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John Britton (1771-1857),
Antiquary and Topographer
English
antiquary,who was born on the 7th of
July 1771 at Kington-St-Michael, near
Chippenham. His parents were in humble
circumstances, and he was left an
orphan at an early age. At sixteen he
went to London and was apprenticed to a
wine merchant. Prevented by ill-health
from serving his full term, he found
himself adrift in the world, without
money or friends. In his fight with
poverty he was put to strange shifts,
becoming cellarman at a tavern and
clerk to a lawyer, reciting and singing
at a small theatre, and compiling a
collection of common songs.
After some slight
successes as a writer, a Salisbury
publisher commissioned him to compile
an account of Wiltshire and, in
conjunction with his friend Edward
Wedlake Brayley, Britton produced The
Beauties of Wiltshire (1801; 2 vols., a
third added in 1825), the first of the
series The Beauties of England and
Wales, nine volumes of which Britton
and his friend wrote . .The project was
a topographical survey of the whole
country, running 27 volumes and taking
twenty years to complete. It was the
first in a long line of topographical
publications. After the seventh volume
was produced, Britton seemed to lose
interest in the 'beauties' series.
However, he was succeeded by J. C.
Smith (1778 - 1810), also a
topographical draughtsman, and Britton
continued to supply illustrations for
the guides produced. Britton was the
originator of a new class of literary
works. " Before his time," says Digby
Wyatt, popular topography was unknown."
In 1805 Britton published the first
part of his Architectural Antiquities
of Great Britain (9 vols., 1805
to1814); and this was followed by
Cathedral Antiquities of England (14
vols., 1814 . to 1835).
In 1845 a Britton
Club was formed, and a sum of
£1000 was subscribed and given to
Britton, who was subsequently granted a
civil list pension by Disraeli, then
chancellor of the exchequer. Britton
was an earnest advocate of the
preservation of national monuments,
proposing in 1837 the formation of a
society such as the modern Society for
the Preservation of Ancient Monuments.
Britton himself supervised the
preparation of Waltham Cross and
Stratford-upon-Avon church.
Britton was a
self-made editor with a great talent in
the area. He called the artists that he
gathered together 'scientific artists'.
He later went on to produce an enormous
biography which was completed and
released 7 years before he died,in
London on the 1st of January 1857 at
the age of 86. Among other works with
which Britton was associated either as
author or editor are Historical Account
of Redcliffe Church,Bristol (1813);
Illustrations of Fonthill Abbey (1823);
Architectural Antiquities of Normandy,
with illustrations by Pugin (1825
to1827); Picturesque Antiquities of
English Cities (1830); and History of
the Palace and Houses of Parliament at
Westminster (1834 to 1836), the joint
work of Britton and Brayley. He
contributed much to the Gentleman's
Magazine and other periodicals. His
Autobiography was published in 1850. A
Descriptive Account of his Literary
Works was published by his assistant T.
E.Jones.
His works
are- this is a list in progress as
few now seem to realise the
significance of his work. All images by
him show normal daily life and the
places are depicted 'warts and all' not
the stylised view of J P Neale or the
plain historical drawing of Grose he
was quite the revolutionary when placed
in his historical context.To check his
style compare the Rutter Fonthill
guidebook with Britton's
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title
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dates
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author/s
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illustrations
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The
Beauties of Wiltshire
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(3
vol., 1801 to
25)
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written
with E. W. Brayley
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The
Pleasures of Human Life:
Investigated...Cheerfully,
Elucidated...Satirically,
Promulgated...Explicitly; and
Discussed...Philosophically by
a Dozen Dissertations, on
Male, Female and Neuter
Pleasures
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Longman,
Hurst, Rees & Orme
1807
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BENEVOLUS
Hilaris and Co, pseud BRITTON
John
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hand-coloured
illustrations by
Rowlandson,
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An Essay
towards a History and
Description of Ancient Stone
Crosses." (London:
Architectural Antiquities,
1807).
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1807
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John
Britton,
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18
plates.
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Catalogue
raisonné of the
pictures belonging to the Most
Honourable the Marquis of
Stafford, in the gallery of
Cleveland House (etc) ; An
historical account of Corsham
House, in Wiltshire ; the seat
of Paul Cobb Methuen, Esq.,
with a catalogue of his
celebrated collection of
pictures
(etc).
