Who Was Augustus Pugin?

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852) was an English architect, designer, theorist, and writer. He was the leading figure of the early Gothic Revival movement and a major influence on Victorian architecture and decorative arts. Pugin was born in London on March 1, 1812, the son of the French-born architect Augustus Charles Pugin and Catherine Welby Pugin, and died at his home The Grange in Ramsgate, Kent, on September 14, 1852, age 40. He converted to Roman Catholicism in 1835, a religious commitment that shaped his architectural work and writing for the rest of his life. Pugin designed many churches across England and abroad, applied his decorative principles to interior decoration, furniture, metalwork, stained glass, and book design, and most famously collaborated with Sir Charles Barry on the design of the new Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament in London, including the clock tower now known as Big Ben). His theoretical writings, especially "Contrasts" (1836) and "The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture" (1841), shaped Victorian architectural theory and influenced Owen Jones, William Morris, John Ruskin, and the broader Arts and Crafts Movement.

This guide covers who Augustus Pugin was, his early life and architectural training, his conversion to Roman Catholicism, his collaboration with Sir Charles Barry on the Palace of Westminster, his church and country house architecture, his theoretical writings on Gothic architecture, and his lasting influence on Victorian architecture and design.

Who was Augustus Pugin?

Augustus Pugin (full name Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, often abbreviated A.W.N. Pugin) was an English architect, designer, theorist, and writer, born in London in 1812 and died in Ramsgate, Kent, in 1852. He is the leading figure of the early Gothic Revival movement in nineteenth-century British architecture and one of the most influential architectural theorists in modern Western architecture.

Pugin was the son of Augustus Charles Pugin (1762-1832), a French-born architect and architectural draftsman who had emigrated to England during the French Revolution. The elder Pugin produced detailed measured drawings of medieval English Gothic architecture in major publications like "Specimens of Gothic Architecture" (1821-1823) and "Examples of Gothic Architecture" (1828-1838), providing the documentary basis for the broader Gothic Revival movement. The young Augustus grew up immersed in medieval architectural study through his father's work.

Pugin converted to Roman Catholicism in 1835, age twenty-three. The conversion was a major event in his personal and professional life, and Catholicism shaped his architectural work and writing for the rest of his life. His Catholic commitment led him to design many Catholic churches across England and abroad and to argue that Gothic architecture was the true Christian architecture (his major theoretical claim).

His most famous architectural work was the collaboration with Sir Charles Barry on the new Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament in London), built between 1840 and 1860 after the previous Palace of Westminster burned down in 1834. Pugin was responsible for the elaborate Gothic interior decoration, furniture, metalwork, stained glass, and decorative details throughout the building, while Charles Barry was responsible for the overall architectural design and structural engineering.

Pugin also designed many churches across England (especially Catholic churches built after the 1829 Catholic Emancipation Act allowed open Catholic worship in Britain) and abroad. Notable church designs include the Cathedral Church of Saint Chad in Birmingham (1841), St Giles' Church in Cheadle, Staffordshire (1846), and many others. He also designed major additions to country houses including Alton Towers (Staffordshire, for John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury).

Pugin's theoretical writings shaped Victorian architectural and design theory. "Contrasts" (1836) argued that medieval Gothic architecture was morally and aesthetically superior to modern industrial architecture. "The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture" (1841) systematically articulated Pugin's principles of Gothic design. These books influenced Owen Jones, John Ruskin, William Morris, and the broader nineteenth-century revival of medieval principles.

Pugin died young at age 40, in 1852, after a period of severe mental illness in his final year. The cause of his death has been variously identified as the consequences of mercury poisoning (from medical treatment of his earlier eye problems), syphilis (suggested by some recent scholarship), or simply mental and physical exhaustion from his extraordinary work intensity (Pugin designed enormous quantities of architecture, decorative arts, and theoretical writing across his short career).

What was Augustus Pugin's early life?

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin was born on March 1, 1812, at 39 Store Street, London. He was the only child of Augustus Charles Pugin (1762-1832) and Catherine Welby Pugin (1769-1833). His father had emigrated to England from France during the French Revolution and had built a successful architectural career in London as a draftsman, illustrator, and teacher of architectural drawing.

