Thomas Rickman (1776–1841) was a self-taught English architect known for his work in the Gothic Revival style. His architectural career spanned Liverpool and Birmingham, where he designed new churches, restored and altered existing ones, and worked on various other projects, including country houses, public buildings, schools, and banks.
Rickman was born in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Initially trained in medicine, he practiced in Lewes, Sussex, from 1801 to 1803. However, he soon left this career, working in London with a corn factor before moving to Liverpool in 1808 to work as an insurance clerk. It was during this time that Rickman developed a keen interest in Gothic architecture.
In Liverpool, Rickman met John Cragg, an iron foundry owner. Together, they designed three churches using cast iron for both construction and decoration. He also collaborated with John Slater on the redesign of Scarisbrick Hall. In 1817, he opened an architectural office in Liverpool, and the following year he was joined by Henry Hutchinson, initially as a pupil, and from 1821 as a partner. Meanwhile, in 1817 he published the first edition of An Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture.[1] In this he divided English architecture into styles that have continued to be accepted since, namely Norman, Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular.
Rickman's involvement with the Church Commissioners led him to design several Commissioners' churches, beginning with St. George's Church in Birmingham. He opened an office in Birmingham in 1820 and moved there the following year. He was appointed architect to Worcester Cathedral and, with his partner Henry Hutchinson, started working on New Court at St John's College, Cambridge, his most significant commission. In 1830, Rickman was elected to the Society of Antiquaries of London, marking his professional recognition. After Hutchinson's death in 1831, R. C. Hussey joined Rickman's practice, becoming a partner in 1835. Rickman died from liver disease in 1841.
This list contains details of new churches designed by Thomas Rickman.
| Grade | Criteria | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade I | Buildings of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important. | |||||||||||||
| Grade II* | Particularly important buildings of more than special interest. | |||||||||||||
| Grade II | Buildings of national importance and special interest. | |||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a work that is not graded. | ||||||||||||||
| Name | Location | Photograph | Date | Notes | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St George's Church | Everton, Liverpool, Merseyside 53.4253°N -2.9715°W | 1813–14 | Built by John Cragg using much cast iron made in his own foundry. | I | ||
| St Michael's Church | St Michael's Hamlet, Liverpool, Merseyside 53.3766°N -2.9499°W | 1814 | Built in conjunction with John Cragg, using much cast iron made in his own foundry. | I | ||
| St Philip's Church | Liverpool, Merseyside | 1815–16 | Built in conjunction with John Cragg, using much cast iron made in his own foundry. Demolished in 1882. | |||
| St George's Church | Birmingham, West Midlands 52.4907°N -1.905°W | 1819–21 | Demolished. The gates and gate piers remain and are listed. | II | ||
| St George's Church | Barnsley, South Yorkshire 53.5507°N -1.4852°W | 1821 | [2] Demolished 1993.[3] The churchyard walls, railings, gate piers and gates, also listed, remain. | II | ||
| St Mary's Church | Birkenhead, Merseyside 53.3896°N -3.0113°W | 1821 | The church was declared redundant in 1975, and was partly demolished. | II | ||
| St Barnabas' Church | Erdington, Birmingham, West Midlands 52.5232°N -1.8392°W | 1822–23 | A Commissioners' church. | II | ||
| Christ Church | Gloucester 51.8605°N -2.2465°W | 1822–23 | Designed with Henry Hutchinson. | II | ||
| St George's Church | Chorley, Lancashire 53.6521°N -2.6292°W | 1822–25 | A Commissioners' church. | II* | ||
| St Peter's Church | Preston, Lancashire 53.7636°N -2.7082°W | 1822–25 | A Commissioners' church, designed with Henry Hutchinson. Now redundant and, as of 2012, part of the University of Central Lancashire. | II* | ||
