Benjamin Dean Wyatt

Benjamin Dean Wyatt, stipple engraving by T. Blood, after Samuel Drummond. Dated 1812

Benjamin Dean Wyatt (1775–1852) was an English architect, part of the Wyatt family.

Early life He was the son and pupil of the architect James Wyatt, and the brother of Matthew Cotes Wyatt. Before setting up as an architect in 1809, he joined the Civil Service of the East India Company, working in the office of Lord Wellesley, in Calcutta. Afterwards, in Dublin he was employed as private secretary to Wellesley's brother Arthur, later the Duke of Wellington.

In 1811, Wyatt won the competition to rebuild the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, which had been destroyed by fire in 1809. Construction began in October 1811, and the theatre opened a year later. Wyatt based the design of the auditorium partly on that of the theatre at Bordeaux, which was reputed to have the best acoustics in Europe. In 1813 he published Observations on the Design for the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

In 1817 the trustees appointed by Parliament to provide the duke with a house bought an estate at Stratfield Saye, Hampshire, for Wellington's use, and Wyatt was confident that the palace would be built there, despite the coolness that the trustees had previously shown towards his designs. However, in early 1818, it was decided that the existing house could be modified; Wyatt was paid for his drawings and the project shelved.

A second phase, started after Wellington had become Prime Minister in 1828, included a new staircase and the Louis XIV style "Waterloo Gallery" on the west front of the house. Wyatt's original estimate for the work was £23,000, but the need to repair structural defects discovered during the work led to costs escalating to more than £61,000. He designed the interiors of Belvoir Castle (1825–30), including the Dining Room, Picture Gallery, Elizabeth Saloon and, in the grounds, a Romanesque-style mausoleum.

Later works in London With his brother, Philip William (d. 1835), he designed Crockford's Club (1827), 50–3 St James's Street, Londonderry House (1825–28) demolished 1964 and the Oriental Club in Hanover Square (1827–1828). He was the designer of Duke of York Column, erected 1831–34. Also he was the involved in the design of Lancaster House, designing the exterior (the top floor was added by Sir Robert Smirke) and the state rooms.

Pupils The architects Alexander Dick Gough and Robert Lewis Roumieu were articled to him in 1823 and 1831 respectively.

Gallery of architectural work