John Bilson
John Bilson (1856–1943) was an English architect trained under William Botterill, later working as a partner in Botterill and Bilson. Bilson is best known for his architectural research on the medieval period.
John Bilson
JThomas · From geograph.org.uk · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Name
- John Bilson
- Born
- 1856
- Birthplace
- Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, England
- Died
- 1943
- Occupation
- Architect
- Known for
- Medieval architectural research
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Languages
- English
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
John Bilson (1856–1943) was an English architect trained under William Botterill, later working as a partner in Botterill and Bilson. Bilson is best known for his architectural research on the medieval period.
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for John Bilson. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q16872716
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — John Bilson • Born — 1856 • Birthplace — Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, England • Died — 1943 • Occupation — Architect • Known for — Medieval architectural research
Biography
Biography
John Bilson was born on 23 September 1856 in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire and educated at Wesley College, Sheffield. He trained in architecture under William Botterill from 1873 to 1877, and joined the practice as a partner in 1881. After Botterill's son's early death in 1879 Bilson became the main partner in the practice, and took over the business completely when Botterill retired in 1899. Bilson received a D.Litt. from Durham University in 1925 for his work on dating the architecture of Durham Cathedral. he was also honoured by the Société française d'archéologie (French) in 1926. John had two children, John Seymour Craven Bilson (born 1903) and Joan Bilson (born 1906). He died 15 December 1943.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1856
John Bilson was born on 23 September 1856.
1943
John Bilson died on 15 December 1943.
Legacy
Bilson is well regarded for his historical work on medieval architecture; on his work at Durham it has been written "The chronology of the works [..] of construction have been established by John Bilson on such solid bases that there is nothing significant to be added." John Bilson also wrote an article for the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica on Romanesque and Gothic Architecture in England. Photographs attributed to Bilson are held by The Courtauld in the Conway Library of art and architecture, and are currently being digitised.
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 18 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Design
11,558 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- John BarkerDesigner
- John Beauchamp NicholsonDesigner
- John BelcherDesigner
- John Beverley RobinsonDesigner
- John Black LeeDesigner
- John BrannerDesigner
- John Breedon EverardDesigner
- John BrownriggDesigner
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by John Bilson?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.