| Church of St Peter ad Vincula | Hampton Lucy, Warwickshire 52.2108°N -1.626°W | 1822–26 | Designed with Henry Hutchinson and described as their magnum opus. | I | ||
| St Paul's Church | Preston, Lancashire 53.7624°N -2.6941°W | 1823–25 | A Commissioners' church, designed with Henry Hutchinson. Now redundant and, as of 2012, in use as a radio station. | II | ||
| St Peter's Church | Dale End, Birmingham, West Midlands | 1825–27 | A Commissioners' church, designed with Henry Hutchinson. Demolished 1899. | |||
| St Mary's Church | Mellor, Lancashire 53.7729°N -2.5308°W | 1825–27 | A Commissioners' church, designed with Henry Hutchinson. | II | ||
| St Andrew's Church | Ombersley, Worcestershire 52.27°N -2.2295°W | 1825–29 | For the Marchioness of Downshire, designed with Henry Hutchinson. | II* | ||
| St Thomas' Church | Birmingham, West Midlands 52.4732°N -1.9063°W | 1826–29 | A Commissioners' church, designed with Henry Hutchinson in neoclassical style. It was bombe in 1941 and only the west front has survived. | II | ||
| St James' Church | Lower Darwen, Lancashire 53.7237°N -2.4652°W | 1827–28 | A Commissioners' church, designed with Henry Hutchinson. Rebuilt and replaced 1969. | |||
| St Peter's Church | Darwen, Lancashire 53.6955°N -2.4645°W | 1827–29 | A Commissioners' church, designed with Henry Hutchinson. | II* | ||
| St John the Evangelist's Church | Oulton, West Yorkshire 53.748°N -1.4559°W | 1827–29 | Designed with Henry Hutchinson. | II* | ||
| Christ Church | Carlisle, Cumbria | 1828–30 | A Commissioners' church designed with Henry Hutchinson. Damaged by fire in 1938, demolished 1952. | |||
| Holy Trinity Church | Carlisle, Cumbria 54.892°N -2.952°W | 1828–30 | A Commissioners' church designed with Henry Hutchinson. Demolished 1981. | |||
| St John's Church | Whittle-le-Woods, Lancashire 53.6885°N -2.6399°W | 1829–30 | Designed with Henry Hutchinson. Replaced in 1880–82. | |||
| Holy Trinity Church | Lawrence Hill, Bristol 51.4581°N -2.5761°W | 1829–32 | A Commissioners' church designed with Henry Hutchinson. It is now redundant. | II* | ||
| St Mary's Church | Tiddington, Oxfordshire 51.7406°N -1.0519°W | 1830 | A small church for the Hon. Frederick Bertie. | II | ||
| Christ Church | Coventry, West Midlands | 1830–32 | A Commissioners' church designed with Henry Hutchinson. Bombed; only the medieval spire remains. | |||
| St John the Divine's Church | Pemberton, Wigan, Greater Manchester 53.5369°N -2.683°W | 1830–32 | A Commissioners' church designed with Henry Hutchinson. | II | ||
| St David's Church | Haigh, Greater Manchester 53.5759°N -2.5961°W | 1830–33 | A Commissioners' church designed with Henry Hutchinson. | II | ||
| St Mary's Church | Lower Hardres, Kent 51.2371°N 1.0821°W | 1831–32 | Designed with Henry Hutchinson. | II | ||
| St Stephen's Church | Tockholes, Lancashire 53.7061°N -2.5169°W | 1831–33 | A Commissioners' church designed with Henry Hutchinson. Replaced in 1965–66, retaining only the front of the south porch. | |||
| All Saints Church | Handsworth, Birmingham, West Midlands | 1832–33 | A Commissioners' church designed with Henry Hutchinson. Chancel added 1881; since demolished. | |||
| St Matthew's Church | Cotham, Bristol 51.4641°N -2.5951°W | 1833–35 | II | |||
| Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel | Redditch, Worcestershire 52.3054°N -1.9317°W | 1834 | II | |||
| Emmanuel Church | Charnwood, Leicestershire 52.767°N -1.2105°W | 1835–37 | A Commissioners' church. | II | ||
| All Saints Church | Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire 52.3493°N -1.4041°W | 1835–37 | II* | |||
| Church of the Holy Ascension | Settle, North Yorkshire 54.0705°N -2.2773°W | 1836–38 | II | |||
| St. Stephen's Church | Sneinton, Nottingham 52.951°N -1.1316°W | 1837–39 | Designed with R. C. Hussey. Of their design the tower and part of the south transept remain, the rest being replaced in 1909–12. | II | ||
| Christ Church | Clevedon, Somerset 51.439°N -2.8518°W | 1838–39 | Designed with R. C. Hussey. | II* | ||