Francis B Roberts

Francis B Roberts

26th August 1930 – 14th January 2025

Following his qualification as an architect in the 1950s, Francis Roberts’s career started at BDP in Preston where he was responsible for the Viollet Le Duc and Norman Shaw inspired elements of the Ealing Broadway development. In the 1980s Francis started his own practice, building the church of St Mary Magdalen in Penwortham and the new grandstand at Towcester Racecourse, both of which appeared in the former Prince of Wales/Duke of Cornwall’s book ‘A Vision for Britain’; inspiring the principles of urban design and architecture in Poundbury and future Duchy development projects.  The former Duke of Cornwall now His Majesty King Charles III admired not only his inventive Arts and Crafts style, but also his fine draughtsmanship.

A stream of commissions followed for the Duchy of Cornwall at Poundbury and Nansledan. A notable example from Poundbury is St John’s Way, initially a group of five new houses arranged around a courtyard completed in 2011. Subsequently the design and style of these homes was emulated further along the length of St John’s Way with the final homes being completed in 2019. He also designed an extension to the village of Bletchingdon in Oxfordshire for the Duchy, with houses, retail and a primary school.

He retired from day to day practice at the age of 88. The practice continues as Roberts & Stone Architects, led by his son Dominic.