The young Pugin received intensive training from his father in architectural drawing and in the detailed study of medieval English Gothic architecture. The elder Pugin's books "Specimens of Gothic Architecture" (1821-1823) and "Examples of Gothic Architecture" (1828-1838) provided the major documentary basis for understanding medieval English Gothic, and the young Augustus participated extensively in producing the drawings and measured studies for these publications.

Pugin's formal education was limited beyond his father's training. He attended Christ's Hospital school briefly but completed most of his education through his father's tutoring and through direct study of medieval buildings during family architectural tours. The combination of intense apprenticeship and direct architectural study made the young Pugin one of the most expert students of medieval English Gothic architecture by his mid-teens.

At age fifteen (in 1827), Pugin began working professionally as a designer. He designed gothic furniture for the royal furniture-maker Morel and Seddon for the new royal apartments at Windsor Castle. The Windsor commission demonstrated Pugin's precocious mastery of gothic decorative arts even before he was twenty.

In 1831, age nineteen, Pugin married Anne Garnet. Anne died in 1832 in childbirth, leaving Pugin with a young daughter. The brief marriage and Anne's death began the pattern of personal tragedy that recurred through Pugin's short life.

His father Augustus Charles Pugin died in December 1832, and his mother Catherine Pugin died in 1833. The deaths of his parents in quick succession, combined with his wife's death in childbirth, left Pugin at age twenty as a young widower with a daughter, no parents, and a substantial inheritance from his father's professional career and family wealth.

In 1833, Pugin married Louisa Burton. The second marriage produced five children including the architect Edward Welby Pugin (1834-1875), who later continued his father's Catholic Gothic Revival architectural practice. Louisa Pugin died in 1844, leaving Pugin a widower again. He married Jane Knill (his third wife) in 1848; this marriage lasted until his death in 1852.

What was Pugin's conversion to Catholicism?

Augustus Pugin formally converted to Roman Catholicism in 1835, age twenty-three. The conversion was preceded by several years of growing interest in Catholic tradition and Catholic architecture, and it transformed his personal and professional life completely.

The conversion was driven by Pugin's developing theological views and by his close study of medieval Catholic architecture. He came to believe that medieval Gothic architecture was inseparable from Catholic religious tradition, and that the great medieval cathedrals of England and continental Europe could only be properly understood and recreated within Catholic religious commitment.

The conversion was practically significant in early Victorian Britain. The Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829 had only recently allowed Catholics to hold political office and to worship openly, ending centuries of legal restriction on British Catholic life. Pugin's conversion came during the early years of Catholic revival in Britain, when new Catholic churches were being built for the first time in centuries.

The conversion gave Pugin substantial new professional opportunities. The growing Catholic community in early Victorian Britain needed churches, schools, monasteries, and other buildings. Pugin became the leading Catholic architect of the period, designing churches across England and abroad and shaping the visible Catholic architectural environment of nineteenth-century Britain.

His Catholic commitments also shaped his theoretical writings. "Contrasts: or a Parallel between the Noble Edifices of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries and Similar Buildings of the Present Day" (1836) explicitly argued that medieval Catholic architecture and society were superior to modern Protestant industrial society. The argument was provocative in early Victorian Britain and earned Pugin both passionate supporters and serious opponents.

For his religious life, Pugin became deeply devout in his Catholic practice. He built private chapels in his houses (especially at The Grange in Ramsgate), maintained Catholic devotional practices, and supported Catholic charitable causes. His religious commitment was deep and continuing throughout his life from 1835 onward.

What was Pugin's work on the Palace of Westminster?

Augustus Pugin collaborated with Sir Charles Barry on the design of the new Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament in London) from 1836 until Pugin's death in 1852. The Palace of Westminster was the largest single architectural commission of Pugin's career and one of the most important Victorian architectural projects.

The previous Palace of Westminster (a complex of medieval and post-medieval buildings) had burned down in October 1834. The British government held an architectural competition to design the replacement, and Sir Charles Barry won the commission with a Gothic-style design. Barry's competition entry was substantially aided by Pugin's elaborate Gothic ornamental detail in the presentation drawings.

