John Martin Robinson

John Robinson in the procession to the annual service of the Order of the Garter

John Martin Robinson FSA (born 1948) is a British architectural historian and officer of arms.

He was born in Preston, Lancashire, and educated at Fort Augustus Abbey, a Benedictine school at Fort Augustus, the University of St Andrews (graduating MA) and then in 1970 arrived at Oriel College, Oxford, to prepare for a DPhil. He worked for the Greater London Council's Historic Buildings Division from 1974.^[1]

Robinson was Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary at the College of Arms from 1982 and is now Maltravers Herald Extraordinary. In 1978 he was appointed Librarian to the Earl Marshal.^[2] He was also the archivist for the Dukes of Norfolk.^[3]

Robinson is also a Knight of Magistral Grace of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. He lives at Beckside House, Cumbria, and is an active member of the Georgian Group.

Bibliography

• Cardinal Consalvi 1757-1824 (1987) The Bodley Head.
• The Wyatts: An Architectural Dynasty (1979) Foreword by Woodrow Wyatt, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-817340-3.
• The Dukes of Norfolk (1983 & 1995) ISBN 978-0-85033-973-4.
• The Latest Country Houses: 1945-83 (1984) The Bodley Head Ltd, ISBN 978-0370305622.
• Arundel's Remembrances (1987).
• The Oxford Guide to Heraldry (1988) John Martin Robinson & Thomas Woodcock, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-211658-4.
• The Country House at War (1989) The Bodley Head Ltd, ISBN 0-370-31306-2, ISBN 978-0-370-31306-1.
• Temples of Delight: Stowe Landscape Gardens (1990) ISBN 0-540-01217-3, ISBN 978-0-540-01217-6.
• A Guide to the Country Houses of the North West (1991) Constable, ISBN 0-09-469920-8.
• Georgian Model Farms: A Study of Decorative and Model Farm Buildings in the Age of Improvement, 1700-1846 (1992) Oxford University Press.
• Arundel Castle (1994).
• Francis Johnson Architect (2001) J. M. Robinson & David Neave, Oblong Creative, ISBN 978-0-9536574-3-8.
• The Regency Country House (2005) Aurum Press, ISBN 978-1-84513-053-4.
• Grass Seed in June - The Making of an Architectural Historian (autobiography) (2006) Michael Russell (Publishing) Ltd, ISBN 978-0-85955-301-8.
• Arundel Castle (2011).
• Felling the Ancient Oaks: How England Lost its Great Country Estates (2011) Aurum Press Ltd, ISBN 978-1-84513-670-3.
• Requisitioned: The British Country House in the Second World War (2014) Aurum Press, ISBN 978-1781310953.

Magazine articles:

• "A.D. Profile 22: Hawksmoor's Christ Church, Spitalfields" in: Architectural Design, 7/1979 C. Amery, R. W. Chitham, K. Downes, J. Gillingham, J. Kenworthy-Browne, R. A. Beddard, J. M. Robinson, G. Stamp. pp. 1–32.
• "Cameron discoveries" in: Architectural Review, 1982, 1030. J. M. Robinson, D. Shvidkovsky. pp. 42–51 - includes bibliographical references.
• "The Signior" in: AA-Files, 1985, 8 J. M. Robinson. pp. 108–109 - book review.
• "In pursuit of excellence" in: Country Life, 1979, 4277 J. M. Robinson. pp. 2113–2114.
• "Classical quartet: new country houses" in: Country Life, 35/1990 J. M. Robinson. pp. 74–77.
• "No. 20 St James's Square, London" in: Country Life, 44/1989 J. M. Robinson pp. 152–157.
• "Pavilions to pleasure" in: Country Life, 14/1989 K. Powell, J. Glancey, J. M. Robinson. pp. 132–133.
• "Scraping the ceiling" in: Country Life, 16/1989 J. M. Robinson. pp. 192–193.

References

1. Merle Rubin (February 27, 1985). "Tradition updated: Britain's grand new country houses; The Latest Country Houses, by John Martin Robinson, London: The Bodley Head (distributed by Merrimack Publisher's Cirlcle, Salem, N.H.). 256 pp. $19.95". Christian Science Monitor.
2. John Ezard (June 26, 2002). "Obituary: The Duke of Norfolk: As Britain's premier peer and senior Catholic layman, he led a spirited but quiet life". The Guardian.
3. "Nothing second-rate or suburban about this man's book". Derby Evening Telegraph. January 18, 2007.