William Wilkins (architect)

William Wilkins (31 August 1778 — 31 August 1839) was an English architect, classicist and archaeologist.

Wilkins was born in Norwich, the son of a succesful builder who also managed a chain of theatres. He studied at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and published researches into both Classical and Gothic architecture. Among his works in the former style were Downing College, Cambridge (designed 1805 and never completed), the East India Company College, Haileybury (1806—1809) and University College, London (1825—1832). He also produced buildings in the Gothic style, which he preferred, including work done in the 1820s at King's , Trinity and Corpus Christi Colleges in Cambridge. His most famous work, the National Gallery, was completed in 1838; it has been less admired by critics than some of his other buildings. He is buried in the chapel of Corpus Christi College, his own favourite among his works.

R. Windsor Liscombe, "Wilkins, William (1778-1839)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [accessed 4 October 2004: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/29422]