. . .
Britton's
descriptive catalogues of two
splendid but contrasting
collections of Old Master
pictures then available for
viewing
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London,
for Longman (and others) and
the author, 1808 ; London,
"printed for the author, and
Joseph Barrett, Bath" 1806.,
1808.
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John
Britton,
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engraved
frontispiece, engraved ground
plan
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A
TOPOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL
DESCRIPTION OF
WILTSHIRE.
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1810
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John
Britton,
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13 engraved
plates
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The
Beauties of England and Wales
or, Original Delineations,
Topographical, Historical and
Descriptive, of Each County.;
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(18
volumes in 26 books) 1801 to
15
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John
Britton,
;
Edward Wedlake Brayley; Thomas
Rees; J. Norris Brewster &
others.
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688
plates and 25 title
vignettes
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The Fine
Arts of the English School;
Illustrated by a Series of
Engravings, from Paintings,
Sculpture and Architecture, of
Eminent English Artists: with
ample biographical, critical,
and descriptive Essays, by
various authors.
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Longman,
Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown.,
London., 1812.
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John
Britton,
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4
engravings of St. Paul's
Cathedral by Elmes.
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An
historical and architectural
essay relating to Redcliffe
Church, Bristol: illustrated
with plans, views, and
architectural details:
including an account of the
monuments, and anecdotes of
the eminent persons interred
within its walls: also, an
essay on the life and
character of Thomas
Chatterton.
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Longman,
and others, 1813,
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John
Britton,
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12 engraved
plates
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The
History and Antiquities of the
Cathedrals of
England.
. . .
Salisbury,
Winchester, Canterbury, Oxford
& Lichfield, Gloucester,
Exeter, Peterborough, Bristol,
Hereford. All illustrated by a
series of engravings of views,
elevations, and plans of these
edifices, with biographical
anecdotes of eminent persons
connected with the
Establishment
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pub.
Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and
Green, London. Nine
volumes,1814 . to1831
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John
Britton,
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listed
separately
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The History
and Antiquities of the
Metropolitical Church of York.
Illustrated by a Series of
Engravings of Views,
Elevations, Plans...
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1814
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John
Britton,
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thirty-six
fine steel engraved
plates
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THE HISTORY
AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE
CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF SALISBURY;
Illustrated with A Series of
Engravings of Views,
Elevations, Plans, and Details
of that Edifice. Also Etchings
of the Ancient Monuments and
Sculpture: Including
Biographical Anecdotes of the
Bishops, and of other Eminent
Persons connected with the
Church.
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(London,
1816)
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John
Britton,
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30 fine
steel engraved plates
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THE HISTORY
AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE SEE AND
CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF NORWICH;
Illustrated by A Series of
Engravings of Views,
Elevations, Plans, and Details
of that Edifice. With
Biographical Anecdotes of the
Bishops, and of other Eminent
Persons connected with the
Church.
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(London,
1817)
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John
Britton,
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25 fine
steel engraved plates
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The
History and Antiquities of the
See and Cathedral Church of
Winchester
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(London,
1817)
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John
Britton,
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30 fine
steel engraved plates,
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A
Topographical and Historical
Description of the County of
Hereford; Containing an
Account of Its Towns,
Cathedrals, Castles,
Antiquities, Churches.
Monuments, Public Edifices,
Picturesque Scenery, The
Residences of the Nobility,
Gentry
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(London,
1818)
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John
Britton,
;
Edward Wedlake Brayley;
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The History
and Antiquities of the See and
Cathedral Church of Lichfield;
Illustrated by a Series of
Engravings, of Views,
Elevations, Plans, and Details
of the Architecture of the
Church: with Biographical
Anecdotes of the Bishops of
Lichfield and Coventry.
