In "The Present State of Ecclesiastical Architecture in England," Pugin gives minutely detailed accounts with illustrations of his churches up to the year 1842. But his most revealing autobiographical writing is to be found in "Some Remarks," published in 1850, which can be seen as essential for understanding the man and his collapse.

"The Catalogue ... has been prepared with a view to accomplish two objects. One, to offer an inventory of all the books on the shelves of the Reference Department of the Manchester Free Library: the other, to supply ... a ready Key both to the subjects of the books, and to the names of the authors." - v. 1, the compiler to the reader.