All enquiries about access to these papers should be directed to the Librarian at The Council for the Care of Churches.
Basil Fulford Lowther Clarke (1908-1978) studied theology at St John's College, Durham, and was ordained in 1932. After several curacies he served as vicar of Knowl Hill, Berkshire in the Diocese of Oxford. He was secretary of the Oxford Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches and member of the Council for the Care of Churches (thus explaining how these papers came to be deposited in the Council's library after his death), of the Advisory Board for Redundant Churches and of the Wesmister Abbey Architectural Advisory Panel.
From an early age Canon Clarke, together with his brother Martin, were encouraged by their father to pursue a shared interest in church architectural history (see Appendix 1 for a transcript of a loose note filed in volume 1 which gives details of their early methodology). Clarke's partnership with his brother ended in 1932, but he continued to work alone and over the course of some 55 years visited more than 11,000 Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, and filled 31 notebooks with a combination of notes taken from primary and secondary sources and acute first-hand observations. When examined the notebooks were stored in 17 horizontally-stacked archival boxes which were not themselves numbered, although each box did have a label listing the numbers of the volumes inside. A further two boxes contained a volume of press cuttings, an unpublished manuscript on Victorian church restoration and two indexes to the notebooks. There are also 19 box files containing research papers towards his published works and unpublished biographical notes on the nineteenth-century architect and restorer Henry Woodyer. Taken as a whole these notebooks and papers constitute a lifetime's work dedicated to the study of ecclesiastical architecture. The collection has recently been microfilmed, and copies are available at the National Monuments Record Centre.
This list was compiled following a visit to the Library by Dr Andrew Lewis and Dr Hazel Bagworth-Mann in connection with a survey of the papers of British antiquaries, archaeologists and historians being undertaken by the Commission. The Commission is most grateful to the Council for the Care of Churches and to Miss Janet Seeley (librarian) for her assistance.
A series of 31 volumes 1923-78, numbered 1, 1A and 2-30, together with 2 volumes of indexes (compiled 1976-7). 17 boxes in all.
Each volume contains fair-copy notes on the recto of each folio and newspaper cuttings, photographs, etc glued to the verso. Volumes are foliated, and churches given running numbers (the numerical sequence being revised in 1932, see Volume 2 below).
VOL 1.
1923-5. ff 1-86. Nos. 1-784. The notes to nos. 1-312 are missing.
VOL 1A.
1925-8. ff 87-262. Nos. 785-1592. Index of architects f 251. Index of counties and churches ff 252-8. Appendix of further illustrations ff 259-62.
During the course of compiling these two notebooks Clarke visited churches in Beds, Berks., Bucks., Cambs., Cheshire, Devon, Durham, Essex, Glos., Hants., Herefordshire, Kent, London, Middx., Northants., Northumberland, Salop., Suffolk, Surrey, Sussex, Worcs., Yorks. During this period Clarke also visited Wales and Belgium.
VOL 2.
1928-33. ff 1-210. Nos. 1593-2496 (1928-32), 2197-2309 (1932-3). Index of churches f 198
(Until 1932 Clarke co-operated with his brother in compiling the notes, and nos. 1-2496 include 299 churches which Clarke himself did not visit. In 1932, when the partnership ended, Clarke adjusted the numerical sequence to exclude those 299 churches.)
VOL 3.
1933-5. ff 1-108. Nos 2310-2769. Index to churches on back cover.
VOL 4.
1935-8. ff 1-223. Nos 2770-3639. Index of churches f 212.
VOL 5.
1938-40. ff 1-162. Nos. 3640-4107a. Index of churches f 158.
During the course of compiling this notebook Clarke visited churches in Beds., Berks., Bucks., Cheshire, Denbighshire, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Hants., Herts., London, Middx., Norfolk, Northants., Oxfon., Somerset, Staffs., Suffolk, Surrey, Warwicks. and Wilts.
VOL 7.
1945-7. ff 1-101. Nos. 4582-5009. Plus index of churches.
VOL 8.
