Thomas Mainwaring Penson (1818–64) was an English surveyor and architect. He was born in Oswestry, Shropshire, the son of Thomas Penson, also a surveyor and architect, and was educated at Oswestry School. He and his brother, Richard Kyrke Penson, then trained in their father's practice. He designed buildings in the area of the practice, including stations for the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway. He was appointed as county surveyor of Cheshire and moved to Chester, Cheshire. Here he laid out Overleigh Cemetery in 1848–50. This has been designated at Grade II in the National Register of Historic Parks and Gardens. He is credited with pioneering the Black-and-white Revival (vernacular or half-timbered) style in the city during the 1850s. His first building in this style was constructed in Eastgate Street in 1852, but it has since been demolished.
Grade | Criteria | |
---|---|---|
I | Buildings of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important | |
II* | Particularly important buildings of more than special interest | |
II | Buildings of national importance and special interest | |
Name | Location | Photograph | Date | Notes | Grade | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Holy Trinity Church | Oswestry, Shropshire 52.8574°N -3.0519°W | 1835–37 | A new church. | |||
Holy Trinity School | Rhyl, Flintshire, Wales | 1842 | Enlarged in 1855–56, but later demolished. | |||
St Agatha's Church | Llanymynech, Shropshire 52.7798°N -3.0875°W | 1843–45 | A new church replacing a medieval church, in Neo-Norman style. Alterations were made in 1879. | |||
Baschurch railway station | Baschurch, Shropshire 52.7986°N -2.8474°W | 1848 | Designed for the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway. Now converted into a house. | |||
Gobowen railway station | Gobowen, Shropshire 52.8935°N -3.0371°W | 1848 | Designed for the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway. Restored in the 1980s. | |||
Rossett railway station | Rossett, Wrexham, Wales | 1848 | Designed for the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway. Now demolished. | |||
Ruabon railway station | Ruabon, Wrexham, Wales 52.9871°N -3.0433°W | 1848 | Designed for the Shrewsbury and Chester Railway. Replaced by a new station in 1860. | |||
Level crossing keeper's cottage | Gobowen, Shropshire 52.894°N -3.0375°W | To the north of Gobowen railway station. | ||||
Gates, gate piers and bridge over drive | Overleigh Cemetery, Chester, Cheshire 53.1819°N -2.8947°W | 1848–50 | The original entrance to the cemetery and a bridge. | |||
Shrewsbury railway station | Shrewsbury, Shropshire 52.7117°N -2.7498°W | 1849 | Extended by Penson in 1885, and later in 1903. | |||
Powis Market | Oswestry, Shropshire 52.8611°N -3.0543°W | 1849 | Replaced by a modern building in 1963. | |||
Castle Park House | Frodsham, Cheshire 53.2926°N -2.7309°W | 1850s | A country house for Joseph Stubs, probably designed by Penson. | |||
Church Stretton railway station | Church Stretton, Shropshire 52.5383°N -2.8029°W | 1852 | The original station, to the north of the road bridge, was closed in 1914. The present station is to the south of the bridge. | |||
22 Eastgate Street | Chester, Cheshire 53.1904°N -2.8906°W | 1852 | A timber-framed building dating from 1610; it was altered in the 18th century, and then refurbished by Penson. | |||
Previous Town Hall | Rhyl, Flintshire, Wales | 1854–56 | ||||
Monument | Overleigh Cemetery, Chester, Cheshire 53.1819°N -2.8947°W | 1857 | To the memory of Henry Raikes, Chancellor of the diocese of Chester who died in 1854. Designed by Penson, carved by Thomas Earp. | |||
Militia Barracks | Mold, Flintshire, Wales | 1857–58 | Converted into the County Offices in 1878–88, then demolished in the 1960s. | |||
Crypt Chambers | Chester, Cheshire 53.1904°N -2.8903°W | 1858 | A rebuilding in Gothic style as a department store for Browns of Chester. | |||
26 Eastgate Street | Chester, Cheshire 53.1904°N -2.8905°W | 1858–59 | A building dating from the 17th century, altered in the early 18th century, and restored by Penson. | |||
School | Northop Road, Flint, Flintshire, Wales | 1859 | School with four gables and a bellcote; the school house is attached to the left side. | |||
Queen Hotel | Chester, Cheshire 53.1961°N -2.8802°W | 1860–61 | Built in Italianate style opposite Chester railway station, but damaged by fire soon afterwards. It was rebuilt on the same plan in 1862 by Penson with Cornelius Shacklock. | |||
National School | Worthenbury, Wrexham, Wales | 1862 | Now the village hall. | |||
St John the Baptist's Church | Chester, Cheshire 53.189°N -2.8856°W | 1863 | East window. | |||
Grosvenor Hotel | Chester, Cheshire 53.1907°N -2.8891°W | 1863–66 | Designed by T. M. Penson for the 2nd Marquess of Westminster. Completed after his death by his brother R. K. Penson and his partner Ritchie. | |||
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