John Rawstorne, (or Rawsthorne as it is sometimes spelt), was born in Badsworth, near Pontefract, in 1761. He was closely related to Samuel Walker who lived at Stapleton Park, a mansion that once stood north of Doncaster.
As a young man, John Rawstorne was articled to James Wyatt, one of the most important architects of the eighteenth century. After leaving Wyatt’s office he moved to Birmingham where he was responsible for a number of buildings including the Cavalry Barracks. These were built in 1792 to keep control of the local population following the city’s riots of the year before.
In 1793, whilst still in Birmingham, he designed Sheffield Royal Infirmary, the first of his South Yorkshire buildings.
The Infirmary opened in 1797 but by that time Rawstorne had moved on, settling in Doncaster by 1795. The landlord of the Salutation, William Hurst (father of the architect of the same name), had bought much of Hall Cross Hill in 1793 and by 1795 had begun to build houses there. The first two were almost certainly what are now numbers 9 and 10 South Parade, and Rawstorne moved into one of them, probably what is now number 9.
John Rawstorne probably rented the house with the bow window, now 9 South Parade
At this time Bethune Green, a former owner of the Salutation, was busy selling building plots between the inn and the north end of the road, now known as Waterdale. One plot was sold to John Rawstorne and on the site he built what is now 18 South Parade, arguably Doncaster’s finest domestic property of the Georgian period. It is situated almost opposite the Regent Hotel and is now known as Bourne Swann Chambers.
The Infirmary opened in 1797 but by that time Rawstorne had moved on, settling in Doncaster by 1795. The landlord of the Salutation, William Hurst (father of the architect of the same name), had bought much of Hall Cross Hill in 1793 and by 1795 had begun to build houses there. The first two were almost certainly what are now numbers 9 and 10 South Parade, and Rawstorne moved into one of them, probably what is now number 9.
John Rawstorne probably rented the house with the bow window, now 9 South Parade
To be sold by auction: That elegant and convenient house, situated on South Parade, fronting the Great North Road and commanding an extensive prospect.
Consists of a basement, principal, chamber and attic stories with servants’ rooms in the roof. A commodious yard and garden walled round and planted with choice fruit trees in full bearing. Also two rooms used as offices, forming a separate building fronting the yard and garden.
Basement: Kitchen, pantry, two beer cellars arched, wine cellar and coal vault; a scullery, ash hole, and servants’ privy under the yard with an area. The kitchen is arched with Mr Cartwright’s patent bricks and is very lofty.
Principal Storey: A breakfast parlour, dining room, hall, stone staircase, and servants’ stairs and butler’s pantry
Chamber Storey: drawing room, anti room, bed room, closet and w.c. Attics: three very good bedrooms, dressing room, three closets
There are three rooms in the roof for servants, with a lumber room, well lighted and ventilated.
All the rooms upon the several stories are very lofty and well proportioned, the dining room and drawing room are finished with handsome marble chimneypieces, and steel grates, with ornamental ceilings and enriched cornices. The front of the house is of stone and finished in a superior style of architecture, the whole forming a complete residence for a genteel family being situated in the best situation in the town, which is esteemed one of the handsomest in England.
“A w.c. would have been an innovation in Doncaster in 1796. Lack of a town sewerage system weighed against their general introduction. Individual cesspools had to be provided to take the soil water.
The reference to the kitchen being arched with Rev Cartwright’s patent bricks sheds new light on the Rev Edmund Cartwright’s last year in Doncaster. His pioneering work on the power loom and wool combing machinery ended in financial disaster in 1793. He removed from Doncaster in 1796 but in 1795 he took out a patent for interlocking bricks for use in the construction of arches - the same year that Rawstorne came to Doncaster. It seems that the two men must have known each other and this is probably the first house to incorporate Cartwright’s patent bricks”.
An advertisement for the house first appeared in October 1798 when it was available to be let ‘for a term of years’. Several years later, in July 1801, Rawstorne advertised that the house was to be auctioned. Also for sale were ‘a coach house, three stall stables and tenements belonging the same, situate in Prince’s Street and at a convenient distance from the house’. It is not known if Rawstorne designed these buildings, but in January 1803 they appeared again in an advertisement to be auctioned separately from the main house.
Number 18 South Parade may be seen on this print of the south entrance to Doncaster from Edward Miller’s History of Doncaster (1804).
It is on the right just beyond the Pillared Houses.
A Mr Hewett of Bilham Hall subsequently purchased the South Parade house. I will return to Mr Hewett later. The house continued in domestic use for many years but, like much of South Parade, it changed into commercial premises in the 20th century. At one period it was The Free Press Chambers and sectional garages were sold from the garden. For many years now it has been an insurance broker’s office. Although some of its character has been sacrificed for office use, it still pleases the eye today.
One of the details I particularly like on the house is an oval recess (known as a patera) over the first floor window, containing details of two figures. Other interesting features are the four giant pilasters; two of them situated either side of the central windows.
Cusworth Hall stands proudly on a hill just north of the town. The owner, William Wrightson, built it between 1740 and 1744 in conjunction with mason/architect George Platt. Around 1749 two new wings were added to the house to designs by one of the leading architects of the day, James Paine. One of the wings contained the sumptuous chapel whilst the other, matching wing, housed the library.
