Ruth Plant

Ruth Plant (1912-1988) ARIBA, A.A. Dip. was a British architect who studied the painted churches in Eastern Europe and rock hewn churches in Ethiopia.

Ruth Isabella Churchill was born in Aberdeen on 15 September 1912, the daughter of British diplomat and artist historian, Sydney Churchill, and his wife Dr Stella Churchill (née Myers), a psychologist, psychotherapist and politician.

She was educated at Notting Hill High School for Girls from 1924–30, then spent 6 months living in a flat opposite Adolf Hitler’s house in Munich while learning German, before studying at the Architectural Association School of Architecture from 1931–36, then practised as an architect.

After her marriage to Donald Craik ARIBA, A.A. Dip in May 1936 they spent 6 months driving across Europe to Hungary, Romania and Bukovina to record the painted churches that now are UNESCO World Heritage Sites after he had been awarded the Owen Jones Colour scholarship in 1935.

In 1939 with her husband and Antony Chitty she set up the London Institute of Design, which was moved to Bath at the outbreak of the war, and closed after her husband volunteered to join the RAFVR in 1940. After his death in March 1942 while serving as an RAFVR pilot, she married agronomist Dr William Plant in 1944 with whom she had a son Stewart and a daughter Juliette, adding to sons David and Brian from her first marriage.

After the war she taught architecture in Bristol Architectural School, and undertook some private practice that included restoring her home Tickenham Court, Community halls, and updating the village church screens.

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