William Richard Lethaby

Writer, Architect and Historian

In the west cloister of Westminster Abbey is a memorial stone to William Richard Lethaby, Surveyor of the Fabric of the Abbey. This reads:

William Richard Lethaby 1857-1931 Surveyor of the Fabric from 1906 to 1928. Born at Barnstaple, buried at Hartley Wintney

His life

He was born at Barnstaple in Devon on 18th January 1857, the only son of Richard Lethaby, carver and gilder, and his wife Mary (Crago). He was apprenticed to architect Alexander Lauder and after various posts he became pupil and assistant to architect Norman Shaw. In 1889 he set up his own practice. Later he was principal of the Central School of Arts and Crafts and Professor of Design at the Royal College of Art and won many distinctions. He also served on the committee of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) and was surveyor of Rochester Cathedral in Kent.

During his time as Surveyor he wrote two major books about the Abbey and undertook cleaning of the medieval monuments in the church and continued essential repairs and cleaning of the stonework. He also wrote a book on medieval art. For the 1911 coronation of George V he designed, with his Royal College of Art students, new white altar hangings which are still in use.

His wife was Edith Crosby (died 1927) but they had no children. He died on 17th July 1931 and although Abbey burial was offered it was declined by his relatives and he lies with his wife near their county home in Hampshire.