Charles John Ferguson [also known as C.J. Ferguson; and as Charles J. Ferguson] was born in Carlisle, Cumberland [now Cumbria] in January 1840 and was articled to John Augustus Cory (1819-1887) in Carlisle. He worked for a period in the office of George Gilbert Scott (1811-1878) in London before, in 1868, returning to Carlisle where he formed a partnership with Cory. He subsequently practised independently and had offices in Kensington, London and in Carlisle, Cumberland.
Ferguson was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1864, and a member of the Art Workers Guild in 1893. He died at his home, Caldew Lodge in Dalston, Cumberland on 1 December 1904.
Ferguson designed, restored or altered numerous churches mainly in Cumberland or Westmorland [now Cumbria]. These included St Paul's Church in Pooley Bridge (1867-68); St John's Church in Gamblesby (1868); St Bride's Church in Bridekirk (1868-70); St Cuthbert's Church in Nether Denton (1868-70); Christ Church in Silloth (1869-70); St. Mary in Lanercost (1868-c.1872); All Saints Church in Cumdivock (1870-72); St John the Evangelist's Church in Cleator Moor (1870-72); St Mary's Church in Piercebridge, County Durham (1873); St James' Church in Welton (1874); St John's Church in Bigrigg, Egremont (1877-80); St Michael's Church in Isel (1878); Holy Ghost Church in Middleton (1878-79); St James' Church on Tebay (1878-80); St Andrew's Church in Greystoke (1878-79); St Kentigern's Church in Caldbeck (1880); St John the Evangelist's Church in Crosscanonby (1880); St Oswald's Church in Burnside (1880-81); All Saints Church in Raughton Head (1881); St Cuthbert's Church in Upper Denton (1881); St Mary's Church in Wigton (1881); St Mungo's Church in Dearham (1882); Haile Church in Haile (1882-83); St Nicholas' Church in Whitehaven (1883); All Saints Church in Watermillock (1884); St Patrick's Church in Brampton (1884-85); All Saints Church in Clive, Shropshire (1885-87); St James' Church in Whitehaven (1886); All Souls Church in Netherton, Maryport (late 1880s); St Mary's Church in Eaton Socon, Cambridgeshire (1886-89); St Kentigern's Church in Castle Sowerby (1880); St Cuthbert's Church in Seascale (1889-90); St John the Baptist's Church in Carlisle (1889-90); St Michael's Church in Dalston (1890); St Philip's Church in Eaglesfield (1890-91); St Thomas' Church in Selside (1894); St Laurence's Church in Morland (1896); St Mary's Church in Gosforth (1896-99); All Hallows Church in Mealsgate (1896-99); St Aidan's Church in Carlisle (1899-1902); St John's Church in Houghton (1901); and All Saints Church in Penruddock (1902).
Among Ferguson's secular commissions were alterations to the County and Station Hotel in Carlisle (1866-68); the Bush Hotel, a public house in Carlisle (1878); the remodelling of Armathwaite Hall in Bassenthwaite, Cumberland (1881); the conversion of an existing building into a bank and chemist's shop in Brampton, Cumberland (1883); alterations to Muncater Castle in Ravenglass, Cumberland (1880s); alterations to Naworth Castle in Brampton, Cumberland (1880s); Nunwick Hall and lodge house in Great Salkeld, Cumberland (1892); the conversion of a 17th century house in Carlisle into the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery (1893); and a new hall for Nelson Thomlinson School, Wigton, Cumberland (1898-99).
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See also: British Listed Buildings; Wikipedia - List of works by C.J. Ferguson [links below]
Armstrong, Barrie and Armstrong, Wendy. The Arts and Crafts movement in the North East of England: a handbook. Wetherby, England: Oblong Creative Ltd., 2013
Armstrong, Barrie and Armstrong, Wendy. The Arts and Crafts movement in the North West of England: a handbook. Wetherby, England: Oblong Creative Ltd., 2006
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘Obituary’. Architect & Contract Reporter 9 December 1904 p. 373
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 87, 10 December 1904 p. 610
‘Obituary’. Royal Institute of British Architects Journal vol. 12, 1905 p. 140
Pevsner, Nikolaus. Cumberland and Westmorland. Buildings of England. London: Penguin, 1967