Henry Flitcroft (August 30, 1697 – February 25, 1769) was a major English architect in the second generation of Palladianism. He came from a simple background: his father was a labourer in the gardens at Hampton Court and he began as a joiner by trade. Working as a carpenter at Burlington House, he fell from a scaffold and broke his leg. While he was recuperating, the young Lord Burlington noticed his talent with the pencil, and by 1720 Flitcroft was Burlington's draughtsman and general architectural assistant, surveying at Westminster School for Burlington's dormitory, and superintending at the site at Tottenham House. Working life in the inner circle that was driving the new Palladian architecture was an education for Flitcroft.

Flitcroft redrew for publication the drawings for The Designs of Mr. Inigo Jones, published by William Kent in 1727, under Burlington's patronage and supervision. In May 1726 Burlington got his protegé an appointment at the Office of Works, where he worked his way up from Master Carpenter and Master Mason to Comptroller of the King's Works, a prestigious position at the top of the architectural field. No royal commissions came his way, however, except for some works privately for the Duke of Cumberland in Windsor Great Park, but his hands were constantly occupied with private commissions.

Flitcroft, like most professional architects (and unlike virtuoso earls) did some speculative construction in new-building London streets, supplied stone, and contracted to erect the buildings he was designing.

[edit]Major commissions

He was, between 1746 and 1748 Master Carpenter and then until 1758, Deputy Surveyor and Master Mason when he was promoted Comptroller of the Works. In this post he replaced Thomas Ripley and stayed from time to time in the former Master Mason's House, later named Faraday House.

Henry does appear to have owned property in Teddington. In 1725 William Lloyd, a bricklayer, and Catherine his wife conditionally surrendered, to, or raised a mortgage from, Henry Flitcroft. The property then consisted of two cottages which were on the south side of the High Street next to Faversham House which was on the corner of Langham Road. Catherine died in 1731 and her brother and husband are said to have redeemed the mortgage. However Henry's son, also Henry, still appears to have had an interest in the house when he surrendered the property to Thomas Setree, a capmaker of the Parish of Saint Paul, Covent Garden in 1770, after the death of his father.

Although there is no evidence to suggest that either Henry, or his son, lived in Teddington, twin daughters of Henry and Sarah Flitcroft were buried here on 3 Feb 1740 aged 9 days.

Flitcroft is not otherwise recorded as undertaking work in or near Teddington. However, when he died, in his Hampstead house, he was brought for burial at St Mary's Church, as recorded by a tablet in the church and a tombstone outside. When his only son, Henry, died in 1826 he too was brought, from Stamford, to be buried at St Mary's. It seems that the respective wives of father and son were buried at Teddington: Sarah from Petersham on 11 March 1784 and Elizabeth, aged 25 on 19 May 1778.