Barry (1795-1860) was a successful Victorian architect who specialized in Italian Renaissance-style buildings (his Reform Club and Traveller's Club in London are major Italian Renaissance examples). For the Palace of Westminster, Barry needed Pugin's expertise in Gothic detail to produce the Gothic decorative scheme required by the architectural brief. The collaboration was extensive and continuous through the project.

Pugin was responsible for the elaborate Gothic interior decoration, furniture, metalwork, stained glass, painted decoration, decorative panels, and the design of decorative details throughout the building. The combination of Barry's overall architectural design and Pugin's decorative detail produced one of the most ambitious Victorian Gothic Revival buildings.

The clock tower (Elizabeth Tower, often called Big Ben after its great bell, completed in 1859) was designed by Pugin in his final years. The clock tower is one of the most recognized buildings in the world and one of Pugin's most enduring architectural contributions. The detailed Gothic decoration on the tower exterior and interior follows Pugin's principles.

The interior of the Palace of Westminster includes elaborate Pugin decoration throughout. The House of Lords chamber, the House of Commons chamber (rebuilt after WWII bombing but reconstructed following Pugin's original principles), the Central Lobby, the Royal Gallery, the Queen's Robing Room, and many other major rooms all show extensive Pugin decorative work. The Great Exhibition of 1851 included a Pugin-designed Medieval Court showcasing his decorative arts.

For broader architectural reception, the Palace of Westminster established Gothic Revival as a major nineteenth-century British architectural style and demonstrated the practical viability of Gothic Revival decoration at large scale. The building shaped Victorian and Edwardian Gothic Revival architecture across Britain and internationally.

What churches did Pugin design?

Augustus Pugin designed many churches across England and abroad during his short career. He designed Catholic churches especially (after his 1835 conversion to Catholicism) but also some Anglican churches and other ecclesiastical buildings. His church designs shaped Catholic and Anglican Gothic Revival architecture across nineteenth-century Britain.

Cathedral Church of Saint Chad, Birmingham (1841): one of Pugin's most important churches and the first Roman Catholic cathedral built in England since the Reformation. The cathedral was built for the Catholic community of Birmingham and embodied Pugin's principles of Catholic Gothic Revival architecture. Saint Chad's Cathedral continues to serve as the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

St Giles' Church, Cheadle, Staffordshire (1846): Pugin's most celebrated parish church, often considered his masterpiece. The church was built for John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury (Pugin's main patron) and incorporates Pugin's principles at every level (architectural design, interior decoration, stained glass, metalwork, painted decoration, furniture, and liturgical objects). The integration of all elements into a single Gothic Revival environment makes St Giles' Cheadle one of the great Pugin achievements.

St Mary's Church, Derby (1839): an early Pugin Catholic church, demonstrating his developing approach to Catholic Gothic Revival design.

Other major Pugin churches in England include Saint Augustine's Church in Ramsgate (Pugin's own private parish church, built next to his house The Grange and where he is buried), Saint Marie's Church in Sheffield, Saint Wilfrid's in Cotton, St Barnabas's Cathedral in Nottingham, and many others. Pugin designed dozens of churches across England during his short career, from major cathedrals to small parish churches.

Pugin also designed churches abroad. His Catholic churches in Ireland, Australia, and other British colonial territories spread his architectural principles internationally. The international reach of his church designs gave Catholic Gothic Revival architecture global influence.

For collaboration on church design, Pugin worked closely with the metalworker John Hardman (of Hardman & Co. in Birmingham), who produced metalwork (chalices, candlesticks, decorative metalwork) and stained glass for Pugin's churches. Hardman & Co. continued in business as a leading Gothic Revival metalwork and stained glass firm long after Pugin's death.

What were Pugin's theoretical writings?

Augustus Pugin produced major theoretical writings on Gothic architecture and decorative arts during his career. His most important books include "Contrasts" (1836), "The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture" (1841), "An Apology for the Revival of Christian Architecture in England" (1843), and "Glossary of Ecclesiastical Ornament" (1844). These books shaped Victorian architectural theory and influenced Owen Jones, John Ruskin, William Morris, and the broader Arts and Crafts Movement.

