Details
LANSDOWN CRESCENT
(North side)
Nos.1-20 (Consec)
and attached
railings and
overthrows
12/06/50
GV I
Twenty terrace houses, part of a serpentine terrace that follows contours of hillside. c1789-93 with C19 and C20 alterations. By John Palmer.
MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar with squared rubblestone to rear, steeply pitched slate mansard roofs with moulded stacks to coped party walls.
PLAN: Double depth plans, slightly narrowing to front. The rooms in Nos 2-19 on the concave curve are rectangular, the thickness of walls accommodating the variation.
EXTERIORS: Each house has three storeys, attic and basement, three-window fronts except terminal houses are five-window fronts with entrances in returns. Facade of terrace spanned by balustraded parapet, rich modillion cornice, frieze, decorative second floor band, first floor sill band, ground floor platband and chamfered rustication with incised voussoirs, keystones die into platband. Rectangular overlights, some incorporating ornamental fanlights, and eight-panel doors. Sills of Nos 1 and 20 are part of platband. Nos 1-10 have six-panel doors to left. Nos 11-20 have doors to right. No.1 to right end of terrace, steps forward and has urns with festoons over quoins. Centre steps slightly forward and full height segmental bay to centre has three windows to each floor, plate glass sashes to ground floor and horizontal glazing bars to two/two-pane sash windows to upper floors, those to first floor have balconettes. Right return has cornices and friezes to second and first floors, ground floor platband and windows toward rear. Steps up to enclosed porch with clasping pilasters supporting dentil cornice, blocking course, frieze and semicircular openings to returns. No.20 to left end, now apartments, similar to No.1 but reversed, with horned six/six-pane sash windows. Entrance in left return in angle formed by set back rear range behind bridge (qv). Unusually lively scrolled and wreathed wrought iron balustrades flank steps up to dog gate and set back six-panel door. Painted stone doorcase has Tuscan pilasters that support pediment. No.2 has horizontal glazing bars to two/two-pane sash windows and lamp incorporated in fanlight. No.3 has six/six-pane sash windows and plain overlight. No.4 has horizontal glazing bars to two/two-pane sash windows. Nos 5-9 have six/six-pane sash windows, some with horns. No.9 had some alterations by Wilson, Willcox and Ames in 1884. Nos 10 and 11 are stepped forward and paired. Central four-bays step further forward under modillion corniced pediment. Facade beneath articulated by grand order of four Ionic pilasters with six/six-pane sash windows between, two to centre of first floor flank semicircular arched recess over which ornamental platband rises. Painted paired entrance articulated by four Tuscan columns supporting cornice and frieze. Set back doors with radial glazing bars to fanlights in overlights, flank deep coved niche with wrought iron grille of eight arrow-pointed shafts radiating from central circle. No.10 to right has sliding louvered blinds to two outer ranges. Both houses share entrance landing flanked by single lamp standards attached to railings. No.12 has similar fanlight and good serpentine overthrow and lantern to front of railings. No.13 has six/six-pane sash windows and plate glass sashes to first floor, all without horns. No.14 has two/two-pane sash windows without horns, sliding louvered shutters to first floor and a good serpentine overthrow to railings. No.15 has similar overthrow and snuffer to right of door. Six/six-pane sash windows, those to first and ground floors with horns. No.16 similar details.
No.17 similar, without horns to windows. No.18 has horns to first floor windows and sliding shutters to second and first floor windows.
