British Neo-Palladianism was founded on the study of a relatively small number of Roman temples and other public monuments, all in Italy. By the second half of the eighteenth century, however, architects had access to new archeological evidence about Roman domestic buildings outside Italy as well as Greek buildings not widely known in the West. Many collections of engravings appeared after 1750, and these increasingly influenced British architectural design. Here are just a few:
The Ruins of Palmyra (1753), by Robert Wood (1716-71)
The Ruins of Boalbec (1757), by Robert Wood
The Antiquities of Athens (1762), by James "Athenian" Stuart (1713-88) and Nicholas Revett (1720-1804)
Ionian Antiquities (1769), by Revett, et.al
The Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian at Spalato in Dalmatia (1764), by Robert Adams, or "Bob the Roman"
Works such as these prompted some rebuilding copied from the Greek, but a true Greek revival did not occur in Britain until after 1789. The failure Greek revival architecture this early is attributable to the strong influence of Sir William Chambers (1723-96) and Robert Adams
Somerset House (1776-86) in London is Adams' main achievement. As the home of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy, and the Society of Antiquaries, Somerset is nothing less than a public shrine of learning, art, and science.
The Royal Academy, Royal Society, etc.
Somerset House (1776-86)
Aerial View of Somerset
Chambers and other architects of the period experimented with Chinese styles, as is evident in the Pagoda a Kew Gardens. Indeed Chinese and Japanese influences, mainly in gardens and room decoration, increased during the century as trade brought back increased knowledge of Eastern culture.
Chambers dominated architecture until the 1770s, when he was overshadowed by the brothers Robert and James Adams (1732-94). Their style for interiors of houses was adopted almost as widely as the landscape designs of Capability Brown. Their style is characterized by a blend of Greek, Roman, Hellenistic, and English Neo-Palladian elements. Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adams (1773) was greatly influential.