Contrasts: or a Parallel between the Noble Edifices of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries and Similar Buildings of the Present Day (1836): Pugin's first major book and his most provocative theoretical statement. The book uses paired illustrations comparing medieval buildings (a medieval Catholic church, a medieval almshouse, a medieval town) with their modern Victorian equivalents (a modern Protestant church, a modern workhouse, a modern industrial town). The contrasts argue strongly that medieval Catholic architecture and society were morally and aesthetically superior to modern Protestant industrial society.

The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture (1841): Pugin's systematic exposition of his Gothic Revival principles. The book argues that "pointed" (Gothic) architecture is the true Christian architecture and articulates two fundamental design principles: "1st, that there should be no features about a building which are not necessary for convenience, construction, or propriety; 2nd, that all ornament should consist of enrichment of the essential construction of the building." These principles became foundational to nineteenth-century architectural theory.

An Apology for the Revival of Christian Architecture in England (1843): Pugin's defense of Catholic Gothic Revival architecture against critical attacks. The book responds to Protestant and aesthetic critics who had questioned his earlier writings.

Glossary of Ecclesiastical Ornament and Costume (1844): Pugin's systematic glossary of medieval Catholic decorative arts, vestments, liturgical objects, and ecclesiastical ornament. The book served as a working reference for designers of Catholic Gothic Revival church furnishings and decorative arts.

For broader influence, Pugin's writings influenced later architectural theorists including John Ruskin (whose "The Seven Lamps of Architecture" of 1849 and "The Stones of Venice" of 1851-1853 built on Pugin's framework), William Morris (whose Arts and Crafts theory drew on Pugin's principles of architectural ornament), and many other Victorian and early modern architects and theorists. The combination of moral argument, aesthetic theory, and practical design principles in Pugin's writings made them foundational to modern Western architectural theory.

What is Pugin known for?

Augustus Pugin is known for several major contributions to Victorian architecture and design: his leadership of the early Gothic Revival movement, his collaboration with Sir Charles Barry on the new Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament in London, including the clock tower / Big Ben), his many Catholic and Anglican churches across England and abroad, his theoretical writings on Gothic architecture and design ("Contrasts," "The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture," and others), his decorative arts (furniture, metalwork, stained glass, textiles, wallpaper, book design), and his influence on Owen Jones, John Ruskin, William Morris, and the broader Arts and Crafts Movement.

For Gothic Revival architecture, Pugin established the practical and theoretical foundation for the major nineteenth-century revival of medieval Gothic architecture. His churches, country house additions, and his decorative work on the Palace of Westminster demonstrated that Gothic Revival could work as a major contemporary architectural style.

For the Palace of Westminster, Pugin's collaboration with Charles Barry produced one of the most famous buildings in the world. The Houses of Parliament, including the clock tower (Big Ben), shaped public perception of British government and architectural identity.

For theoretical writing, Pugin's two design principles articulated in "The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture" (no features not necessary for convenience, construction, or propriety; ornament should consist of enrichment of essential construction) became foundational to modern architectural theory. The principles anticipate the modernist commitment to functional design and influenced architectural thinking for over a century.

For decorative arts, Pugin applied his architectural principles to interior decoration, furniture, metalwork, stained glass, textiles, wallpaper, and book design. His decorative arts combine medieval Gothic vocabulary with Victorian production techniques, producing some of the most ambitious nineteenth-century decorative arts. The Victoria and Albert Museum holds major Pugin decorative arts collections.

For Catholic identity, Pugin's conversion to Catholicism and his subsequent design of many Catholic churches across England and abroad shaped the visible Catholic architectural environment of nineteenth-century Britain. The Catholic churches and decorative arts he designed continue to serve Catholic worship in the present.

What was Pugin's religion?

Augustus Pugin converted to Roman Catholicism in 1835, age twenty-three, and remained a devout Catholic for the rest of his life. The conversion was driven by his developing theological views, his close study of medieval Catholic architecture, and his conviction that Gothic architecture was inseparable from Catholic religious tradition.

His Catholic commitments shaped his architectural work, his theoretical writings, and his personal life. He designed many Catholic churches, monasteries, schools, and other Catholic buildings across England and abroad. His writings argued that Catholic medieval architecture was morally and aesthetically superior to modern Protestant industrial architecture. He built private chapels in his houses, maintained Catholic devotional practices, and supported Catholic charitable causes.

