b'John Loughborough Pearson, Architect (1817-1897)and the Restoration of St Ediths Church, Bishop WiltonAndrew Boycefascination with Durham Cathedral), and of the renaissance, coupled with his grounding in classical design and his study of and alliance with the Gothic Revivalists (through Salvins influence, but more particularly in the work of AWN Pugin), gave Pearsons work a high reputation amongst his Victorian architectural contemporaries. This scholarship left him with a greater understanding of, and respect for, the value of the various historic parts of the church buildings on which he worked, and it is perhaps to Bishop Wiltons great fortune that he retained and re-built a number of historical (mainly Norman) fragments into the restoration here.It is not certain how Pearson became involved at Bishop Wilton. Certainly, St Ediths is one of a number of building restoration and new build church projects which Pearson undertook for the Sykes family (the 4th Baronet), having involvement also at Garton, Kirkburn and Hilton. What is clear is that, perhaps through his family connections and roots in the north, he had early commissions in East Yorkshire, working on the John Loughborough Pearson, 1889, aged 72 rebuilding and improvement of Ellerker Chapel as early as 1843-44. It is also well known that Sir Tatton Sykes This article is based on a short talk given to the Bishophad a very keen interest in architecture, and that Wilton Local History Group Pearson would have been moving in the right social circles in the 1850s, carrying out commissions to J ohn Loughborough Pearson 1was born on 5thbuild a new church of St Leonard at Scorborough for July 1817 in Durham (or possibly Brussels) toJames Hall, landowner and agent for Lord Hotham of William Pearson, topographical artist, and AnnDalton Hall, for whom Pearson built St Marys Church Loughborough. His father had paintings exhibited atat Dalton Holme.the Royal Academy on a number of occasions andIn 1856 Pearson was asked to give a report on the published two books of views; one of small churchescondition of the church at Bishop Wilton. Due to its and cottages in the North-west, and the other, views of forty abbeys and castles in Shropshire. 2 dilapidated state, it was agreed to rebuild the church In 1831 Pearson was apprenticed to the Durham- entirely, with the exception of the tower and part of based practice of Ignatius Bonomi (1787-1870), sonthe northern wall 3 . Sir Tatton Sykes agreed to defray of Joseph Bonomi (1739-1808) the neo-classicalall of the not inconsiderable cost. So began designs country house architect. Having stayed on asfor the restoration at Bishop Wilton, which were assistant after the expiry of his articles, he left in 1841substantially complete by 1859.after being passed over for partnership. Contemporary accounts of the work 4confirm that He moved to London in 1842 and worked for aa number of finds were made which pointed to the short time for Anthony Salvin and for Philip Hardwickearlier (but by no means first) Norman church on this (the elder) before setting up his own practice in 1845. site, and a number of carved stones were salvaged His appreciation of the Early English and Normanand re-used in both the south doorway and the rebuilt styles of architecture (possibly from his childhoodchancel arch. 5 1Portrait of Pearson reproduced with permission, National Portrait Galleryimage reference 6176.2I have relied heavily for the background on Pearson on Anthony Quinneys book John LoughboroughPearson, Yale University Press, London & New Haven, 19793Contemporary article in the Yorkshire Gazette of April 30, 1859, describing the re-dedication of the newchurch and giving details and background of the founding of the church on its present site4Ibid.5Pevsner notes that Pearson carried out as conscientious a job of preservation as few men at that timewould have done.144 BULLETIN 9'