Edward Prioleau Warren

Edward Prioleau Warren, British architect and archaeologist, was born at Cotham in Bristol on 30 October 1856, as the fifth son of A.W. Warren, JP. He was educated at Clifton College in Bristol, and subsequently articled to G.F. Bodley, whose biography he later wrote. He provided illustrations for the Transactions of the Guild and School of Handicraft in 1890. He joined the Art Workers Guild in 1892 and was Master in 1913. He practised extensively in Oxford, no doubt helped by the fact that his brother, Sir Herbert Warren was President of Magdalen College. Basil Bramston Hooper, later an architect in New Zealand, was in his office, c.1901-04. In 1901, he was added to the list of architects authorised to work on the Grosvenor estate in London, but he never did so. In 1914, he gave evidence on behalf of the Commissioners of Works into a proposed Preservation Order on 75 Dean St., Soho, London. During the First World War he was seconded to the Serbian Army, and designed the War Cemetery at Basra. In 1916, he was said to have had considerable experience of hospital construction. At the beginning of his career, he built and altered a number of churches, but he is known principally for domestic buildings in an understated revival of English late 17th century styles: his main works were lodgings for Oxford colleges and minor country houses.

Warren married Margaret Morrell, and one of their sons, Brigadier-General Christopher P. Warren became a noted bibliophile; another, Peter Warren, succeeded to his father's practice as an architect. Warren himself was a friend and adviser to the American novelist, Henry James, who lived at Lamb House, Rye, Sussex, UK; their correspondence is now in the Huntington Library in San Marino, California. He died on 23 November 1937.

List of works

NEWARK (Notts): CHURCH, font cover, 1891

PENKHULL (Staffs): ST. THOMAS’ CHURCH, addition of aisles, 1892

BRADFORD (West Yorks): ST. CLEMENT’S CHURCH, 1892-94 (listed grade II*)

FULHAM (Middx): ST. JOHN’S CHURCH, WALTHAM GREEN, alterations, 1893

OXFORD: ST. CROSS CHURCH, restoration, including new clerestory windows, 1893

BRYANSTON (Dorset): ST MARTIN’S CHURCH, 1895-98, for Lord Portman

SOUTHAMPTON (Hants): ST MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS’ CHURCH, BASSETT AVENUE, 1897-1910

OXFORD: VICTORIA FOUNTAIN, MAGDALEN BRIDGE, 1899

OXFORD: EASTGATE HOTEL, HIGH ST., c1900-01

OXFORD: HIGH STREET, college lodgings and shops for Magdalen College, 1901

OXFORD: ST. JOHN’S COLLEGE, extension of New Building, North Quad, 1901

WANDSWORTH (Surrey): MAGDALEN PARK ESTATE, layout and design of houses for Magdalen College, Oxford, c.1901-20

ST JOHN'S WOOD (Middx): HANOVER LODGE, HIGH ST., block of mansion flats, 1903-04

KENSINGTON (Middx): ESTCOURT HOUSE, KENSINGTON PALACE GARDENS, 1904

LITTLETON PANNELL (Wilts): A BECKETTS, extension of house, 1904

WYMONDHAM ABBEY (Norfolk), triptych behind high altar, c.1904 (relocated from elsewhere, 1991)

KENSINGTON (Middx): 5 PALACE GREEN, new house, 1905

WEST LAVINGTON MANOR (Wilts): alterations, 1905

CHOLSEY (Oxon): BREACH HOUSE, new house, for himself, c.1905

OXFORD: BALLIOL COLLEGE, north-west range in Garden Quad, 1906

GREAT MILTON MANOR HOUSE (OXON), alterations and extensions and new gatepiers, 1908

WOKING (Surrey): GORSE HILL, HOOK HEATH ROAD, new house (now Indosuez Bank Training Centre), 1910

NEWLYN (Cornwall): FISHERMEN'S INSTITUTE, c1911

OXFORD: RADCLIFFE INFIRMARY, outpatients’ block, 1911-13; William Dunn School of Pathology, 1925-27

CAMBRIDGE: GONVILLE & CAIUS COLLEGE, alterations to west range of Gonville Court, 1912

CHELSEA (MIDDX): SHELLEY HOUSE, CHELSEA EMBANKMENT, 1912

OXFORD: BALLIOL COLLEGE, range north of Basevi buildings, 1912-15

FALFIELD (GLOS): HENEAGE COURT, restoration and extension of house and new garden for Russell Thomas, 1913

KENSINGTON (MIDDX): 1 CAMPDEN HILL, new house, 1915

CHANTMARLE (DORSET), works in the garden, 1919

BRIGHTON (SUSSEX): CHURCH OF THE SHEPHERD, Dyke Road, Preston Village, Brighton, new church, 1920-22; vicarage, 1923; extension to church, 1927; all for Alice Mary Moor

LOWESTOFT (SUFFOLK): ST PETER’S CHURCH, chancel extension, 1920s

MELPLASH COURT (DORSET), rebuilding of west wing, 1922 and perhaps extensions in the 1930s

NETHERBURY (DORSET): SLAPE MANOR, alterations including decorative plasterwork, 1931

STEEP (HANTS): BEDALES SCHOOL, works, n.d.

CAVERSHAM (OXON): ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH, n.d.

BISHOPSTOKE (HANTS): ST. MARY'S CHURCH, n.d.

BASSETT (HANTS): ST. MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS CHURCH, n.d.

WANSTEAD (ESSEX): ST. COLUMBA'S CHURCH, n.d.

OXFORD: MERTON COLLEGE, works, n.d.

CAMBRIDGE: TRINITY COLLEGE, works, n.d.

WESTMINSTER (MIDDX): WESTMINSTER SCHOOL, works, n.d.

CLIFTON (GLOS): CLIFTON COLLEGE, works, n.d.

RUGBY (WARKS): RUGBY SCHOOL, works, n.d.

BLACKWOOD (MONMOUTHSHIRE): MAESRUDDUD, new house, n.d.

References

"Architectural Journal", vol. 85, 2 Dec 1937, p.861 (obituary)

"The Builder", vol. 153, 26 Nov. 1937, p.965 (obituary)

"RIBA Journal", vol. 45, 1937, pp.203-04 (obituary)

A.S. Gray, "Edwardian architecture: a biographical dictionary", 1988