1947-50. ff 1-106. Nos. 5010-5361. Plus index of churches.
VOL 9.
1950-2. ff 1-130. Nos. 5362-5716. Plus index of churches.
VOL 10.
1952-4. ff 1-148. Nos. 5716a-6138. Index of churches f 144.
VOL 11.
1954-5. ff 1-146. Nos. 6140-6437. Partially foliated index of churches f 143.
VOL 12.
1956-7. ff 1-133. Nos. 6437-6847. Plus index of churches.
VOL 13.
1957-9. ff 1-122. Nos. 6847-7191. Plus index of churches.
VOL 14.
1959-60. ff 1-116. Nos. 7191a-7536. Plus index of churches.
VOL 15.
1960-1. ff 1-157. Nos. 7537-7925. Plus index of churches.
VOL 16.
1961-3. ff 1-114. Nos. 7926-8186. Plus index of churches.
VOL 17.
1963-4. ff 1-117. Nos. 8187-8534. Plus index of churches.
VOL 18.
1964-5. ff. 1-117. Nos. 8535-8777. Plus index of churches.
VOL 19.
1965-6. ff 1-119. Nos. 8778-9015. Plus index of churches.
VOL 20.
1966-8. ff 1-127. Nos. 9016-9282. Plus index of churches.
VOL 21.
1968-9. ff 1-128. Nos. 9283-9568. Plus index of churches.
VOL 22.
1969-70. ff 1-121. Nos. 9569-9889. Plus index of churches.
VOL 23.
1970-1. ff 1-119. Nos. 9889-10,039. Plus index of churches.
VOL 24.
1971-2. ff 1-124. Nos. 10,040-10,347. Index of churches f 122.
VOL 25.
1972-3. ff 1-125. Nos. 10,348-10,500. Index of churches f 122.
VOL 26.
1973. ff 1-130. Nos. 10,501-10,719. Index of churches f 126.
VOL 27.
1973-5. ff 1-120. Nos. 10,721-10,934. Index of churches f 115.
VOL 28.
1975-6. ff 1-112. Nos. 10,934-11,149a. Index of churches f 109.
VOL 29.
1976-7. ff 1-119. Nos. 11,151-11,353. Index of churches f 117.
VOL 30.
1977-8. ff 1-88. Nos. 11,351-11,480.
Volume one contains explanatory notes concerning these indexes.
Vol. 1
England - Beds., Berks., Bristol, Bucks., Cambs., Cheshire, Cornwall, Cumberland, Derbys., Devon, Dorset, Durham, Essex, Glos., Hants, Herefordshire, Herts., Hunts., Kent, Lancs., Leices., Lincs., London, Middx., Monmouthshire, Norfolk, Northants., Northumberland, Notts., Oxon., Rutland, Salop., Somerset, Staffs., Suffolk, Surrey, Sussex, Warwicks., Westmorland, Wilts, Worcs., York, Yorks. and North Riding, Yorks. East Riding
Vol. 2
England (cont.) - Yorks. West Riding
Wales - Anglesey, Brecon, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Caernarvon, Denbigh, Flint, Glamorgan, Merioneth, Montgomery, Pembroke, Radnor
Channel Islands - Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark
Scotland
Ireland
France
Belgium
Germany
Switzerland
Itlay
Norway
Greece
Canada
[Box 17]
Volume of press cuttings 1938-61 rel to church architecture
Unpublished MS entitled Church Restoration in the Nineteenth Century
[Box File 1]
Church building, restoration and furnishing in the 18th century, Bedfordshire-Durham
Typescript and MS notes filed in 12 A-4 manilla evelopes
· Bedfordshire
· Berkshire, A-M
· Bekshire, N-Z
· Buckinghamshire
· Cambridgeshire
· Cheshire
· Cornwall
· Cumberland
· Derbyshire
· Devon
· Dorset
· Durham
[Box File 2]
Church building, restoration and furnishing in the 18th century, Essex-Leicestershire
Typescript and MS notes filed in 15 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Essex, A-K
· Essex, L-Z
· Gloucestershire, A-K
· Gloucestershire, A-K
· Hampshire, A-K
· Hampshire, L-Z
· Herefordshire
· Hertfordshire
· Huntingdonshire
· Kent
· Lancashire, A-K
· Lancashire, L-R
· Lancashire, S-Z
· Leicestershire, A-K
· Leicestershire, L-Z
[Box File 3]
Church, building, restoration and furnishing in the 18th century, Lincolnshire-Norfolk
Typescript and MS notes filed in 11 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Lincolnshire, A-F
· Lincolnshire, G-N