INTERIOR: No.4 recorded by Bath Preservation Trust 1995. Front door has highly decorative fanlight, together with brass decorations and a massive brass lock. Two panelled mahogany doors. Panelled door to front hall with reeded architraves with square pateras. Large decorative fanlight over with brass acanthus rosettes, narrow decorative panels either side of door, with panels below. Front room highly decorated, curved arch on wall opposite windows, grey/white marble fireplace with ducks-nest grate. Small concealed cupboard behind shutter box. Stone cantilevered open stringed staircase, three flights having metal banisters, mahogany handrail. First floor front has ducks-nest grate, drawing room highly decorated, marble grey fireplace with ribbon crosses across mantle and on columns. Marble fireplace with black inset and brass decorative flowers in morning room. third floor gutter box, lead-lined from right-hand front room, through landing cupboard across top of stairs into bathroom, then out to rear of house. Hinged lid. Rear bedroom stone fireplace, wooden mantelpiece, decorative cast iron inset. Basement has huge old dresser in rear and flagged floor in the passage. Interior of No. 11: recorded by Bath Preservation Trust 1995. Outer hall has stone flags, ornate fanlight over front door, rim lock with brass knob and safety bar (original key in owners possession). Ground floor library dark red marble fireplace with marble masks on jambs, bookcase glazed above mahogany cupboards, believed to have belonged to William Beckford, in east wall. Back room: early C19 plain richly grained grey marble fireplace with rectangular-profiled shelf and plain pilasters supporting three modillions each in an otherwise plain entablature either side of a flat elliptical arch with central keystone springing from moulded imposts. New central ceiling rose in rear room made from C18 mould. Rear C19 extension has west wall panelled cupboards. Ground staircase to second floor has speaking tube with ivory mouthpiece. Victorian window with coloured glass. First floor has original pine floor covered over in 1930s. Second floor front has recess between window and fireplace with scrolled stone brackets at corners, all rooms have marble fireplaces. Pelmet boxes over windows in first floor room's C19 Baroque. Open string cantilevered stone stairs, square metal balusters, two per tread. Tuscan columnar newel within cluster of balusters, mahogany veneered handrail. Three vaulted cellars about 6ft high, flagged-stone floors and wine cellar with stone bins, three/three on each side and coal cellar in middle with 18" chute. No. 11. part inspection by JNE 7th March 1991. Ground Floor: Front room: the mahogany bookcases are said to be from William Beckford's library. Back room: early C19 plain richly grained grey marble fireplace with rectangular-profiled shelf and plain pilasters supporting three modillions each in an otherwise plain entablature either side of a flat elliptical arch with central keystone springing from moulded imposts. Interior of No. 12: inspected by Bath City Council 1977, 1999 etc: Basement: Stone stairs with torus nosings and square banisters. Front room: six pane sashes with panelled shutters; glazed door; six-panel cupboard door; Palladian dado rail. Centre room: glazed door with narrow cyma architrave. Back room (subdivided): two sash windows to back area; dresser base with Doric columns. Rear extension with elliptical stone vault. Ground Floor: Entrance hall: highly decorated cornice with scrollwork to soffit and ceiling rose; original inner doorway with square Regency fanlight and reeded architraves; fine hardwood six-panel doors to rooms; black and white stone floor; stone staircase with moulded soffit, torus and fillet nosings and iron balustrade with lotus cast iron newel and double spiral-scrolled, leaf-enriched balusters to alternate steps and mahogany handrail. Front room: original cornice with lotus leaves and scrollwork and reeding in the soffit; small ceiling rose: Regency grey marble fireplace; deep plain elliptical arch to back room with modern doors; dado with moulded rail and skirting; six-panel mahogany door with later architrave. Back room (subdivided): cornice as last room; Venetian window with arched head; good larger ceiling rose with radiating leaf ornament; windows with original shutters; Regency dark grey marble fireplace with reeded architrave and corner roundels with circular decoration; six-panel mahogany door as front room with original cyma-moulded architrave. Early rear extension with lambs-tongue moulded window sashes and door. First Floor: Landing: Regency cornice as hall's; semi-circular arch in spine wall; Staircase up to second floor with square timber banisters. Front room: large moulded cornice as in ground floor rooms; large rose with central sunflower and swirling acanthus leaves; reeded white marble fireplace with leaves carved on corner blocks; six-panel Georgian mahogany door; three windows with raised and fielded ovolo shutters and wide