John Notman
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John Notman (1810–1865), a well known American architect, was born in Scotland and educated at the Royal Scottish Academy. Prior to emigrating to the United States in 1831, Notman worked for the office of William Henry Playfair. After arriving in America, he eventually settled in the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where one of his first commissions was the Laurel Hill Cemetery in 1835. He later opened and operated a successful firm until his death in 1865. Notman was also a founding member of the American Institute of Architects and was committed to establishing professionalism in the practice of architecture in the United States.
Some of Notman's notable commissions were for the Episcopal Church and include:
- Emmanuel Church, Cumberland, Maryland, 1851
- St. Peter's Church, Pittsburgh, 1851
- St. Clement's Church, Philadelphia, 1857
- The Cathedral Church of St. John the Evangelist, Wilmington, Delaware, 1858
- The Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, 1859
- St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Glassboro, New Jersey
- Chapel of the Holy Innocents, Saint Mary's Hall, Burlington, New Jersey
- St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Trenton, New Jersey
Many of his designs for churches were dictated by the ideas of the Cambridge Camden Society who suggested that Anglican churches of the Low Church variety should be built in the Romanesque style, while those of the High Church variety be built in the Gothic style. He was also briefly employed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Philadelphia during construction of the Cathedral of SS. Peter & Paul until an argument over the terms of his contract resulted in his dismissal.
[edit] Further reading
- Constance M. Greiff, John Notman Architect, 1810-1865. Philadelphia: Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 1979.