In 1766 another William Wrightson, grandson of the builder, succeeded to the estates as a 14-year-old boy. He became a politician but by 1797 he was struggling to be re- elected and seems to have had time to look at modernising Cusworth. Wrightson asked John Rawstorne, a family friend, to make changes to part of the house. Rawstorne completely re-designed the parlour on the south front to create a book room containing several splendid classical bookcases.
This is one of several book cases designed by Rawstorne for the new Book Room at Cusworth Hall. The room has been restored.
We can assume the idea was to create a more fashionable, lighter room and it succeeds beautifully. The changes also included a new fireplace and surround but it is the bookcases that are the main features. They are made of painted deal with adjustable shelves but they were not glazed. Instead, the doors were covered with a brass wire mesh, which kept the books safe.
Close by, in Paine’s library, Rawstorne proposed major decorative changes but only a small part of the scheme was implemented. He replaced the windows, inserting the more fashionable thinner glazing bars as well as making other changes to the design of the window surrounds. The alterations are quite subtle and sympathetic to Paine’s design. However, if Wrightson had proceeded much further with the scheme we would have lost a complete Paine room which, from a 21st century view, would have been most regrettable.
Rawstorne altered the windows to this Paine wing. The top of the Diocletian window (with the arch) may only be seen from outside now. The canted bay window was also altered.
Externally, Rawstorne also proposed that decorative railings be fixed beneath the canted bay window at the end of the library. This part of the scheme was not implemented either but the design of the proposed railings is interesting as they are very similar to those which stand in front of the South Parade house (below).
I had asked myself why Wrightson wanted a book room when he already had a perfectly good library. It is thought that he had a large collection of books and that extra space was needed, particularly as he had eight children to be educated. However, I think there could have been another reason. Rawstorne’s drawings for the Paine Room are headed ‘Section of the Proposed Alterations to the Dining Room at Cusworth’. It is possible that it was intended to convert the library into a dining room but for some reason the scheme did not go ahead and the room remained in use as a library.
Another project was at Bilham Hall, a small estate lying between Hickleton and Brodsworth owned by William Nathan Wright Hewett. He wanted a summerhouse or Belvedere and chose Rawstorne to design it around 1800. Edward Miller, in his ‘History of Doncaster’ (1804) speaks of the Belvedere in glowing terms:
“W N W Hewett Esq., who has lately, at some distance from his mansion, erected an elegant small structure called Bel-vedere or Belle Vue which commands, perhaps, the most extensive, but certainly the richest prospect of any place in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The minsters of York, Lincoln (and sometimes Southwell) are distinctly seen, with nearly seventy parish churches”.
I am sure that much of this is an exaggeration, although comparison with today’s view is difficult due to subsequent tree growth. However, Dr. Miller wrote some of his book by being provided with information from the inhabitants of outlying villages, particularly the clergy but also other people too. The description might well have been provided by Hewett himself. Whatever the truth, it is clear that the building was special and that people enjoyed the views.
In the nineteenth century the Brodsworth estate acquired Bilham and the Hall was demolished. Gradually the Belvedere fell into ruin but in the 1990s it was skilfully repaired by a team of specialists adopting a ‘conserve as found’ policy. Its conservation received praise for the vision of its owners, Mr and Mrs Williams, when it won a special mention in the DMBC Design Award Scheme for 1996/8.
Today it stands hidden away in woodland away from the public gaze.
The same year that he built the Belvedere, John Rawstorne announced in the local paper ‘Proposals for publishing, by John Rawstorne, Architect, a Set of Designs in Architecture, in which will be introduced a great variety of plans, elevations and sections of buildings, public and private, which have been created under the immediate inspection of the architect’. This would have given much more information about his work than we know today, but unfortunately it was never published.
During his time in Doncaster John Rawstorne also designed buildings in what is now West Yorkshire, but after 1800 he seems to have had little work. By 1803 he had decided that he should move to York.
It would seem that the competition between himself and a successful local architect called William Lindley had all been too much.
Lindley’s more economical style of building was enabling him to be successful in selling houses in both town and country. On South Parade, from the Hall to Waterdale, it is thought that all of the houses, except No 18, are by Lindley.
In York, John Rawstorne is only known to have had one building constructed to his designs, a now demolished chapel, and later he returned to South Yorkshire moving to Sheffield. Shortly after designing a house there in 1819, his practice collapsed and by 1821 he was begging people for money to enable him to move to another part of Yorkshire. This was a sad end to the career of a talented architect. He died in Liverpool in 1837 aged 71.
During his time in Doncaster John Rawstorne also designed buildings in what is now West Yorkshire, but after 1800 he seems to have had little work. By 1803 he had decided that he should move to York.
John Rawstorne had three sons all of whom became architects. The most notable was Walker Rawstorne who practised in Bradford, mainly designing churches in the early Victorian period.
John Rawstorne may have only designed one building of note in central Doncaster, but that is a building still to be admired today. Next time you are passing please have a good look at it. I also recommend a visit to Cusworth Hall with its excellent museum. You can see the Book Room that is Rawstorne’s only known surviving interior open to the public.
Notes on Cusworth:
No plans have survived for the Book Room but it has long been attributed to Rawstorne. We do not know what name was given to the room at the time. It became known as the ‘Book Room’ at a later date and I have used this for convenience.
Peter Coote
The front cover shows a measured drawing of 18 South Parade done in April 1942 possibly by a Jack Prentis (the signature is unclear). Measured drawing was part of the syllabus for the examinations for membership of the Royal Institute of British Architects.