John Nash

John Nash (1752-1835) was an English architect, born in Lambeth, London, who trained under Sir Robert Taylor. His early building developments in London failed, and he went bankrupt in 1783. He rebuilt his practice in Carmarthen, Wales, designing prisons and country houses, and returned to London in 1797. From about 1810 he was the main architect of the Prince Regent, who became King George IV in 1820.

For the Prince he planned a route of streets and terraces linking the new Regent's Park to St James's Park. Regent Street (1809-1826) ran north from the Prince's residence, Carlton House. Where the street changes direction he placed All Souls Church, Langham Place (1822-1825), with a round columned porch and a spire. Around Regent's Park he designed terraces such as Cumberland Terrace and Park Crescent, faced in stucco, a smooth plaster painted to look like stone, and later Carlton House Terrace (1827-1833).

In Brighton he rebuilt the Royal Pavilion (1815-1822) with onion domes and minarets based on the Mughal architecture of India, and interiors in Chinese and Indian styles. From 1825 he enlarged Buckingham House into Buckingham Palace and designed the Marble Arch (1828) as its entrance; the arch was moved to its present site in 1851. Costs at the palace rose from about £253,000 to £613,000. After George IV died in 1830, Nash received no more official work.