Background
William Eden Nesfield was born in Bath on 2 April 1835, the eldest son of the landscape architect and painter William Andrews Nesfield.
William Eden Nesfield was born in Bath on 2 April 1835, the eldest son of the landscape architect and painter William Andrews Nesfield.
He was educated at Eton College. He studied architectural drawing under James Kellaway Colling.
He was also a designer and painter. He travelled widely in the 1850s, and published his drawings in Specimens of Mediaeval Architecture (1862), which was dedicated to William Craven, 2nd Earl of Craven. Nesfield and Shaw contributed greatly to the new styles of domestic architecture in Britain, which began in the 1860s and flourished in the 1870s, notably the Old English and Queen Anne styles.
Many of Nesfield"s clients were rich friends of his father"s, and his designs tended to be more extravagant and ornamental than Shaw"son
Notable examples were additions to Combe Abbey, Warwickshire (1862-1865, mostly demolished). Cloverley Hall, Shropshire (1866-1868, demolished).
Kinmel Hall, Flintshire (1871-1874) and Bodrhyddan (1872-1874). He also designed many small lodges and cottages, most famously a lodge in Regent"s Park (demolished), and another at Kew Gardens (1866-1867), both in London.
He also designed the Victoria Gate (1868), one of the main entrances into the Gardens, along with nearby Cumberland Gate.
At Loughton, Nesfield designed (1877) the church of Street Nicholas, and was then commissioned (1878) to rebuild the Hall, both for the Maitland family. In Montgomeryshire, Nesfield largely rebuilt Street Beuno"s Church, Bettws Cedewain and redesigned Maesmawr Hall in 1876. Nesfield gave up architectural practice around the time his father died in 1881, and retired to Brighton, where he died in 1888 at the age of 53.
He is usually considered one of the most original of the Victorian domestic architects.
He was not interested in publicity but preferred to pursue his career privately and enjoy himself with his bohemian friends, many of them artists.