For broader Victorian Catholic context, Pugin's conversion came during the early years of the Catholic revival in Britain. The Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829 had only recently allowed Catholics to hold political office and to worship openly. John Henry Newman's later conversion to Roman Catholicism in 1845 (followed by other Oxford Movement figures) extended the Catholic revival into broader English intellectual life. Pugin was part of this broader Catholic revival movement, though his conversion came earlier than most of the famous Oxford Movement conversions.

Pugin's son Edward Welby Pugin (1834-1875) continued his father's Catholic architectural practice after Augustus's death in 1852. Edward Pugin designed many additional Catholic churches across England, Ireland, and other countries, extending the Pugin family contribution to Victorian Catholic architecture.

How did Pugin view the Middle Ages?

Augustus Pugin viewed the medieval period as morally, aesthetically, and socially superior to modern Victorian Britain. His writings argue that medieval Catholic society and its Gothic architecture together produced human flourishing that modern Protestant industrial society had destroyed. The medieval period, in Pugin's view, was a golden age that modern Britain should aspire to recover.

"Contrasts" (1836) systematically argues this position through paired illustrations comparing medieval and modern equivalents. A medieval Catholic church with its beautiful Gothic decoration and integrated religious community is contrasted with a modern Protestant church (typically depicted as cold, plain, and unaesthetic). A medieval almshouse providing humane care for the poor is contrasted with a modern Victorian workhouse (depicted as inhumane and prison-like). A medieval town with its Gothic spires and integrated craft community is contrasted with a modern industrial town (depicted as smoky, crowded, and dehumanizing).

The argument is romantic and selective. Pugin idealizes the medieval period and overlooks medieval brutalities, while presenting modern Victorian Britain in its worst aspects. The polemical framing was strategic; Pugin wanted to argue for medieval Catholic revival and used the contrasts to make his point as forcefully as possible.

For broader influence, Pugin's idealized view of the Middle Ages influenced John Ruskin (whose "The Stones of Venice" extended Pugin's framework), William Morris (whose Arts and Crafts Movement drew heavily on Pugin's medieval ideal), and the broader Victorian medievalism that shaped the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, the Aesthetic Movement, and the Gothic Revival movement broadly.

Pugin's view of the Middle Ages was always tied to his Catholic religious commitments. He saw medieval Gothic architecture as inseparable from medieval Catholic religious culture, and his recovery of Gothic architecture was always also a recovery of Catholic religious tradition.

When did Pugin die?

Augustus Pugin died on September 14, 1852, at his home The Grange in Ramsgate, Kent, at age 40. The cause of his death has been variously identified as the consequences of mercury poisoning (from medical treatment of his earlier eye problems), syphilis (suggested by some recent scholarship), or simply mental and physical exhaustion from his extraordinary work intensity.

Pugin had been suffering from severe mental illness in the final months before his death. He was admitted to the Royal Bethlem Hospital (the famous mental institution in London) earlier in 1852 with severe mental disturbance, and was later moved to a private asylum and then to his own home for his final months. The exact medical nature of his final illness has been debated by historians, but the combination of severe mental disturbance, physical decline, and rapid death at age 40 is well-documented.

Pugin's funeral was held at Saint Augustine's Church in Ramsgate (the Catholic church Pugin had built next to his house). He was buried in the church's crypt in the chantry chapel he had designed for himself. Saint Augustine's Church and The Grange continue to be major sites for studying Pugin's life and work, both now operated as visitor attractions and study centers.

His son Edward Welby Pugin (1834-1875) continued his father's Catholic architectural practice and completed several Pugin commissions that had been incomplete at the time of his father's death. Pugin's broader family legacy includes multiple architect descendants who continued the Pugin name in nineteenth-century British architecture.

For posthumous reputation, Pugin's influence has been substantial across modern architectural and design theory. His Palace of Westminster work has made him visible to anyone familiar with British government and architecture. His theoretical writings have been continuously read by architectural theorists. The combination of practical building and serious theoretical writing in his short career has given him lasting significance.

Augustus Pugin questions

Who was Augustus Pugin?

Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852) was an English architect, designer, theorist, and writer, the leading figure of the early Gothic Revival movement and a major influence on Victorian architecture and decorative arts. He was born in London on March 1, 1812, converted to Roman Catholicism in 1835, collaborated with Sir Charles Barry on the new Palace of Westminster (including the clock tower / Big Ben), designed many churches across England and abroad, and wrote major theoretical books including "Contrasts" (1836) and "The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture" (1841). He died at his home The Grange in Ramsgate, Kent, on September 14, 1852, age 40.

What was Augustus Pugin known for?

Augustus Pugin is known for leading the early Gothic Revival movement, for his collaboration with Sir Charles Barry on the new Palace of Westminster and the Houses of Parliament (including the clock tower / Big Ben), for his many Catholic and Anglican churches across England and abroad, for his theoretical writings on Gothic architecture and design (especially "Contrasts" of 1836 and "The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture" of 1841), and for his influence on Owen Jones, John Ruskin, William Morris, and the broader Arts and Crafts Movement.

What was Augustus Pugin's religion?

Pugin was Roman Catholic. He converted to Roman Catholicism in 1835, age twenty-three, after several years of growing interest in Catholic tradition and Catholic architecture. His Catholic commitments shaped his architectural work (he designed many Catholic churches across England and abroad after his conversion), his theoretical writings (which argued that medieval Catholic society and Gothic architecture were superior to modern Protestant industrial society), and his personal life (he built private chapels in his houses, maintained Catholic devotional practices, and supported Catholic charitable causes).

Who is the father of Neo-Gothic style?

Augustus Pugin is often called the father of Neo-Gothic style in nineteenth-century British architecture. He led the early Gothic Revival movement, designed many influential Gothic Revival churches and the Palace of Westminster, and articulated the theoretical principles of Gothic Revival design in his major books. Earlier figures had used Gothic elements in their architecture (Horace Walpole's Strawberry Hill, James Wyatt's various Gothic Revival buildings), but Pugin established the serious theoretical and practical foundation that made Gothic Revival a major nineteenth-century architectural style.

How did Pugin view the Middle Ages?

Pugin viewed the medieval period as morally, aesthetically, and socially superior to modern Victorian Britain. His writings (especially "Contrasts" of 1836) argue that medieval Catholic society and its Gothic architecture together produced human flourishing that modern Protestant industrial society had destroyed. He idealized the medieval period and used contrasted illustrations to argue strongly for Catholic Gothic revival. His view influenced John Ruskin, William Morris, and the broader Victorian medievalism that shaped the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the Arts and Crafts Movement.

What buildings did Augustus Pugin design?

Augustus Pugin designed many churches across England and abroad (including Saint Chad's Cathedral in Birmingham, St Giles' Church in Cheadle, Saint Augustine's Church in Ramsgate, and many others), country house additions (including major additions to Alton Towers in Staffordshire for the Earl of Shrewsbury), the new Palace of Westminster interior decoration and the clock tower (in collaboration with Sir Charles Barry), and his own home The Grange in Ramsgate. He also designed decorative arts (furniture, metalwork, stained glass, textiles, wallpaper, book design) extensively throughout his career.

What is Pugin's theoretical writing?

Pugin's most important theoretical writings include "Contrasts" (1836, comparing medieval and modern architecture and society), "The True Principles of Pointed or Christian Architecture" (1841, articulating his Gothic Revival design principles), "An Apology for the Revival of Christian Architecture in England" (1843), and "Glossary of Ecclesiastical Ornament" (1844). His two design principles ("no features about a building which are not necessary for convenience, construction, or propriety; all ornament should consist of enrichment of the essential construction of the building") became foundational to nineteenth-century architectural theory and anticipate modernist functionalism.

When did Augustus Pugin die?

Augustus Pugin died on September 14, 1852, at his home The Grange in Ramsgate, Kent, at age 40. The cause of his death has been variously identified as the consequences of mercury poisoning (from medical treatment), syphilis (suggested by some recent scholarship), or simply mental and physical exhaustion from his extraordinary work intensity. He had been suffering severe mental illness in his final months. He was buried in the crypt of Saint Augustine's Church in Ramsgate, the Catholic church he had built next to his house. His son Edward Welby Pugin continued his father's architectural practice.