The Romance of Architecture: The life of George Wightwick

Name: The Romance of Architecture: The life of George Wightwick
Start: 2025-11-13T19:30:00+00:00
End: 2025-11-13T20:30:00+00:00
Location: Plymouth Athenaeum

Schedule

Thu Nov 13 2025 at 07:30 pm to 08:30 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

Plymouth Athenaeum | Plymouth, EN

Inspired by Sir John Soane, successor to John Foulston, architect George Wightwick has been credited as the first achitectural journalist
About this Event

Join us as we discover more about the life of 19th century architect, writer and journalist George Wightwick (1802-72) and his work in Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall.

Inspired by Sir John Soane, successor to John Foulston, Wightwick has been credited as the first achitectural journalist.

He designed the second Plymouth Mechanics’ Institute building, Athenaeum Terrace, the Esplanade, and the Devon and Cornwall Female Orphan Asylum in the city.

In Devon, Wightwick designed Calverleigh Court, and Watermouth Castle, near Ilfracombe. In Cornwall his works include Luxtowe House in Liskeard, Penquite Manor at Golant, and Compass Point storm tower near Bude.

Wightwick - who designed the second Plymouth Mechanics’ Institute building, Athenaeum Terrace, the Esplanade, and the Devon and Cornwall Female Orphan Asylum in the city - was a colleague, friend and best man of the civil engineer, James Meadows Rendel, sometimes credited as the father of the floating bridge.

In Devon, he designed Calverleigh Court, and Watermouth Castle, near Ilfracombe. In Cornwall his works include Luxtowe House in Liskeard, Penquite Manor at Golant, and Compass Point storm tower near Bude.

Wightwick’s written works include Hints to Young Architects: comprising advice to those who are destined to follow the profession (1846) and The Palace of Architecture: a romance of art and history (1840).

The talk will be given by Owen Ryles, Chief Executive of the Plymouth Athenaeum. Owen is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, the Linnean Society and the Zoological Society.

His previous talks include Education, enlightenment and entertainment: Plymouth Mechanics’ Institute 1825-1899 , Walking through the storm: William Snow Harris v The Admiralty, Bitten by Barnacles: The Life of Charles Spence Bate and Charles Hamilton Smith: Writer, Illustrator, Solider, Spy.