The appointment of Hugh May as Paymaster of the King's Works on 29 June 1660 signaled a pivotal shift in post-Restoration English architecture. Bridging the gap between the Palladian innovations of Inigo Jones and the later Baroque flourishes of John Vanbrugh, May transformed the domestic landscape of the United Kingdom by popularizing a refined, Dutch-influenced brick-built aesthetic.
Early Influences and Royalist Connections
Born in 1621 to John May of Rawmere, West Sussex, Hugh May spent his formative professional years during the Commonwealth in the service of George Villiers, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham. His duties involved transporting art from York House to Holland, where May encountered the works of Jacob van Campen and Pieter Post. This exposure to Dutch Classicism deeply informed his future designs, favoring simplicity and refinement. His social circle included figures such as Samuel Pepys, Peter Lely, and John Evelyn, whom he assisted in translating Roland Fréart's Parallel of Architecture.
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May’s commissions reflected a distinct Anglo-Dutch style characterized by brick facades, stone pediments, and Ionic pilasters. Eltham Lodge, constructed between 1663 and 1664 for Sir John Shaw, stands as one of his few surviving works. Similarly, Cornbury House in Oxfordshire utilized a Corinthian pediment to achieve a formal classicism. His most prominent residence, Berkeley House in London, incorporated quadrant colonnades derived from Palladian principles, a detail that became widely imitated by contemporary builders. His influence extended to country estates such as Cassiobury, where he collaborated with master woodcarver Grinling Gibbons.
Public Service and Rebuilding London
Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, King Charles II appointed May as one of three commissioners tasked with overseeing the city's reconstruction. Working alongside Roger Pratt and Christopher Wren, May helped draft the legislative framework for the Rebuilding of London Acts of 1666 and 1670. Although his practical role in the city's recovery remained limited, the administrative burden of his various offices—including Clerk to the Recognizances and Comptroller of the King's Works—demonstrated his integration into the highest levels of the royal bureaucracy.
Baroque Interiors at Windsor Castle
In 1673, May became the Comptroller of the Works at Windsor Castle. Beginning in 1675, he orchestrated a significant remodeling of the upper ward, including the creation of St George's Hall and the Royal Chapel. By partnering with painter Antonio Verrio and Grinling Gibbons, May pioneered a Baroque interior aesthetic that served as a prototype for later projects, including Wren's Great Hall at Greenwich Palace. He died in 1684 at the age of 63 and was buried in the church at Mid Lavant.
Fast facts
- Born: 1621
- Died: 21 February 1684
- Place of birth: Mid Lavant, West Sussex
- Buried: Mid Lavant church
- Primary field: Classical Architecture
- Key collaborator: Grinling Gibbons
- Notable residence: Eltham Lodge
- Role: Paymaster of the King's Works
Questions readers ask
What remains of Hugh May's architectural work today?
His only surviving works are Eltham Lodge, and the east front, stables, and chapel at Cornbury Park.
Did Hugh May leave behind any original drawings?
No drawings by May are known to survive; he likely relied on professional draughtsmen to execute his designs.