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(London,
1820)
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John
Britton,
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The History
and Antiquities of the
Metropolitical Church of
Canterbury
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(London,
1821)
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John
Britton,
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26 fine
steel engraved plates
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THE HISTORY
AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE
CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF OXFORD;
Illustrated by A Series of
Engravings of Views,
Elevations, Plans, and Details
of that Edifice. With
Biographical Anecdotes of the
Bishops, and of other Eminent
Persons connected with the
Church
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(London,
1821)
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John
Britton,
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11 fine
steel engraved plates
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Graphical
and Literary Illustrations of
Fonthill
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1823
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John
Britton,
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illustrated
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THE HISTORY
AND ANTIQUITIES OF CATHEDRAL
CHURCH OF WELLS; Illustrated
by A Series of Engravings, of
views, Elevations, Plans and
Details, of the Architecture
of that Edifice: Including
Biographical Notices and
Anecdotes of the Bishops of
the See of Bath &
Wells.
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(London,
1824)
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John
Britton,
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24 fine
steel engraved plates
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The history
and antiquities of Bath abbey
church.
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(London,
1825)
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John
Britton,
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10 fine
steel engraved plates
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Illustrations
of the Public Buildings of
London. With historical and
descriptive accounts of each
edifice,
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published
by J. Taylor: London,
1825
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John
Britton and Augustus
Pugin1
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A brief
memoir of the life and
writings of John Britton,
F.S.A., F.R.S.L.,
&c.
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London,
"printed by J. Moyes, Bouverie
Street" 1825, "[Not for
sale]",
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John
Britton,
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Britton's
earliest autobiography,
published as part of the
preface to volume three of his
Beauties of Wiltshire, also
separately issued
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The History
and Antiquities of the
Cathedral Church of Exeter;
Illustrated by a Series of
Engravings of Views,
Elevations, Sections, and
Plan, of that Edifice:
Including Biographical
Anecdotes of the Bishop of the
See
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1826
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John
Britton,
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22
full-page engraved plts
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Chronological
History and Graphic
Illustrations of Christian
Architecture in England;
Embracing a Critical Inquiry
Into the Rise, Progress and
Perfection of this Species of
Architecture
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Longman,Rees,Orme,Brown
and Green, London, 1826
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John
Britton,
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engraved
title page and a further 86
full page plates of
plans,sections,elevations and
views.
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The Union
Of Architecture, Sculpture,
And Painting... With
Descriptive Accounts Of The
House And Galleries Of John
Soane..
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London:
Printed For The Author; Sold
by Longman And Co., J.Taylor,
And J. And A.Arch,
1827.
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John
Britton,
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hand-coloured
aquatint frontis. & 22
engraved plates. wood-engraved
title vignette &
headpieces. 5 text
woodcuts.
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THE HISTORY
AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE ABBEY,
AND CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF
PETERBOROUGH; illustrated by a
series of engravings of views,
elevations, plans and details
of the architecture of the
church; with biographical
anecdotes of eminent persons
connected with the
establishment.
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1828
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John
Britton,
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16 fine
steel engraved plates
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The history
and antiquities of the abbey
and cathedral church of
Gloucester: illustrated by a
series of engravings of views,
elevations, plans, and details
of that edifice, .. .
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1829
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John
Britton,
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22 fine
steel engraved plates
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Modern
Athens! Displayed in a Series
of Views or Edinburgh in the
Nineteenth Century exhibiting
the whole of the new
buildings, modern
improvements, antiquities and
picturesque scenery of the
Scottish Metropolis and its
environs
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Jones &
Co., London 1829
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Britton,
John ; Thomas H. Shepherd
(illustrator)
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50 engraved
plates, composed of 2 or 3
images
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Picturesque
Antiquities of the English
Cities, Illustrated By a
Series of Engravings BRITTON
John
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John
Longman Rees Orme Brown and
Green, 1830.
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John
Britton,
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60
full page plates,
,
12 woodcuts in the
text,
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MEMOIRS Of
The TOWER Of LONDON:
Comprising Historical and
Descriptive Accounts of that
National Fortress and Palace:
Anecdotes of State Prisoners:
-- of the Armouries: --
Jewels: -- Regalia: --
Records: -- Menagerie,
&c.
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Hurst
Chance & Co., 1830.
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Britton,
John & E. W.
Brayley.
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vignette
& 18 intratextual
engravings
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The
New Bath Guide or Memoirs of
the B-N-R-D Family in a series
of poetical epistles
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Edinburgh
& London Charles Skilton
Ltd 1830.
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Anstey,
Christopher; Britton,
John
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Illustrated
with 5 etchings by Cruikshanks
/ 2 illustrations
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Cornwall
Illustrated, From Original
Drawings by Thomas Allom, W.
