author
Samuel Gardner
b. 1856
An English antiquary and architectural writer, Samuel Gardner brought a keen eye for detail to the study of medieval church art. His best-known work, English Gothic Foliage Sculpture, explores how carved leaves and flowers developed across England’s ancient churches.
1 Audiobook
English Gothic foliage sculpture
by Samuel Gardner
About the author
Samuel Gardner (born 1856) was an English antiquary and writer with a special interest in medieval architecture and sculpture. He was based in Harrow, where he researched and photographed historic church details for his work.
His principal book, English Gothic Foliage Sculpture, was published by Cambridge University Press in 1927. Written as a clear guide for visitors to ancient churches, it traces the development of English foliage carving from Anglo-Saxon and Norman examples through the Gothic and Tudor periods.
Gardner made many of the photographs used in the book himself, while some were supplied by his son, Arthur Gardner, F.S.A. His study remains a useful visual and historical record of England’s richly decorated medieval buildings.