William Vertue
Quick Facts
Biography
William Vertue (died 1527) was an English architect specialising in Fan vault ceilings.
Along with his brother Robert, he was involved in the construction of the Tower of London (1501–1502), Bath Abbey, the Vertue brothers are reported as telling Bishop Oliver King the patron of the work that the vaulting "Ther shal be no one so goodeley, neither in England nor in France" and the vaulting and the clerestory windows and walls of the Henry VII's chapel at Westminster, between 1506–09, though Robert Virtue was dead by then and William is thought to be entirely responsible.
He advised John Wastell about the design for the fan vaulted ceiling at King's College Chapel, Cambridge,. The fan vault over the crossing at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle in 1528 finished after his death was his last known architectural work.
Gallery of architectural work
Fan Vault, Bath Abbey, the vault by Virtue is in the distance, in the chancel, the nearer vault is a Victorian copy by Sir George Gilbert Scott
St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, vaulting, the vault by Vertue is the fan vault over the crossing
Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, main vault
Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, aisle vault
Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey, exterior from the south-east
Henry VII's chapel, Westminster Abbey, interior looking west