H. Bartlett & Co. With
Historical and Topographical
Descriptions by J. Britton
& E. W. Brayley.
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Fisher, Son
& Co, London, 1831.
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Britton,
John & E. W.
Brayley.
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22
engraved
plates,
each composed of 2
illustrations.(45
total)map
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Devonshire
Illustrated, From Original
Drawings by Thomas Allom, W.
H. Bartlett & Co. With
Historical and Topographical
Descriptions by J. Britton
& E. W. Brayley.
Normally
found bound as one
volume
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Fisher, Son
& Co, London, 1831.
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Britton,
John & E. W.
Brayley.
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47
engraved
plates,
each composed of 2
illustrations(95
total).map
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THE HISTORY
AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE ABBEY,
AND CATHEDRAL CHURCH, of
Bristol: Illustrated by a
Series of Engravings of Views,
Elevations, Plans, and Details
of that Edifice; with
Biographical Anecdotes of
Eminent Persons connected with
the Establishment.
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1830,
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John
Britton,
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20 plates;
1st ed
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THE HISTORY
AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE
CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF HEREFORD:
Illustrated by a Series of
Engravings of Views,
Elevations, and Plans of That
Edifice. With Biographical
Anecdotes of Eminent Persons
Connected with the
Establishment.
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1831
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John
Britton,
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16 fine
steel engraved plates
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Descriptive
Sketches of Tunbridge Wells
and the Calverley Estate with
Brief Notices of the
Picturesque Scenery Seats and
Antiquities in the
Vicinity
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1832
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John
Britton,
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maps and
illustrations listed
[14]
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title
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dates
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author/s
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illustrations
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Historical
and Descriptive Essays
accompanying a Series of
Engraved Specimens of the
Architectural Antiquities of
Normandy.
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BRITTON, J.
(Ed.), PUGIN Augustus and LE
KEUX, John and Henry.
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London:
M.A. Nattali, 1833.
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80
architectural plates, a few
with hand colouring.
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A
brief Memoir of Sir John
Soane
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London,
1834
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John
Britton,
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The
Architectural Antiquities of
Great Britain
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London
M.A. Nattali 1835.,
Five
volumes.
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John
Britton,
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=line
drawings and engravings
showing "elevations, Plan,
Sections and details
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THE HISTORY
AND ANTIQUITIES OF THE
CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF WORCESTER.
Illustrated by a Series of
Engravings of Views,
Elevations, Plans, and Details
of that Edifice; with
Biographical Anecdotes of
Eminent Persons connected with
the Establishment.
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1835.,
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John
Britton,
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16 fine
steel engraved plates
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History and
Antiquities of the
Metropolitical Church Of York
; Illustrated By a Series of
Engravings of Views,
Elevations, Plans and Details
of the Architecture of That
Edifice : With Biographical
Anecdotes of the
Archbishops
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1836
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John
Britton,
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34 fine
steel engraved plates
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The history
of the ancient Palace and late
Houses of Parliament at
Westminster : embracing
accounts and illustrations of
St. Stephen's Chapel, and its
cloisters, Westminster Hall,
the Court of Requests, the
Painted Chamber,
&.&.
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John Weale.
1836,
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John
Britton,
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40 engraved
plates, + text
illustrations
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THE
CHURCHES OF LONDON. A History
& Description of the
Ecclesiastical Edifices of the
|Metropolis.... Illustrated by
numerous plates engraved by J.
LeKeux from drawings by Robert
Wm. Billings.
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2
vols London, 1838-9
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George
Godwin and John
Britton,
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29
full-page plates and 20
text/27 full-page plates, 36
text illus
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A
Dictionary Of The Architecture
and Archaeology Of The Middle
Ages: Including Words Used By
Ancient And Modern Authors In
Treating Of Architectural and
other Antiquities: With
Etymology, Defination,
Description, And Historical
Elucidation: Also,
Biographical Notices Of
Ancient Architects.
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Longman,
Orme, Brown, Green, Longmans,
and the Author, 1838.
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John
Britton,
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42 plates
by J. Le Keux.
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Graphic
Illustrations with Historical
and Descriptive Accounts of
Toddington, Gloucestershire
the Seat of Lord
Sudeley
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1840.
