John Prichard was born in Llangan, Wales on 6 May 1817 and trained as an architect under Thomas Larkins Walker (1811-1860) and with Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852), who probably influenced his later preferred choice of architectural styles - Gothic Revival.
By the early 1840s Prichard has commenced practice as an independent architect in Llangan. From 1852 to 1863 he was in partnership with John Pollard Seddon (1827-1906) as Prichard & Seddon.
Pritchard was Diocesan Architect for Llandaff from 1847 to 1886. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1839. He died in Cardiff on 13 October 1886
Prichard worked primarily as a church architect, his most significant being Llandaff Cathedral. (1843-69). Other projects by him included the Church of St Swithin, Ganarew (1850); St Michael's Church, Cwmafan (1851); restoration of Church of the Holy Cross, Cowbridge (1850–52); Church of St Julius and Aaron, Llanharan (1856–59); the restoration of Ettington Park, a country house in Ettington, Warwickshire (1858–62); Church of St John, Llandenny (1860-65) with Seddon; restoration of Church of St David, Llanddewi Rhydderch, Monmouthshire (1862–63); restoration of St Mary's on Chapel Hill, Tintern, Monmouthshire (1863–68); St Margaret's Church, Roath (1870); restoration of St Crallo, Coychurch (1871); restoration Church of SS. Illtyd, Gwynno & Tyfodwg, Llantrisant (1874); Nazareth House, Cardiff (1875); restoration of St Catharine's Church, Baglan (1875–82); Church of St Thomas a Becket, Monmouth (1876); restoration of St Cadfan's Church, Tywyn (1877); Racquets and Fives Club, Cardiff (1878); and St Mary's Church, Whitchurch, Cardiff (1884)
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See also: An Index of Architects, Engineers, Surveyors, Builders, Working in Wales [link below]
Buttress, D. R. An Architectural History of Llandaff Cathedral. M.A. thesis, University of Manchester, 1964 [Llandaff Cathedral was restored by Pritchard between 1841 and 1869]
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
Girouard, Mark. The Victorian Country House. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, revised and enlarged edition, 1979
'Obituary'. Building News vol. 51, 22 October 1886 p. 605
'Obituary'. The Builder vol. 51, 30 October 1886 p. 645
'Obituary'. The Builder vol. 51, 6 November 1886 p. 660
'Obituary'. Proceedings of the Royal Institute of British Arcxhitects new series, vol. 3, 1887 p. 81