David Edward Herbert was born in London and trained at Southall Technical College and the Hammersmith College of Architecture & Building. He spent his whole working life in the building industry working for local and central Government, private architects’ practices and contractors. He designed buildings in Belgium, France, Senegal, Abu Dhabi Doha, Ras al Khima and Jordan. He became Chief architect for a consulting group and later Chief Architect for a design and building contractor. Whilst working on projects in Scotland he became interested in castles and on retirement, painted watercolours of castles and still continues to do so.