architraves; modern three-centred arch to back room. Back room: cornice as per front room; Georgian mahogany six-panel door; Venetian window; original torus and cavetto skirting. Second Floor: Front room: three windows; tiny cavetto and astragal cornice; two six-panel ovolo cupboard doors with narrow architraves and matching landing door. Back room: cornice as per front room; triple window. Third floor: two small rooms front, one with original arch-type fireplace with nice Victorian cast iron basket grate. Two small rooms back: one with fireplace as front room, probably original. No. 12. inspections on 12th December 1977, 6th July 1999, 26th June 1980 and undated. Basement: Stone stairs with torus nosings and square banisters. Front room: six pane sashes with panelled shutters: glazed door: six-panel cupboard door: Palladian dado rail: Centre room: glazed door with narrow cyma architrave. Back room (subdivided|): two sash windows to back area: dresser base with Doric columns. Rear extension with elliptical stone vault. Ground Floor: Entrance hall: highly decorated cornice with scrollwork to soffit rose original inner doorway with square Regency fanlight and reeded architraves: fine hardwood six-panel doors to rooms: black and white stone floor: Stone staircase with moulded soffit, torus and fillet nosings and iron balustrade with lotus cast iron newel and double spiral-scrolled, leaf-enriched balusters to alternate steps and mahogany handrail. Front room: original cornice with lotus leaves and scrollwork and reeding in the soffit: small ceiling rose: Regency grey marble fireplace: deep plain elliptical arch to back room with modern doors: dado with moulded rail and skirting: six-panel mahogany door with later architrave. Back room (subdivided): cornice as last room: Venetian window with arched head: good larger ceiling rose with radiating leaf ornament: windows with original shutters: Regency dark grey marble fireplace with reeded architrave and corner roundels with circular decoration: six-panel mahogany door as front room with original cyma-moulded architrave . Early rear extension with lambs-tongue moulded window sashes and door. First Floor: Landing: Regency cornice as Hall: semi-circular arch in spine wall: Staircase up to second floor with square timber banisters. Front room: large moulded cornice as in ground floor rooms: large rose with central sunflower and swirling acanthus leaves: reeded white marble fireplace with leaves carved on corner blocks: six-panel Georgian mahogany door: three windows with raised and fielded ovolo shutters and wide architraves: modern three-centred arch to back room. Back room: cornice as front room: Georgian mahogany six-panel door: Venetian window: original torus and cavetto skirting. Second Floor: Front room: three windows: tiny cavetto and astragal cornice: two six-panel ovolo cupboard doors with narrow architraves and matching landing door. Back room: cornice as front room: triple window Third floor: two small rooms front: one with original arch-type fireplace with nice Victorian cast iron basket grate. Two small rooms back: one with fireplace as front room, probably original. Interior of No. 15: inspected by Bath City Council 1979. Reports the presence of the following features. Basement: Front room: no cornice; windows with folding shutters; six-panel door; cavetto and torus skirting. Back room: two windows with folding unmoulded shutters; six-panel unmoulded door with cyma reversa single-fascia beaded architrave; large Tudor-arched fireplace. Rear extension: original sash window with astragal and hollow glazing bars and shutters as above; arch with double glazed doors to space under the vault below the bridge to the ground floor back door. Ground Floor: Outer hall: elaborate cornice with palmettes, florets and egg and dart ornament; dado rail; inner doorway with rectangular fanlight, double glazed doors with margin lights. Inner hall: arch at foot of staircase with fluted pilasters, anthemion frieze with egg and dart in the architrave and fluted soffit; six-panel doors to rooms with reeded architraves with corner blocks decorated with florets and panelled reveals. Staircase with mahogany handrail with ebony inlay and a scroll at its foot; very delicate iron balustrade with banisters to alternate steps decorated with cast lead husks and quatrefoils, those to the steps between comprising a central key-patterned baluster with cast leaf motifs above and below between thin 9 x 18mm plain banisters; plaster rose to half landing. First Floor: Front room: three windows; fine acanthus cornice with decorated soffit; very ornate finely detailed ceiling rose; white marble fireplace with plain shelf with echinus and fillet bed mould, reeded architrave with anthemion on corner blocks and quarter-rounded corner returns; symmetrical reeded door architraves. Back room: cornice and ceiling rose as front room. Second Floor: Front west: echinus, cove and astragal cornice; two windows with box shutters; good original white marble fireplace with