Ernest Shearman,
Ecclesiastical Architect
Diana Beckett
- 116 pages
- 100 colour illustrations
- 178 x 252mm
- IBSN 978-1-914063-21 1
Ernest Shearman built just 6 churches in the newly emerging London suburbs in the early twentieth century. His individual bold yet austere Neo-Gothic style was influenced by the simple early mendicant redbrick Gothic churches of northern Italy as well as the French flamboyant, Gothic Revival and Arts & Crafts movements, presaging the arrival of Modernism.
His churches stand proud in their neighbourhoods today with thriving congregations. All were built for Anglo-Catholic worship and all remain so today except one which is now Coptic.
English Heritage described Shearman as
one of the best exponents of creating monumental spaces out of simple materials.
After twenty years working on prestigious large scale projects, including Sandringham House where he was on friendly terms with the future Queen Alexandra, it was not until the age of 50 that Shearman built his first church entirely to his own design.
Had he built more churches he would certainly have been more widely recognised. This book introduces this relatively unknown architect to a wider audience with the hope of placing him among the significant architects of his generation.
The book of 116 pages is divided into five sections:
- Details of Shearman’s life
- The Architectural styles influencing his work
- The six churches
- The Winchester house
- The interweaving of the various styles
There are 100 colour illustrations, of the 6 churches as they are today and of buildings of the various styles that influenced them, both in England and Italy.
The emphasis is on the blend of architectural movements that led to Shearman’s own outstanding personal style. Having studied with two of the most important architects of his day, G.E. Street and Norman Shaw, his churches reflect the two major movements of the late nineteenth century, Gothic Revival and Arts and Crafts.
However, it is the influence of the simple architecture of the Italian Mendicants (Dominican and Franciscan orders) that distinguishes them from all the other late nineteenth and early twentieth churches. Those few Victorian churches built in an Italian style in England reflect the grander Romanesque architecture with the square belltower, which Shearman eschewed.
The mellow red brick and lancet windows of the exterior of these large, fortress-like buildings indeed reflect the mendicant architecture, but it is in the austere interiors where the inspiration is most apparent. The brick Gothic arcades against the white rendered walls of the wide nave, dramatically offset the altar which open to the whole congregation.
Shearman was also fascinated by French flamboyant tracery – the name derived from the French for flame, since the tracery is flame shaped. Nearly all his churches have at least one dramatic rose window in contrast to the simpler mendicant architecture. (see cover picture above.)
The Winchester House
He designed his Winchester family home on a smaller, more intimate scale, initially for his elderly mother, but clearly with the intention of eventually living there himself, which he did on his mother’s death in 1907 until he died in 1939. He must have designed the house for his own pleasure. There only exist records of two other houses that he designed, perhaps as personal favours. He was more interested in grander works.
The Winchester house is practically a text book for the detailed designs of the Arts and Crafts movement and although his use of high quality materials and attention to detail is found in both the house and churches, this style is to be found mainly in the interior decorations of the churches, particularly in the woodwork.
Diana Beckett
As a teenager Diana Beckett lived in Shearman’s Winchester house. It remained the background to her life for 60 years. On retirement she decided to investigate his career and explore his churches including travels to Italy. She is a retired marketing consultant who lived in Paris for many years and now lives in Oxford.
- 116 pages
- 100 colour illustrations
- 178 x 252mm
- IBSN 978-1-914063-21 1
Published October 2021
2QT Publishing Ltd, Settle, Yorkshire
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