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John
Britton,
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engraved
titlepage, 29 plates, 3
woodcuts
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ARCHITECTURAL
ILLUSTRATIONS OF WINDSOR
CASTLE etc
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London,
1842.
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GANDY,
MICHAEL & BAUD, BENJAMIN
& BRITTON, JOHN
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40
plates including 16
lithographic views
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The History
of the Parish of Grittleton,
in the County of Wilts
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Wiltshire
Topographical Society, London,
1843.
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BRITTON,
John, (contrib.)
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map, 3
litho plates, and
woodcuts
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.Memoir of
John Aubrey, F.R.S.; embracing
his autobiographical sketches,
with a brief review of his
personal and literary merits,
and an account of his works;
with extracts from his
correspondence etc.
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Printed by
J.B.Nichols & son for the
Wiltshire Topographical
Society, 1845.
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John
Britton,
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engraved
portrait & title
vignette,
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MEMOIRS OF
THE LIFE, WRITINGS, AND
CHARACTER OF HENRY
HATCHER.
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1847
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John
Britton,
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Frontispiece,
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AUTHORSHIP
OF THE LETTERS OF JUNIUS
ELUCIDATED: Including a
Biography and Memoir of
Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac
Barre, M.P.
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Printed for
the author, and sold by J.R.
Smith 1848,
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Junius]
Britton John
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double-page
engraved portrait / vignette
title with lift up flap
revealing a small portrait by
Isaac Barre
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A
Topographical History of
Surrey
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Willis,
London, 1850
5 volume
set
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BRAYLEY
Edward Wedlake, Assisted By
John Britton
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129 steel
engraved plates, and many text
engravings,
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The
Auto-Biography of John
Britton, F.S.A...in three
parts...copiously
illustrated.
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London;
printed for the author, as
presents to subscribers to
"The Britton Testimonial",
1850
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John
Britton,
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7 plates,
of which 2 are tinted
lithos
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APPENDIX TO
BRITTON'S AUTO-BIOGRAPHY:
CONTAINING BIOGRAPHICAL,
ARCHAEOLOGICAL, AND CRITICAL
ESSAYS.
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London:
1850
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John
Britton,
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Reminiscences
of Literary London from 1779
to 1853; with Interesting
Anecdotes of Publishers,
Authors, and Book Auctioneers
of that Period.
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London,
1853; New York, 1896.
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Rees,
Thomas and John Britton.
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He
died at 86 years old in
1857
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John
Britton. Graphical and
Literary Illustrations of
Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire.
1823. All with a border and:
'London. Published/Printed
by/for the Author April 1,
1823.' except pl. X, dated May
1, 1823 & title-page
woodcut.
Fonthill
Abbey; Hall from the Octagon.
Pl. VI. Drawn by Gastineau,
from a Sketch by Cattermole;
Engraved by R. Sands
Architectural
& Heraldical Title for
Britton's Illustrations of
Fonthill Abbey. Pl. XI.
Engraved by J. Le
Keux.&endash; Designed by J.
Britton.&endash; Drawn by J.
Rayner
View from
the end of the Western Avenue
&endash; Engraved by J.
Thompson, from a Sketch by T.
Higham. Woodcut on
title-page.
Fonthill
Abbey, Plan of the Principal
Floor. Pl. I. Drawn and
Measured by G Cattermole, Oct
1822, Engraved by J.
Roffe
Fonthill
Abbey, N. W. View. Pl. II.
Engraved by J. Lambert from a
Drawing by G.
Cattermole
Fonthill
Abbey, S. W. View. [Pl.
III.] Engraved by H.
Winkles, from a Drawing by G.
Cattermole
Fonthill
Abbey. S E. View. Pl. IV.
Engraved by W. Tombleson:
Sketchd by T. Higham: Drawn by
S. Rayner
Fonthill
Abbey, Distant View from S. W.
Pl. V. Engraved by J. C.
Varrall: Sketchd by T. Higham:
Drawn by J. Martin
Fonthill
Abbey. Octagon, looking S. E.
Pl. VII.8.
Fonthill
Abbey. King Edward's Gallery,
looking N. Pl. VIII. Engraved
by J. Le Keux from Sks by
Cattermole, Shaw,
Fonthill
Abbey, S. End of St Michael's
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