Details of Sculptor

Surname

Woodward

Alternative Surname

First Name

Edward, of Chipping Campden

Initial of Surname

W

Year of Birth/Baptism

c1697

Flourished

Year of Death

1766

Biographical Details

He was one of a family of master-masons and quarry owners. His father was Thomas Woodward (c1672-1748) who worked on the churches at Squinton, Warks, and Blockley, Worcs, and in 1719 leased Westington quarries. Edward worked in partnership with his brother Thomas (1699-1761) during the 1730s, rebuilding Alcester church, Warks (1730), St John the Baptist, Gloucester (1732-34), St Swithin, Worcester (1735-36) and the nave of Llandaff Cathedral (c1736). Several earlier 18th-century Warwickshire houses have been attributed to the brothers. Between 1750 and 1764 Edward was employed by the antiquary James West to reconstruct Alscot Park, Warks and to remodel the neighbouring church of Preston-on-Stour. In 1752 Woodward submitted plans to rebuild the church in an elaborate gothic style but his patron rejected the proposal and instead Woodward remodelled the building piecemeal over the next few years.
In addition to his building work, Edward practised as a monumental mason and he signed several monuments. These are largely architectural works decorated with heraldry and carved putti, but he also carved a cartouche tablet in memory of his grandparents and built the family tomb in Chipping Campden churchyard (2, 6). The unusual gothic monument to Samuel Sanson (†1750) in the churchyard at Ilmington, Warks, was probably designed by him too. Colvin describes it as ‘a buttressed tomb chest surmounted by a miniature tower and spire, complete with pinnacles and battlements very similar to those shown in Wooward’s design for Preston Church’ (Colvin 1995, 1080; Colvin 1999, 241, repr).
In 1845 Edward’s son Richard worked with his uncle Thomas to build St Anne’s, Bewdley, Worcs. The family was also responsible for rebuilding the upper part of the tower of Fladbury church, Worcs, which has a stone inscribed with Richard Woodward’s name and the date 1750. Richard died, aged 32, in 1755. Edward died on 24 March 1766, aged 69, leaving a widow and three sons. Most of his property was left to Edward, apparently a younger son, who carried on the family business for some years, but became bankrupt in January 1777.
Literary References: Colvin 1948, 95-8; Beard and Piper 1951, 706-7; Gunnis 1968, 443; Colvin 1993, 75-7; Colvin 1995, 1079-81; Colvin 1999, 230-243, 244 n30