Ithiel town and Trinity on the Green Built 1814-16 A New Beginning
BEFORE ITHIEL Trinity Church in 1752, Collection of the New Haven Museum, n.d. Trinity off the Green, built 1753-54, 3 rd lot in on Church St from SE corner of Church and Chapel, purchased 1752. A fellow named Thomas Davis may have been the builder. A peculiar style according to the Rev Dr Harry Croswell. Just more continental, actually. attrib. to William Giles Munson, Collection of Trinity Church, oil on wood board, c. 1830 The first church survived the Revolution and was sold to a Baptist church after 1816. Later 19thc print based on the earlier print
Ithiel on the green The rise of Ithiel s architectural impact on the New Haven Green, showing his range of vocabulary and clear passion for each project: Center, 1813; Trinity, 1814; State House, 1827. His 1820 lattice truss bridge design patent affords him time for his love of architecture. E. View of the Public Square or Green in New Haven, Con, drawn and engraved by J.W. Barber, c. 1830 Late 20thc aerial view of the New Haven Green Ithiel Town, Lattice Truss Patent Drawing, 1820, Yale Beineke Library The Gothic Church, 1837, drawn by William H. Bartlett, handcolored print published London, 1842
ITHIEL ON THE GREEN at trinity church Sketches by Ithiel from his math notebook, Yale, Beineke Library Ithiel loves to think form through and apply new ideas to his work! Asher Benjamin, Corinthian Capital with crocketts, 1806 Trinity Interior in 1816, print, n.d New Haven Museum. Stowe, Parish Church, 13 th -14thc Buckinghamshire, UK Brown, a British architect, married at Stowe s church while working on the gardens at the great house. Sought classic perfection at St Mary s with the Gothic! Look familiar? By 1840 Gothic Revival has taken root, US & UK! Trinity on the Green, 1813-1816, photo c. 1860 Trinity on the Green, photo before 1870 (Note the State House, demolished c. 1870). CT Historical Society Trinity on the Green, Amos Doolittle print, 1817 Capability Brown, St Mary s, Croome, UK, 1763 Holy Trinity Church, Cheshire, UK, 1838-1839 Gothic garden Folly or a new Gothic sincerity? Fresh ideas in the air on both sides of the pond, 1760-1830. In US, it is separation of church & state. In UK, it is antidote to urban Classicism.
Ithiel on the green at center church Ithiel s telescoping tower speeds construction and his scissors truss forms a shallow dome. Inventive engineer he is to be sure. Asher Benjamin, Doric & Ionic Orders, published 1797-1806 Asher Benjamin, fully realized Corinthian Order (Roman) Published 1797-1806 Even the Greeks and Romans saw history as the passage of time inherent in the sequence of the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. Permanence and strength are thus implied. Center Church, 1810-1814 (inset clearly shows balustrade at roof line) Asher Benjamin, Plans & Elevations of a Meeting House, published 1797-1806 James Gibbs, St Martin in the Fields, London, UK, 1721-1726 Strident Classicism borrowed by Ithiel via Asher Benjamin from the urban scene in 18thc UK. Fourth Meeting House for Colony s First Society: New style, new age, new Republic. It s Anglican source is ironic!
ITHIEL ON THE GREEN at center & trinity Trinity on the Green, Amos Doolittle print, 1817 Trinity on the Green, 1813-1816, photo c. 2010 While still called the Meeting House in 1814, Center Church in its fourth version sought to be more a product of the new Republic in its references to Greek and Roman form than a throwback to the Colonial era. Ithiel understood the spirit of the times and provided the newly-named Episcopalians forms proper to their origin. Church and state are now separating, even in the midst of the War of 1812. Gothic emerges strongly. Crenelated tower thrusts thru the pediment, and balustrade is replaced by castellation, clearly stating the newly tolerated style. Center Church, 1810-1814, photo c. 2010 (inset clearly shows balustrade at roof line)
Ithiel s design makes way for EDWIN INSIDE ON THE GREEN at trinity church All Saints, Margaret St, London, Wm Butterfield, 1849-52 John Ruskin at University Museum, Oxford, 1855-61 Trinity at 50 yrs, 1866 & (to right) 1816 Trinity s Interior c 1884 at end of Harwood s refinishing campaign The Rev Dr Edwin Harwood While Rev Bela Hubbard & Bishop Abraham Jarvis surely work with Ithiel on the design of Trinity and while Rev Dr Harry Croswell begins Trinity s tradition of great preaching, it is the Rev Dr Edwin Harwood (rector, 1859-1895) who pays special attention to Trinity s interior. He traveled widely and saw English Oxford Movement ornament as a reflection of the Holy. At Trinity s 50 th anniversary, the refinishing of the nave had begun. By 1884, it had been accomplished along with the building of the chancel, new pews & gallery fronts, the completion of the stone tower and new windows. Ithiel s cluster columns given a new glory!
