahogany doors, finished with an egg and dart molding.
As the Peale portrait shows, Buckland was the architect for the Hammond-Harwood House. The plan, elevation and woodwork are all his, and to him we must credit one of the supreme masterpieces of colonial design. So important was this house that Thomas Jefferson, in 1783, made a drawing of the plan, a completed version of which Peale shows in the architect's hand in the famous portrait. This house has all the comforts and luxuries of high-style late Georgian design. There is an entrance hall, off of which at right angles is the stair. A large dining room opens off of this hall, and is enriched with some of America's finest carving in the rococo Chippendale style. The richness and restraint of the ornament and its relationship to the spaces, and the functional plan, make this room one of the finest achievements of American art.
Buckland can probably be accredited with the design of the great salon at Whitehall, and maybe with the portico as well. This interior ranks with the brilliant design of the Hammond-Harwood House. This noble room, with its coved ceiling, was built as a casino, or summer house, and the room does not have a fireplace, but the rococo carvings in wood indicate that they are by the same expert hand as the Hammond-Harwood House.
William Buckland died at the height of his fame and ability, and it was a sad day for American art when he disappeared from the architectural scene. But he left one masterpiece, two noble interiors, along with fragments of others, and at Gunston Hall the finest one-storey high Georgian house in North America.
Chronology of William Buckland's Life
1733 May 30 – Marriage of Francis Buckland and Mary Dunsdown both of Burford Parish
1734 August 14 – Buckland was born in the parish of St. Peter's-in-the-East in the city of Oxford
1748 April 5 – Apprenticed as a carver-joiner to his uncle, James Buckland, London [indenture]
1755 August 4 – Indentured to Thomson Mason, studying in London, to work for his brother George Mason at Gunston Hall [indenture]
1758 September 3 – First child, Mary, born
ca 1758-59 – Buckland married Mary, daughter of William Moore of Accotink Creek (neighbor of George Mason)
1759 November 8 – George Mason signed Buckland's release of indenture [endorsement]
1760 November 20 – Buckland paid by Truro Parish for completion of new glebe house £93.2.0
1761 By July 22 – Had moved out of Fairfax County; June – Buckland is living in Richmond County, Virginia
1762 October 16 – Buckland was mentioned in Colonel Tayloe letter as doing work at Mt. Airy
1763 – Buckland apprenticed John Randall to be taught mastery of carver–joiner
ca 1763 – Sarah Buckland, daughter, born
1763 – Buckland was paid £7.12.5 toward building Richmond County Prison
1765 – Buckland bought 129 acre farm (The Browns) in Richmond County
1766 February 6 – Buckland was paid by Robert Wormeley Carter for bookcase, chimneypiece, and plan of a house (possible Hickory Thicket)
1766 September 11 – Buckland was listed as working for Landon Carter of Sabine Hall
1766 December 1 – Buckland made legal guardian of John Randall
1767 July 14 – Buckland was associated with the completion of the new glebe house for Lunenburg Parish
1767 September – Buckland paid £1 by Alexander Henderson for "drawing a plan and estimate of a house" in Colchester
1768 – Buckland was paid £100 for building the Richmond County workhouse
1768 – Buckland apprenticed John Callis to be taught the "mystery of his craft"
1768 July 8 – Buckland was mentioned as working for Rev. Mr. Giberne on a small outbuilding possibly at Belleville, Mr. Giberne's plantation in Richmond County
1770 October 3 – Buckland's only son was recorded by Landon Carter as dying this day
1771 March 27 – Buckland wrote Robert Carter of Nomini Hall about doing future renovations to Nomini Hall
1771 August 1 – Buckland advertised for a runaway servant, Samuel Bailey (a house joiner) in the Virginia Gazette
1771 September-December – Buckland moved to Maryland, and was commissioned by Edward Lloyd to do work on Lloyd House in Annapolis
1771 – Believed to have done work on Ringgold House in Chestertown, Maryland because of dated cypher found on woodwork "WB 1771"
1772 September – Buckland family had moved to a house in Annapolis
1773 April – Buckland paid £1:287.4.4 for major work on Lloyd House
1774 Spring – Charles Willson Peale commenced portrait of William Buckland (not finished until April 1787)
1774 November 8 – Advertisement in the Maryland Gazette for the building of a court house and prison in Caroline County, Maryland, designed by William Buckland
1774 December? – Buckland died
1774 December 5 – Joshua Frazier and John Ducket appointed appraisers of the Buckland estate
1774 December 19 – Inventory of Buckland's estate was recorded in Anne Arundel County
1775 June 26 – Last remnants of Buckland's estate was sold at auction
William Buckland
By Bennie Brown, Jr.
