Henry William Inwood (1794–1843) was an English architect, archaeologist, classical scholar and writer.
He was the son of the architect William Inwood, with whom he collaborated on a number of churches. These included the classical St Pancras New Church (1819), All Saints, Camden Town (1822–4), and St Peter's, Regent Square (1822–5, now demolished), and the Gothic St Mary's Chapel, Somers Town (1824–7).[1] John Summerson believed that he was the main designer of St Pancras - which he describes as a "skilful and mature work".[2]
In collaboration with E.N. Clifton, Inwood designed the Gothic church of St. Stephen, Canonbury,(1837-9) and the Neoclassical St James Islington (1837-8)[3]
He was known as a scholar of the Greek Revival, journeying in Italy and Greece (1818–19), and publishing as a result The Erechtheion at Athens: Fragments of Athenian Architecture and a few remains in Attica, Megara, and Epirus (1827). The Erechtheion was also the basis for the porticos, caryatids and windows of his St Pancras New Church, whose tower is based on the Tower of the Winds.[1]
In 1834 he published a pamphlet entitled Of the Resources of Design in the Architecture of Greece, Egypt, and other Countries, obtained by the Studies of the Architects of those Countries from Nature, which suggested that that the flutings of Doric columns were taken from reeds, mineral formations or seashells, that Egyptian mummies were wrapped in imitation of the cocoons of moths, and that the image of the sphynx was inspired by a butterfly chrysalis.[4]
Inwood died in a shipwreck on a journey to Spain when the ship he was in foundered with no survivors.[1]