Ithiel s design continues to make way for Trinity at 100 years and today at 200 years Lucy Boardman, oil on canvas, painted from a photo, nd, collection Trinity Church Trinity s Interior at he 100 th Anniversary, 1916 Lucy Boardman left monies Rev Dr Charles in 1906 which with property Otis Scoville, Rector, 1908-34 sales in 1909 funded the reinforcement of the galleries, installation of the chancel organ, the altar, Tiffany windows & Lee Laurie s reredos. Stone everywhere and new wall finishes! In the last 100 years, we have added stairwells, dug and later refurbished the Undercroft, made an accessible path Trinity s Accessible and added a Entry & Undercroft, 2010, Duo Dickinson, AIA Columbarium. Our spirit grows! Trinity s Interior in 2013 (photo by John Kane) Robert Orr, AIA, Elevator Enclosure, 2010 (photo by John Kane) MJ (Peg) Chambers, AIA, Columbarium, 2010 (photo at left by John Kane; photo above by MJ Chambers)
Ithiel in Hartford & Troy Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral. Hartfoed, CT, 1827-29, Ithiel Town Christ Church Cathedral, int showing Chancel of 1879, paintings of 1886 and arch paintings of 1924 At our cathedral church, Ithiel incorporates details from sketches St Paul s, Troy, int showing rework by Tiffany Studios, 1890s. Columns are original to Ithiel, though reinforced. By 1827, Ithiel had joined in partnership with the young A. J. Davis in NYC. Ithiel was very busy, but had the unique opportunity to use Trinity s basics in two new churches. made by Rev Wheaton on his bookfinding tour (for Trinity College) to the UK. English High Gothic Cathedral details are added, including shallow buttresses, which helped save the balcony and columns. St Paul s Episcopal Church, Troy, NY, 1827, Ithiel Town St Paul s is purer Trinity at least on the outside. Inside, his galleries are gone (removed to preserve the columns), but the columns are his! The décor is Tiffany, 1890s and similar to Rev Harwood s finish campaign of the 1870s-early 80s. Trinity had Tiffany chandeliers too!
Albany s episcopal cathedral true gothic revival All Saints Cathedral, Albany, Robert W Gibson,1888-1913. counterclockwise, starting below, plan, west front, original perspective, temporary westfront, chancel/choir, high altar The National Cathedral, Washington, DC, 1907 ff, George Bodley and others The era of High Gothic Revival Episcopal cathedral building in our country begins with Albany s Episcopal cathedral, the first of many, including the National Cathedral & St John the Divine. St John the Divine, NYC, 1892 ff, Ralph Adams Cram & others It seems in retrospect that our dear Trinity at its 100 th anniversary aspired to the High Gothic!
Ithiel town and the Wadsworth Atheneum Built 1842-44 A Life Well Lived 1784-1844
Ithiel and Daniel wadsworth Dated Nov 29, 1827 and signed Your Old Servant, Ithiel Town Ithiel (1784-1844) is 43; Daniel (1771-1848) is 56 Daniel wants to talk with Ithiel about Daniel s house in town. This house is on the land on which Daniel will eventually build the Atheneum in 1842. Daniel may already have the vision and wants to share it with Ithiel. Beineke Library, Yale Ithiel asks Daniel to let the Directors of Phoenix Bank know that the marble fronts look well and will ship soon. All in a day s work!
Ithiel and Daniel: soulmates Shared interests: books, architecture, engineering, the sublime, the beautiful & the picturesque in painting and nature. They are the intellectual avant-garde. Daniel moves to Monte Video in 1832 after using it as a get-away outside Hartford. Ithiel may have designed his Classical house there. Ithiel goes on the Grand Tour in 1830, Britain and Italy. It must have energized the Atheneum planning. Thomas Cole, View of Monte Video, 1828 Ithiel s Villa, revised by Town & Davis, 1832 Thomas Cole, The Architect s Dream, 1839 Gothic Folly,, Shotover, Oxfordshire, UK, 1715 William Townsend Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford, CT 1842-44, Ithiel Town The Gothic Temple, Stowe, UK 1745-49 Capability Brown with James Gibbs Monte Video, steel engraving, London, 1831 Primitive Hut at Monte Video, CT