· Lincolnshire, O-Z
· London - City
· London - North of the Thames
· London - Westminster
· London - South of the Thames
· Middlesex
· Norfolk, A-F
· Norfolk, G-N
· Norfolk, O-Z
[Box File 4]
Church building, restoration and furnishing in the 18th century, Northamptonshire-Surrey
Typescript and MS notes filed in 15 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Northamptonshire, A-K
· Northamptosnhire, L-Z
· Northumberland
· Nottinghamshire
· Oxfordshire, A-O
· Oxfordshire, P-Z
· Rutland
· Shropshire, A-N
· Shropshire, O-Z
· Somerset
· Staffordshire, A-N
· Staffordshire, O-Z
· Suffolk, A-N
· Suffolk, O-Z
· Surrey
[Box File 5]
Church building, restoration and furnishing in the 18th century, Sussex-Yorkshire and Wales
Typescript and MS notes in 13 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Sussex, A-N
· Sussex, O-Z
· Warwickshire, A-N
· Warwickshire, O-Z
· Westmorland
· Wiltshire
· Worcestershire
· Yorkshire - East Riding and York
· Yorkshire - North Riding
· Yorkshire - West Riding, A-Z
· Yorkshire - West Riding, O-Z
· Wales - Anglesey-Denbighshire
· Wales - Flintshire-Radnorshire
[Box File 6]
Church Restoration in the 19th century Part 2 (1)
Typescript volume entitled Some Restoring Architects and their Works
[Box File 7]
Church Restoration in the 19th century Part 2 (2) + Ewan Christian
Part-typescript and part-manuscript volume
Loose folder entitled Ewan Christian
[Box File 8]
Churches in the 19th century, Berkshire A-R
Typescript and MS notes filed in 4 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Introduction - Berkshire Churches in the nineteenth-century, A-C
· D-K
· L-R (excluding Reading)
· Reading
[Box File 9]
Churches in the 19th century, Berkshire S-Z and Buckinghamshire
Typescript and MS notes filed in 4 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Berkshire, S-T
· Berkshire, U-Z
· Buckinghamshire, A-H including list of architects
· Buckinghamshire, I-Z
[Box File 10]
Churches in the 19th century, Oxfordshire and Diocese of Lichfield, faculties, 1837-82
Typescript and MS notes filed in 5 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Oxfordshire, A-C including list of architects
· Oxfordshire, D-K
· Oxfordshire, L-O
· Oxfordshire, P-Z
· Diocese of Lichfield - Faculties 1837-82 (plus, rebuilding and restoration of Staffordshire Churches, 1820-1910: a list)
[Box File 11]
Typescript and MS notes filed in 3 A-4 manilla envelopes of notes
· A brief account of those clergymen of the Church of England who, in the 19th century, acted as architects and craftsmen in the building, rebuilding, restoration or adorning of churches in England, Wales, and Scotland, and overseas
· 18th century architects - biographical notes
· miscellaneous notes etc rel to architects
[Box File 12]
Church notes 17th-19th centuries
Typescript and MS notes filed in 7 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Berkshire churches - architects and builders
· Berkshire churches, 17th-19th centuries - Berkshire Archaeological Society Transactions 1954-55 [printed item]
· Berkshire - Roman Catholic churches
· Berkshire - Nonconformist Chapels
· Berkshire - Chapels of institutions
· Berkshire - Chapels of religious communities
· Berkshire - Chapels of schools and colleges
[Box File 13]
Demolished and Desecrated Churches of London, City [by BFL Clarke and GL Barnes], Battersea- Poplar
Typescript and MS notes filed in 3 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Preface and Introduction - Battersea-Chelsea
· Deptford - Holborn
· Islington - Poplar
[Box File 14]
