The Office of Works was established in the English royal household in 1378 to oversee the building and maintenance of the royal castles and residences. In 1832 it became the Works Department forces within the Office of Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works and Buildings. It was reconstituted as a government department in 1851 and became part of the Ministry of Works in 1940. The organisation of the office varied; senior posts included Surveyor of the King's Works (1578–1782) and Comptroller of the King's Works (1423–1782). In 1782 these offices were merged into Surveyor-General and Comptroller. From 1761 there were named Architects. The office also had posts of Secretary, Master Mason and Master Carpenter. After James Wyatt's death in 1813 a non-professional Surveyor-General was appointed: Major-General Sir Benjamin Stephenson. He was assisted by three "Attached Architects": Sir John Soane, John Nash and Sir Robert Smirke. This arrangement ended in 1832 with the formation of the Works Department, when architect Henry Hake Seward was appointed Surveyor of Works and Buildings. Surveyor of the King's Works 1578–1590 Thomas Blagrave 1594–1595 Robert Adams 1597–1604 William Spicer 1604–1606 David Cunninghame of Robertland 1606–1615 Simon Basil 1615–1643 Inigo Jones 1643–1653 Edward Carter 1653–1660 John Embree 1660–1669 Sir John Denham 1669–1718 Christopher Wren 1718–1719 William Benson 1719–1726 Sir Thomas Hewett 1726–1737 Richard Arundell 1737–1743 Henry Fox 1743–1760 Henry Finch 1760–1768 Thomas Worsley 1779–1782 Whitshed Keene Comptroller of the King's Works 1423–1452 Robert Shiryngton 1456–1461 Peter Idley 1597–1606 Simon Basil 1606–1641 Thomas Baldwin 1641–1668 James Wethered 1668–1684 Hugh May 1689–1702 William Talman 1702–1726 John Vanbrugh 1726–1758 Thomas Ripley 1758–1769 Henry Flitcroft 1769–1782 William Chambers Surveyor-General and Comptroller 1782–1796 William Chambers 1796–1813 James Wyatt Deputy Surveyor 1718–1719 Colen Campbell (dismissed) 1719–1735 Westby Gill (promoted) 1735–1748 William Kent (died in post) 1748–1758 Henry Flitcroft (promoted) 1758–1780 Stephen Wright (died in post) 1780–1782 Robert Taylor Surveyor of the King's Private Roads 1660–1690 Andrew Lawrence 1690–1715 Michael Studholme 1716–1731 William Watkins 1731–1737 Richard Arundell 1737–1756 Thomas Ripley 1756–1757 John Offley 1757–1760 Sir Henry Erskine, 5th Baronet 1760–1771 Hon. Edward Finch 1771–1772 Thomas Whateley 1772–1782 Hon. Henry Fane Surveyor of Royal Gardens 1660–1670 Adrian May 1670–1684 Hugh May Superintendent of all the King's Gardens 1689–1700 William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland 1700–1702 Richard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh Surveyor of Gardens and Waters 1715–1726 John Vanbrugh 1726–1737 Charles Dartiquenave 1738–1760 Thomas Hervey 1761–1763 George Onslow, 1st Earl of Onslow 1763–1763 Lord Charles Spencer