The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture and An Apology for The Revival of Christian Architecture by Augustus Welby Pugin

Pugin (1812-1852) came to exercise a seminal influence articulated through the Gothic Reivival pinrciples on British archtecture in the nineteenth century. He was to observe at the end of his short life, and even shorter career (no more than sixteen years) as an architect, that his writings had 'revolusionised the Taste of England'. Trained in his father's drawing office, his brilliant draughtmanship developed, as did his mission to demonstrate a new, causal, connection between art and life. Pugin's books and pamphlets established him as an architectural and Catholic controversialist. True Principles presents the Gothic Revival as 'not a style, but a principle', and introduces functionalist, rationalist and moral criteria into architectural discourse. This is presented in facsimile here together with An Apology, his thoughts on architectural education. Previously long out of print, these important source books are introduced by architectural historian and Pugin authority, Dr Roderick O'Donnell.