Demolished and Desecrated Churches of London
Typescript and MS notes filed in 3 A-4 manilla envelopes
· St. Marylebone - Southwark
· Stepney - Woolwich (excluding Westminster)
· Westminster
[Box File 15]
Churches in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle-East
Typescript and MS notes filed in 6 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Churches in Africa (excluding South Africa) - Algiers, Casanblanca, Tangier, Egypt, Central Africa, Gambia, Southern Rhodesia, Uganda, Zulualand, Madagascar, Mauritius, St. Helena, Tristan de Cunha
· Churches in South Africa - Bloemfoentain, Capetown, George, Grahamstown, Johanesburg, Kimberley and Kuruman, Lebombo [?], Natal, Pretoria, St. John's, Kaffraria
· Churches in Asia - Borneo, Burma, Ceylon, China, Japan, Korea, Malaya, Singapore
· Churches in India - Bhagalpur, Bombay, Calcutta, Chutia Nagpur, Delhi, Dornalsal, Lahore, Lucknow, Madras, Nagpur, Nasik, Tinnevelly and Madura, Travancore and Cochin
· Churches in Europe and the Middle-East, A-H - Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Holland
· Churches in Europe and the Middle-East, I-Z - Israel, Jordan, Italy, Scicily, Latvia, Madeira, Majorca, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Roumania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey
[Box File 16]
Churches in Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Polynesia, Canada, West Indies and South America
Typescript and MS notes filed in 3 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Churches in Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Melanesia and Polynesia - Adelaide, Ballarat, Bathurst, Bendigo, Brisbane, Bunbury, Carpentaria, Gippsland, Goulburn, Melbourne, Newcastle, North Queensland, Perth, St. Annand, Sydney, New Zealand, Tasmania, Norfolk Island, Fiji, Tonga
· Churches in Canada and Newfoundland - Algoma, Athalbasca, British Columbia, Caledonia, Fredericton, Huron, Kootenay, Mackenzie River, Montreal, Moosonee [?], New Westminster, Niagra, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Ottawa, Qu' Appellle, Quebec, Rupert's Land, Saskatchewan, Toronto, Newfoundland
· Churches in the West Indies and South America - Antigua, Barbados, Bermuda, British Guiana, British Honduras, Jamaica, Nassau, Trinidad, Windward Islands, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Falkland Islands
[Box File 17]
Cathedrals
Guide books, printed items and other miscellaneous papers filed in 7 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Africa - Lagos, Lebombo, Likoma, Nairobi, Uganda, Windhoek
· Asia - India: Calcutta, Delhi, Nagpur; Borneo: Kuching; Singapore
· Australia - Ballarat, Bendigo, Brisbane, Grafton, Melbourne, Newcastle, St. Annand, Wangaratta
· New Zealand - Auckland, Dunnedin, Hamilton, Napier, Wellington; Melanesia - Siota; Polynesia - Suva
· Canada - Brandon, Halifax, Hamilton, London, Ottowa, Prince Albert, Quebec, Regina, Saskatoon, Sault Ste. Marie, Toronto, Victoria, Yukon
· West Indies - Antigua, Bahamas, Bermuda, British Honduras, Jamaica, Trinidad
· Scotland - MS notes on various cathedrals
[Box File 18]
Cathedrals - United States of America
Guide books, printed items, some corresp and papers filed in 4 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Cathedrals, A-G
· Cathedrals, H-L
· Cathedrals, M-S
· Cathedrals, T-Z
[Box File 19]
Henry Woodyer - Unpublished biography with notes on some of his buildings
Filed in 3 A-4 manilla envelopes
· Notes and drafts - Introduction
· Notes - to 1860
· Notes - 1860-93