Womersley was born on 29 June 1923. Womersley was originally intending to study law at
Cambridge University, but was called up for service in the
Second World War. He saw little action, however, and from 1946 to 1951 he studied architecture at the
Architectural Association in London. He spent time in
Kuwait, where he assisted in the design of a palace for a
sheikh. In 1952 he was admitted to the
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). His first commission was a house for his brother, John Womersley, at
Farnley Tyas near
Huddersfield. This house, known as Farnley Hey, won the RIBA bronze medal in 1958, and has been described as "one of the best demonstrations of the influence of Frank Lloyd Wright in Britain." The house is located in woodland, at the edge of a steep valley, and features pale lilac-coloured brickwork, extensive glazing, and timber boarding. Although designed in 1952, construction only began in 1954 after planning rules were changed. Womersley designed an extension in 1956. Womersley then moved to the
Scottish Borders, where he built The Rig, his home and studio in
Gattonside near
Melrose, in 1957. The modular design has been described as a forerunner to Benjamin's Mount (1967), a house by
Ernő Goldfinger. Other healthcare projects included an admissions unit for Haddington District Asylum (1963), now the Garlton Unit of Herdmanflat Hospital, and a
GP's practice in
Kelso. Collaborating with engineers
Ove Arup, he designed a stadium for
Gala Fairydean F.C. (1963), incorporating
cantilevered structures of board-marked concrete to create the effect of a floating canopy. The same year he was commissioned to design an extension to
Edinburgh College of Art, but his highly articulated proposals were rejected. Later designs include the "sculptural" boiler house at the former Melrose District Asylum, and Monklands Leisure Centre in
Coatbridge (both 1977). High Sunderland, the Bernat Klein Studio and Gala Fairydean Stadium are now protected as Category A
listed buildings, the highest level of protection for a building in Scotland of "special architectural or historic interest". In addition, The Rig and the Garlton Unit in Haddington were listed at Category B in 2007. In England, Farnley Hey is listed at Grade II by
English Heritage. == Personal life ==