Wilkins was born in the parish of St Giles, Norwich (1751-1815). He was educated at Norwich School then Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. From 1801 to 1804 he did the grand tour, countries visited were Greece, Asia, and Italy. His father was a builder and managed the Norwich Theatre Circuit – something Wilkins inhereted upon his father’s death and maintainted for the rest of his life. As a member of the Society of Delittanti he studied Classical and Gothic architecture – he had a penchant towards Classical architecture. You may remember that Prime Minister Peel did not want him or John Nash to design the Palace of Westminister and instead chose Augustus Pugin. Downing College in the Greek-revival was his first commission. In Trafalgar Square Wilkins design for the National Gallery was accepted over John Nash. He was to teach architecture at the Royal Academy but died before making any lectures.
The Grange
1804, Northington
East India Company now Haileybury and Imperial Service College
1805, Hertfordshire
Downing College
1805, Cambridge
Norwich Cathedral
1806, Norwich
Pentillje
1810, Cornwall
Dalmany House
1817, Edinburgh
Treghthnan
1818, Cornwall
Church of St Mary the Great
1819, Cambridge
Dunmore Pineapple
1820, Stirlingshire
National Gallery
1838, London