Throughout the colonial period landowners of the Chesapeake Bay colonies often acted as their own architects, relying on free or indentured craftsmen for the execution of basic designs. In 1687 William Fitzhugh of Stafford County, Virginia, prescribed his method of procuring craftsmen for the construction of a house: "get a Carpenter, & Bricklayer Servants, & send them in here to serve 4 or 5 years, in which time of their service, they might reasonably build a substantial good house." This was still the accepted practice in the 1750's when George Mason's brother indentured a young English craftsman to finish the interiors and fine details of George's new house, Gunston Hall in Fairfax County, Virginia, then frontier land. He found a carpenter and joiner well qualified for his purposes in William Buckland. From his arrival in Virginia in 1755 to his death in 1774, we are able to follow Buckland's life and, thereby, his career as we can few other colonial American architects — a career that exemplifies the elevation of the architect from an artisan to a professional artist in the Chesapeake Bay colonies in America.
"W Buckland was born Augt ye 14th 1734." This was written by William Buckland in 1773, a year before his death, on the indenture paper which brought him to America. Born and raised in the parish of St. Peter's-in-the-East in the city of Oxford, Buckland came from that great university town whose architecture reflected the most important names in the English Baroque School — Wren, Hawkesmore and Gibbs. The architectural developments that were taking place at the University and elsewhere in Oxfordshire must have made their impression on the young man. In 1748 the thirteen year old Buckland was indentured as an apprentice to his uncle, "James Buckland, Citizen and Joiner of London, to learn his Art." For the next seven years he was taught the mysteries of the joiner's and carpenter's crafts, while being exposed to the fine architecture in London, the largest city in Europe.
In April 1755, the twenty-one year old Buckland finished his apprenticeship to his uncle and by August was indentured to Thomson Mason, who had just finished studying law at The Middle Temple and was about to return to Virginia. Thomson's brother, George, was building a house on Dogue Neck in Fairfax County, and he requested that Thomson procure him a carpenter/joiner.
By the end of 1755 Buckland had arrived in Virginia, and as a skilled craftsman he was respected in the community upon completing his four-year indenture. Gunston Hall, his first commission, was an opportunity to establish his reputation. He gave his employer a home that contained perhaps the first examples of Gothic revival and chinoiserie ornamentation in the colonies, and one of the best high style Georgian parlors.
After his indenture to Mason was completed in 1759 Buckland established his own shop. Before that same year he married Mary, the daughter of one of Mason's neighbors, William Moore. George Mason had given his former servant an excellent recommendation:
"... during the time he lived with me he had the entire Direction of the Carpenters and Joiners work of a large House; and having behaved very faithfully in my service, I can with great justice recommend him as an honest sober diligent man & I think a complete Master of the Carpenter's and Joiner's Business both in theory and practice." Buckland may have lived with the Moores for a while, since he was commissioned to complete the glebe house for nearby Truro Parish — a project that had been started in 1752, but remained unfinished until 1760.
By June 1762 he was living in Richmond County. Buckland may have availed himself of the opportunities small commissions afforded him to learn surveying, masonry, and all the other facets of building expertise needed to take a work from plans to completion. Trained craftsmen were scarce in colonial Virginia, and Buckland would have had to expand his knowledge of the building trade until he could oversee every aspect of construction.
In the fall of 1762 William Buckland was employed by Colonel John Tayloe to finish his home, Mt. Airy — one of the best examples of the Palladian style in Virginia. The plans were sent to Colonel Tayloe by a friend in England, and the structural work on the house was begun by 1758. It is said that the structure of the main house was finished before Buckland arrived, but the interiors were wanting. Remnants of the master joiner's woodwork have been found following an interior fire which destroyed most of it. How long Buckland worked on Mt. Airy is unknown, but his accounts with the Colonel continued almost up to Buckland's departure from Virginia.
A neighbor of Colonel Tayloe, Landon Carter of Sabine Hall, also requested the services of the carver. Unfortunately, what, if any, work he did for Landon Carter is unknown, but his son, Robert Wormeley Carter, employed Buckland to design a house. Robert Carter also paid Buckland for a chimneypiece and bookcase; whether these were for Sabine Hall or the future house at Hickory Thicket is also unknown.
Buckland appears to have prospered in Richmond County. He contracted his first apprentice there in 1763, John Randall, whose relationship with Buckland was to evolve from an apprentice to a partner.
In 1765 the Bucklands moved to their own farm, The Browns. New commissions came in from the county for the building of a glebe house for Lunenburg Parish, a workhouse, and a prison — commissions that did not court house and prison in Caroline County, believed to be designed by Buckland. This is the last known reference to Buckland living. By early December 1774, he was dead. An inventory of his estate was filed in Anne Arundel County court on December 19 showing him to have been a man of means, but there is no record of when, where, or how he died.
William Buckland achieved something that few of his contemporary colonial artisans had, elevation to the status of an artist. He came to Virginia as an indentured servant and died a recognized creator and innovator. He could sign his name "Wm. Buckland, Architect." His rise from "Carpenter and Joiner" to "Architect" was indicative of the maturing of America from an outlying province dependent upon England to a young nation with its own creative resources.
