Henry Vaughan (1845 – June 30, 1917) was a prolific and talented church architect who emigrated to America from England to bring the English Gothic style to the American branch of the
Anglican Communion (the Episcopal Church). He was an apprentice under
George Frederick Bodley and went on to great success popularizing the
Gothic Revival style.
Life
Vaughan was born in
Cheshire, England. When he was a child, his family relocated to
Dollar, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. He attended
Dollar Academy, and was awarded a bronze medal in art from the school in 1863. He then began his apprenticeship under
George Frederick Bodley, eventually becoming head
draftsman at the firm of Bodley and
Garner.
In 1881, Vaughan came to America traveling on the Atlantic Clipper a packet owned by the
Glidden & Williams Shipping Company - whose founder
William T. Glidden lived in
Newcastle, Maine. Vaughan knew Mr. Glidden and lived at his home on Glidden Street in Newcastle in 1881. He designed and built St. Andrew's Church in 1883, on Glidden Street in Newcastle[1] which was dedicated on 22 November 1883. Later Vaughn moved to
Boston and opened an office in
Pemberton Square.
He rapidly found success with the Anglican (Episcopal) and
Catholic churches. His first commission in the U.S. was the Chapel of the
Society of Saint Margaret. In the mid-1880s, Vaughan began to receive commissions from
Edward Francis Searles, working on numerous projects continuing through until Vaughan's death.
The Episcopal Church of the Mediator in
Kingsbridge, NY, called "the little cathedral of the Bronx" (this structure is in need of significant restoration due to water damage from leaks in the original roof; its major interior art pieces and Tiffany windows are protected and in good condition) (1913)
Serlo Organ Hall (completed 1909, now known as Methuen Memorial Music Hall) and Pine Lodge Mansion in Methuen, MA
Stillwater Manor, a 24-room 3-story mansion in Salem, NH
Stanton Harcourt Castle, now known as
Searles Castle, Windham, NH. 20-room castle completed in 1915 at a cost of approximately $1,250,000, modeled on the Stanton Harcourt Castle in
Oxfordshire, England.
Dream House, now known as Searles Mansion, Block Island, RI. Constructed 1886-1888 as a home for Searles and his wife, it had a "twin house" design with each of the Searles' having a separate identical side of the mansion.
Mary Francis Searles Science Building,
Bowdoin College, Brunswick, ME