Work
At an early age Street became deeply interested in the principles of Gothic architecture, and devoted an unsparing amount of time and labour to studying and sketching the finest examples of medieval buildings in England and on the Continent. His first commission was for the designing of Biscovey Church, Cornwall. In 1849 he took an office of his own. He was a draughtsman of a very high order; his sketches are masterpieces of spirit and brilliant touch. In 1855 he published a very careful and well illustrated work on The Brick and Marble Architecture of Northern Italy, and in 1865 a book on The Gothic Architecture of Spain, with very beautiful drawings in his own hand.
These works inspired the wider use of constructional polychromy by British Architects, sometimes dubbed 'The Streaky Bacon Style'.
Street's personal taste led him in most cases to select for his design the 13th century Gothic of England or France, his knowledge of which was very great, especially in the skillful use of rich mouldings.
His most recognisable building is probably the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The competition for this was prolonged, and much diversity of opinion was expressed. Thus, the judges wanted Street to make the exterior arrangements and Charles Barry the interior, while a special committee of lawyers recommended the designs of Alfred Waterhouse. In June 1868, however, Street was appointed sole architect; but the building was not complete at the time of his death in December 1881.
Street carried out a number of new works in Ireland, including the small clifftop church of St. John the Evangelist at Ardamine, Co. Wexford, and Piltown Church, Co. Kilkenny. His most significant work was the controversial reedification of the historic Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin. He was responsible for demolishing the historic choir which he considered to be of 'no historic significance'. He was also responsible for the restoration of St. Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare Town, Ireland which was a roofless ruin when he started work. The Cathedral was reopened in 1896. He succeeded in rebuilding the lost walls to match the remnants which remained of the original walls and square tower.
In 1856–57, Philip Webb was Street's senior clerk and the young William Morris one of his apprentices. These two designers worked together on Red House (London) that became an iconic memorial to William Morris's design principles and includes work by many of his now-famous friends. Another apprentice in the early 1870s was the Canadian architect Frank Darling.
In addition to the Law Courts, by far the majority of Street's output was for ecclesiastical uses, the largest being the nave of Bristol Cathedral and the restoration of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Chief amongst his complete works include St Margaret's convent, East Grinstead, and the theological college in Cuddesdon.
He is recorded as having worked on 179 Anglican ecclesiastical buildings for the Incorporated Church Building Society alone. His churches include:
- All Saints' Chapel, Bloxham School, Oxfordshire
- All Saints' Church, Clifton
- All Saints Church, Maidenhead
- Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, Ireland. (Restoration)
- Christ Church, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire
- Christ Church, The Crimean Memorial Church, Istanbul
- St James' Church, Kingston-in-Purbeck, Dorset
- St James-the-Less Church, Pimlico
- St John's Church, Torquay
- St John's Church, Stourbridge.
- St Margaret's Church, Liverpool
- St Mary, Addington, Buckinghamshire (1857)
- St Mary Magdalene Church, Paddington
- St Mary's Church, Blymhill
- St Mary’s Priory Church, Monmouth
- St Peter's Church, Bournemouth
- St Philip and St James in north Oxford
- St Saviour's Church, Eastbourne
- St Stephen's Church, Fylingdales
- St. Brigid's Cathedral, Kildare Town, Ireland. (Reconstruction)
- St. Mary's Church, Southampton
- Uppingham School Chapel
- St James the Less Church, Huish, Devon
His work was not exclusively in the Gothic revival manner, as Ralli's dramatic Lycian-Byzantine temple at Norwood Cemetery, and the Romanesque reworking of nearby St Luke's and the re-building of All Saints' Roydon, West Norfolk in a Romanesque style to match its two Norman doorways demonstrate.
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