Billings Robert William

Billings, Robert William, architect, was born in 1813 in London. After an apprenticeship of seven years with John Britton, the well-known topographical draughtsman, he illustrated for George Godwin a history of St. Paul's Cathedral in 1837, and in 1839 The Churches of London. Meanwhile in 1838 he had produced on his own account Illustrations if the Temple Church, London, which was followed by other more ambitious efforts, the greatest of which was Baronial and Ecclesiastical Antiquities of Scotland, 4 vols., 1845-52. Besides his numerous publications Billings was also employed as a restorer - in this capacity doing the chapel of Edinburgh Castle, the Douglas room in Stirling Castle, etc. He died in 1874 at Putney in the Moulinere, a house once occupied by Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough.