ABSTRACT
Renaissance influence came late to Britain. With 300 years of continually evolving Gothic forms, from Early English through Decorated to Perpendicular, Britain relinquished its Gothic heritage with no little resistance. However, by the mid-sixteenth century the impact of Renaissance thought was gradually beginning to emerge and we start to see the germination of Classical influence in art and architecture. This then expanded during the next 200–300 years, with periods recognised as Palladian, Baroque, Neo-Classical, Greek Revival and Picturesque movements in Britain extending well into the nineteenth century. During this complex period of architectural history these styles evolved, merged, overlapped and sometimes re-emerged as revival periods. It is therefore perhaps helpful at this point to give a brief outline of the different styles.