References: Rosamond Beirne and John H. Scarff, William Buckland, 1734-1774: Architect of Virginia and Maryland (1958). Elizabeth Monroe, "William Buckland in the Northern Neck" (MA Thesis, University of Virginia, 1975). William Fitzhugh, William Fitzhugh and His Chesapeake World, ed. by Richard Davis (1963)
Bennie Brown, Jr. was Gunston Hall's Librarian and Archivist from 1974 to 1985.
The Library of William Buckland
When William Buckland died in 1774 his estate inventory listed a library of 22 titles in 38 volumes. There were several religious and literary works but the bulk of the collection was architectural and building manuals. This is a fascinating list, providing substantial insights into his design inspirations.
(Title abbreviations were used in the inventory so in some cases there are ambiguous references)
Chippendale, Thomas. The Gentleman and Cabinetmaker’s Director... (1st ed. London, 1754).
The inventory lists the book as “Chippendale’s Designs” with a low value of .6 L, which indicates that Buckland might have only owned the plates which were published separately. This is the most influential furniture pattern book published in England. It is thought that the Chinese Room design inspirations possibly came from this book.
Gibbs, James (1682-1754). A Book of Architecture…. (1st ed. London, 1728).
Halfpenny, William and John, Thomas Lightoler, and Robert Morris. The Modern Builder’s Assistant... (1st ed. London, 1742). Listed in the inventory as “Lightolers Designs, .8"
Hoppus, Edward. Practical Measuring Made Easy to the Meanest Capacity, by a New Set of Tables... (1st ed. London, 1736). This was a very popular builder’s price guide.
Johnson, Thomas. One Hundred & Fifty New Designs, ... (1st ed. London, 1758). Listed in the inventory as “Johnsons Carver’s Designs, .2" which suggests that it was a set of plates, not the book.
Kirby, Joshua. The Perspective of Architecture... 2 vol., (1st ed., London, 1761).
Langley, Batty and Thomas. Ancient Architecture Restored and Improved by A Great Variety of Grand and Useful Designs…. Soho: Batty and Thomas Langley, 1742 (2nd ed.).
Title continued: “Entirely new in the Gothick Mode For the Ornamenting of Buildings and Gardens Exceeding every Thing that’s Extant.” Title page also reports: “Exquisitely Engraved on LXIV large Quarto Copper-Plates and printed on SUPERFINE Royal Paper. Buildings in general surveyed. Artificers Works Measured and Valued. Estates in Lands, or in Buildings, Plan’d. Gardens, Parks &c laid out &c Grottos, Cascades, Temples, &c Design’d and Built, Plans and Views of Buildings &c engraved and Printed in the most Exquisite Manner By the Editors.” B. Langley authored a four page introduction entitled “A Dissertation on the Antiquity of the Principal ANCIENT BUILDINGS, that have been, and now are in this Kingdom, by Way of Introduction to the following Work.”
Original “price 15£ in sheets.” The work is contained in two books. Plates A and B carry explanations for general proportions of columns.
Langley, Batty and Thomas. The City and Country Builder’s and Workman’s Treasury of Designs…. London: J.Ilive for Thomas Langley, 1740 (1st ed). London: S. Harding, 1745 (2nd ed).
Langley, B. and T. Gothic Architecture Improved by Rules and Proportions in Many Grand Designs…. London: John Millan, 1747.
Title continued: “of Columns, Doors, Windows, Chimney-Pieces, Arcades, Colonades, Porticos, Umbrellos, Temples, and Pavillions &c. with Plans, Elevations, and Profiles; Geometrically Explained.” Plates A and B carry explanations for general proportions of columns. Plates I - LXII demonstrate embossed engravings. Original price: 15£.
Morris, Robert. Architecture Improved, in a Collection of Modern, Elegant and Useful Designs…. London: 1752 (2nd ed.)
Title continued: “From Slight and Graceful Recesses [sic], Lodges and other Decorations in Parks, Gardens, Woods or Forests, to the Portico, Bath, Observatory, and interior Ornaments of Superb Buildings. With Great Variety of Rich Embellishments for Chimneys in the Taste of INIGO JONES, MR. KENT, &c. All curiously Engraved on Fifty Copper-Plates, Octavo.” or possibly Rural Architecture (1st ed., London, 1750) or Select Architecture, London, 1755 (1st ed.)
Salmon, William, Jr. Palladio Londinensis: or The London Art of Building. (1st ed. London, 1734).
Swan, Abraham. The British Architect: or, The Builder’s Treasury of Stair-Cases. (1st ed., London, 1745)
Swan, Abraham. A Collection of Designs in Architecture. (1st ed. London, 1757).
Swan, Abraham. The Carpenter’s Complete Instruction in Several Hundred Designs. London, 1768 (an earlier edition, 1759, was published as Designs in Carpentry)
Ware, Isaac. A Complete Body of Architecture. (1st ed. London, 1756).
For more information see: "The Ownership of Architecture Books in Colonial Virginia," by Bennie Brown. Published in American Architects and Their Books to 1848, ed. by Kenneth Hafertepe and James F. O'Gorman (Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 2001) 17-33.
