British architecture: Architectonic Structures in the United Kingdom

The architecture of the United Kingdom or British architecture, or, is an amalgam of several styles that dates back to Roman times and continues up to the present day. The most notable changes have taken place in England.

Large, secular, medieval stone castles can be found all over the United Kingdom, but they are concentrated along the full length of the border between England and Scotland. Many of these defensive structures were built in the 14th century during the Wars of Scottish Independence.Not only in Britain, but all across the world, you can see the influence of British architecture. Particularly hard hit have been the countries of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

Background

The United Kingdom is littered with the ruins of ancient civilizations and the locations of long-lost neolithic settlements. The "beautiful villas, beautifully planned villages, and architectural marvels like Hadrian's Wall" of Roman Britain were influential to the development of architecture across Europe. Massive stone block construction techniques were initially utilised in England after the Norman conquest in 1066. Starting in the 11th century, large Norman castles were constructed all throughout England, Wales, and Ireland, with some of the most famous being the Tower of London and its central White Tower. Design in Britain and Ireland was characterized by a focus on minimalism and functionality. During times of strife, the battlements and turrets of fortifications like Alnwick, Caernarfon, and Stirling were essential. The Union of the Crowns (the accession of James VI, King of Scots, to the English throne) and the Protestant Reformation brought about major societal and political shifts in Britain between the years 1500 and 1660. The United Kingdom has become more isolated from the rest of the globe despite its strengthening unity and stability. In contrast to the defended fortifications of the Middle Ages, "more outward-looking buildings" were commissioned in safer communities. Nonetheless, difficulties in conveying ideas to Catholic Europe hampered creativity. In Britain, any architectural style associated with the rule of the House of Hanover is referred regarded as "Georgian." Some of the styles represented were Palladian, Neo-Gothic, and Chinoiserie. Originally, the Georgian style was influenced by the Renaissance architecture and interior decoration that was widespread throughout Europe at the time. A Palladian interpretation, it featured proportional facades, restrained ornamentation, and minimal detailing. Its sought-after simplicity, symmetry, and firmness attracted those who desired to imitate British Georgian architecture.

England

The prehistoric period saw the construction of numerous old standing stone structures, including Stonehenge, Devil's Arrows, the Rudston Monolith, and Castlerigg. The Plantagenets oversaw a golden age for English Gothic architecture, as evidenced by such landmarks as Canterbury Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, and York Minster.

Ireland has become a republic

Northern Ireland's earliest evidence of human habitation dates back to roughly 7,000 B.C., and it was discovered at the Mount Sandel Mesolithic site in County Londonderry. There are some of the oldest and most impressive castles in Ireland located in Northern Ireland, some of which date back to the Norman invasion. Carrickfergus Castle is a Norman fortress in Northern Ireland. Greencastle, Jordan's Castle, Dunluce Castle, Dundrum Castle, and Harry Avery's Castle are more examples of fortresses from the Middle Ages. According to Irish historical records, the stone fortress of Enniskillen Castle was built in the early modern period. Northern Ireland's architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries features two very different styles, one for the "sumptuous" manor homes of the landed aristocracy like Castle Ward and Hillsborough Castle, and the other for the "humble cottages" into which the vast majority of the population was forced to move due to the region's extreme class divide. Belfast's "splendid" Victorian architecture includes the city's hall, university, castle, gardens, clock, and magnificent saloon, the Crown Liquor Saloon, all of which were built during the Victorian era. The Belfast Corporation schools that were constructed during this time period are notable examples of early 20th-century architecture.

British architecture: Scotland

There are many ancient sites scattered throughout Scotland. Skara Brae, a sizable neolithic stone settlement, can be found in the Bay of Skaill on the western coast of Mainland. The area was dubbed "British Pompeii" due to its similarities to the ancient Roman city. Well-known to visitors to Scotland, Castle Stalker is a magnificent tower house from the Middle Ages.

The "dramatically positioned castles erected atop military hills and craggy islands" make Scotland a popular tourist hotspot. The Act of Union's promise of political stability combined with Scotland's newfound wealth led to a construction boom in the 18th century, both in the public and private sectors. All of the "most notable British architects of this century" traced their ancestry back to Scotland."Scottish churches are peculiarly plain, low, and generally very humble buildings," says the Royal Institute of British Architects sophisticated houses building styles.

Medieval architecture: Wales

The landscape of Wales is strewn with cromlechs and other Bronze Age monuments. There are several such examples in Wales, such as the neolithic site of Bryn Celli Ddu on Anglesey and the Parc Cwm long cairn on the Gower Peninsula stately and curious workmanship sophisticated building style. Given Wales' "very long and permeable border with England," as Sir Simon Jenkins put it, it's no surprise that the country's architecture shows a heavy English influence. Many of the most identifiable types of architecture in Wales, such as the Romanesque revival, were actually developed by Englishmen balanced and symmetrical exteriors in baroque architecture of iconic buildings elaborate interiors. From Cardiff Bay to Caernarfon, modernist structures have grown up all throughout Wales, carrying on a centuries-old tradition of combining traditional Welsh building practices with state-of-the-art methods industrial revolution of gothic style.