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Sir Howard Montagu Colvin, CVO, CBE (b. 15 October 1919), is an architectural historian who has produced two of the outstanding works of scholarship in his field. He is most notably the author of A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840 (its most recent edition, published by the Yale University Press, is of 1997). On its first appearance in 1954, this reference work of a heroic scale immediately became the standard in its field; it "changed the face of English architectural history", according to David Watkin. In the revised edition Colvin expanded the range to include Scottish and Welsh architects as well. The work includes every building within its time range with which the name of an architect can be associated, resulting in an index that is an architectural gazetteer, and every architectural book published in Britain, listed under its author. The prefatory essay, "The Practice of Architecture, 1600-1840", is divided in two sections, covering the building trades and the architectural profession, both contributions to the broader social history of Britain.

He also edited and largely wrote a multi-volume study of architectural projects, both planned and executed, that were created for the British monarchy, The History of the King's Works.

He was educated at University College London. He went to the University of Oxford in 1948 to pursue teaching and writing on medieval architectural topics.

Sir Howard is Emeritus Fellow of St. John's College, Oxford.

• London : H.M.S.O, (1963) to (1982)
• ISBN 0-11-670571-X
• ISBN 0-11-670568-X (v.3,pt 1)
• ISBN 0-11-670832-8 (v.4,pt 2)
• ISBN 0-11-670571-X (v.5)
• ISBN 0-11-670286-9 (v.6)
• ISBN 0-11-671116-7 (Plans 5-7)

• A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects, 1600-1840 ISBN 0-300-07207-4, Yale University Press (1954, fourth edition 1997)
• Unbuilt Oxford ISBN 0-300-03126-2, Yale University Press (1983)
• Architecture and the After-Life New Haven: Yale University Press, (1991)
• The Canterbury Quadrangle, St. John's College, Oxford ISBN 978-0-19-920159-4 or ISBN 0-19-920159-5 (1988)

• Alumni of History Faculty Newsletter, Oxford