square-section shelf, cavetto and astragal cornice, segment and fillet narrow reeded pilasters and wide architrave with beaded cavetto, brown-veined marble fascia and white inner fillet and astragal; large D-shaped Victorian arch to back room. Front east: cornice as west room. Back room: cornice as front room; two windows with original glazing bars; original six-panel ovolo doors to cupboard and Landing; fine original white marble fireplace with square shelf, narrow reeded pilasters with single water leaf capital, narrow matching reeded bed mould and wide brown-veined black marble fascia and narrow white astragal to opening. Third floor: Landing: elliptical arch overhead of stairs with a pair of delicate Grecian consoles. Front room 1: simple white marble fireplace with shelf, good cast iron grate with segmental arch and bowed fire basket. Large back room: fireplace as last but with older hob grate. No. 15: inspections 13th February 1979: 1st March 1979: "5. 12/ LB 8714/3": and 17th April 1979. Basement: Front room: no cornice: windows with folding shutters: six-panel door: cavetto and torus skirting. Back room: two windows with folding unmoulded shutters: six-panel unmoulded door with cyma reversa single-fascia beaded architrave: large Tudor-arched fireplace. Rear extension: original sash window with astragal and hollow glazing bars and shutters as above: arch with double glazed doors to space under the vault below the bridge to the ground floor back door. Ground Floor: Outer hall: elaborate cornice with palmettes, florets and egg and dart ornament: dado rail: inner doorway with rectangular fanlight, double glazed doors with margin lights: Inner hall: arch at foot of staircase with fluted pilasters, anthemion frieze with egg and dart in the architrave and fluted soffit: six-panel doors to rooms with reeded architraves with corner blocks decorated with florets and panelled reveals. Staircase with mahogany handrail with ebony inlay and a scroll at its foot. very delicate iron balustrade with banisters to alternate steps decorated with cast lead husks and quatrefoils, those to the steps between comprising a central key-patterned baluster with cast leaf motifs above and below between thin 9 x 18mm plain banisters: plaster rose to half landing. First Floor: Front room: three windows: fine acanthus cornice with decorated soffit: very ornate finely detailed ceiling rose: white marble fireplace with plain shelf with echinus and fillet bed mould, reeded architrave with anthemion on corner blocks and quarter-rounded corner returns: symmetrical reeded door architraves. Back room: cornice and ceiling rose as front room. Second Floor: Front west: echinus, cove and astragal cornice: two windows with box shutters: good original white marble fireplace with square-section shelf, cavetto and astragal cornice, segment and fille narrow reeded pilasters and wide architrave with beaded cavetto, brown-veined marble fascia and white inner fillet and astragal: large D-shaped Victorian arch to back room. Front east: cornice as west room. Back room: cornice as front room: two windows with original glazing bars: original six-panel ovolo doors to cupboard and Landing: fine original white marble fireplace with square shelf, narrow reeded pilasters with single water leaf capital, narrow matching reeded bed mould and wide brown-veined black marble fascia and narrow white astragal to opening. Third floor: Landing: elliptical arch overhead of stairs with a pair of delicate Grecian consoles. Front room 1: simple white marble fireplace with shelf, good cast iron grate with segmental arch and bowed fire basket. Large back room: fireplace as last but with older hob grate. No. 16: inspected by Bath City Council in 1984. Features include the following. Ground Floor: Entrance hall: modern stairs; good original cornice with frieze with alternate paterae and short runs of fluting; original fanlight and mahogany Georgian door with wide two-fascia echinus architrave. Staircase hall: cornice as per entrance hall; stone staircase with moulded soffits, mahogany inlaid handrail. Front room: acanthus and egg and dart cornice with good frieze of urns, cherubs and garlands. Two windows with box shutters; fine white marble fireplace with shelf with fillet and ovolo bed mould, pilasters with diminishing pendant rings below paterae in corner blocks, symmetrical echinus architrave with astragals and roundels in corner blocks. Back room (subdivided): same cornice; astragal and hollow sash windows with box shutters and six-panel doors to cupboard and hall. First Floor: ceiling height about 13ft 9 inches. Front room: modern staircase partitioned off; good cornice with acanthus enriched bed mould with palmettes and garlands; three windows with box shutters; double console white marble early C19 fireplace with segmental arch; six-panel echinus-moulded mahogany doors. Back room: same cornice; two windows; good Georgian timber fireplace with shelf with enriched bed mould, frieze decorated with crossed sprays in middle and garlands of fruit and flowers either side. Second Floor: Landing: dado rail. Front room west: moulded cornice; two windows with box shutters; fireplace with plain marble shelf and architrave with timber cyma-reversa and bead moulding, and plain marble fascia; six-panel ovolo doors with single-fascia architraves. Front west: one window: same cornice. Back (subdivided): two windows; one wall cupboard with six-panel door. Third Floor: four-panel unmoulded doors: two rooms front. No. 16: inspected 10th December 1984. Ground Floor: Entrance hall: modern stairs: good original cornice with frieze with alternate paterae and short runs of fluting: original fanlight and mahogany Georgian door with wide two-fascia echinus architrave. Staircase hall: cornice as for entrance hall: stone staircase with moulded soffits, mahogany inlaid handrail: Front room: acanthus and egg and dart cornice with good frieze of urns, cherubs and garlands. Two windows with box shutters: fine white marble fireplace with shelf with fillet and ovolo bed mould, pilasters with diminishing pendant rings below paterae in corner blocks and symmetrical echinus architrave with astragals and roundels in corner blocks. Back room (subdivided): same cornice: astragal and hollow sash windows with box shutters and six-panel doors to cupboard and hall. First Floor: ceiling height about 13ft. 9 inches: Front room: modern staircase partitioned off: Good cornice with acanthus enriched bed mould with palmettes and garlands: three windows with box shutters: double console white marble early C19 fireplace with segmental arch: six-panel echinus-moulded mahogany doors. Back room: same cornice: two windows: good Georgian timber fireplace with, shelf with enriched bed mould, frieze decorated with crossed sprays in middle and garlands of fruit and flowers either side. Second Floor: Landing: dado rail: Front west: moulded cornice: two windows with box shutters: fireplace with plain marble shelf and architrave with timber cyma-reversa and bead moulding, and plain marble fascia: six-panel ovolo doors with single-fascia architraves. Front west: one window: same cornice. Back (subdivided): two windows: one wall cupboard with six-panel door. Third Floor: four-panel unmoulded doors: two rooms front. No. 19: partly inspected by Bath City Council and Bath Preservation Trust survey of interiors (1994). Ground Floor: Front room: Beckford's library with high quality mahogany bookcases, presumably by H.E. Goodridge; brown marble fireplace, four scrolled brackets supporting mantle, open hearth. Yellow scagiole marble window cills with twelve drawers inset below with wooden drawer knobs. Two-panelled mahogany doors. Rear room has plain marble fireplace possibly modern, brought in by present owner. Doors new to house, cornice and wall frieze concealed above false ceiling. Drawing room ornate frieze and cornice, room originally larger. Present fireplace installed by William Beckford, originally red/black marble, now painted over. Double doors in partition from conversion to flat, the six-panelled door is also thought to be an addition. Staircase: altered by Goodridge barrel-vaulted for Beckford with pairs of semi-circular arches on Grecian consoles over with voids above, producing a Soanian spatial effect. Light in central panel. At bottom of each flight of stairs are doorways . Door arches have carved wooden supports. Scroll pattern with layers of leaves on front, doorways have glazed arches over. No. 19: History: William Beckford moved to Nos.19 and 20 after he sold Fonthill Abbey, and died there: brief notes on interior by JNE dated September 1981.
Ground Floor: Front room: Beckford's library with high quality mahogany bookcases, presumably by H. E. Goodridge. Staircase: barrel-vaulted for Beckford with pairs of semi-circular arches on Grecian consoles over with voids above producing a spatial effect not unlike some in the Soane Museum although the detailing is less sophisticated. First Floor: Front room: massive arched fireplace, now painted, presumably by Goodridge for Beckford. No. 20: inspected by Bath City Council 1980. This house was formerly joined with No 19 when Beckford was in residence here (1823-44). Basement: north room: two windows to area; stone flagged floor; four-panel ovolo door. South room with bow: Edwardian fireplace. South east room: the kitchen. South west room: one window. Ground Floor: Hall: cornice with reeded soffit and palmettes in echinus bed mould. Back room north: original reeded cornice with blocks and paterae; two windows; very fine white marble fireplace with reeded architrave with carved roundels at corners and acanthus leaf ornament to inner cavetto. Back room (north west): one window. Centre room south with bow: cornice and shutters as back north; six-panel door; fine white marble fireplace with shelf with reeded edge and cavetto and echinus bed moulds, tapering pilasters with deep cavetto bases, waterleaves to tops of tapering shafts and acanthus to capitals, Greek key pattern with palmettes in frieze. South west room: one window; original reeded cornice with egg and dart; semi-circular arched recess. South east room: cornice as room above. First Floor: Larger front room: one window with three windows in bow, all with folding shutters with raised and fielded ovolo shutters; very fine cornice with cove decorated with water leaves, soffit with scrollwork, frieze with garlands and medallions probably a later addition; dado with fluted rail with quatrefoils; fine white marble fireplace with cornice, frieze with swags and bows, panelled pilasters with husks and medallions in frieze over; six-panel door with reeded architrave and corner blocks with leaf ornament. Small front room (altered by Lord Strathcona): reeded cornice with acanthus leaves in bed mould; one window. Long narrow room over arch to west: ceiling in three bays, three coffers wide, each bay with nine coffers the coffers set in square-edge boarding and decorated with gilded egg and tongue ornament; three windows with splayed oak shutters and cyma-moulded architraves with two fascias, two single sashes which slide up into wall and central pair of casements; oak panelled dado; north wall facing windows has oak fittings, three dado-high with panelled doors, drawers and shelves over, some shelves with glazed doors, high doors either end, one glazed, the other panelled; Greek cornice with egg and dart, panelled pilasters with paterae over. Eared architrave with mirror to blocked doorway in end wall. Main stairs (west): cornice as front drawing room but without its frieze; Venetian window; four six-panelled doors with cornices and friezes with Greek ornament. Back stairs to north west. Back room (north): window with cavetto-moulded raised and fielded shutters; six-panel door; torus skirting. Back room (north east): one window, door and skirtings as above. No. 20: two inspections, one undated by SWB, the other by JNE on 16th April 1980. See No. 19 for historical note. Basement: North room: two windows to area: stone flagged floor: four-panel ovolo door. South room with bow: Edwardian fireplace. South east room: the kitchen. South west room: one window. Ground Floor: Hall: cornice with reeded soffit and palmettes in echinus bed mould. Back room north: original reeded cornice with blocks and paterae: two windows: very fine white marble fireplace with reeded architrave with carved roundels at corners and acanthus leaf ornament to inner cavetto. Back room north west: one window. Centre room south with bow: cornice and shutters as back north: six-panel door: fine white marble fireplace with shelf with reeded edge and cavetto and echinus bed moulds, tapering pilasters with deep cavetto bases, waterleaves to tops of tapering shafts and acanthus to capitals, Greek key pattern with palmettes in frieze. South west room: one window: original reeded cornice with egg and dart: semi-circular arched recess. South east room: cornice as room above First Floor: Larger front room, one window with three windows in bow, all with folding shutters with raised and fielded ovolo shutters: very fine cornice with cove decorated with water leaves, soffit with scrollwork, frieze with garlands and medallions probably a later addition: dado with fluted rail with quatrefoils: fine white marble fireplace with cornice, frieze with swags and bows, panelled pilasters with husks and medallions in frieze over: six-panel door with reeded architrave and corner blocks with leaf ornament. Small front room altered by Lord Strathcona: reeded cornice with acanthus leaves in bed mould: one window: Long narrow room over arch to west: ceiling in three bays, three coffers wide, each bay with nine coffers the coffers set in square-edge boarding and decorated with gilded egg and tongue ornament: three windows with splayed oak shutters and cyma-moulded architraves with two fascias, two single sashes which slide up into wall and central pair of casements: oak panelled dado: north wall facing windows has oak fittings, three dado-high with panelled doors, drawers and shelves over, some shelves with glazed doors, high doors either end, one glazed, the other panelled: Greek cornice with egg and dart, panelled pilasters with paterae over. Eared architrave with mirror to blocked doorway in end wall. Main stairs (west): cornice as front drawing room but without its frieze: Venetian window: four six-panelled doors with cornices and friezes with Greek ornament. Back stairs (north west). Back room (north): window with cavetto-moulded raised and fielded shutters: six-panel door: torus skirting. Back room (north east) one window, door and skirtings as above:
HISTORY: This outstanding terrace was designed by Palmer for Charles Spackman, coachbuilder and developer, and was hence formerly called Spackman's Buildings, Upper Crescent and Lansdown Place. Construction was undertaken by various speculating builders, some of whom were ruined by the bank failures of 1793. Its sinuous contour, following the slope of the hillside, lends it an organic grace unmatched elsewhere: Christopher Pound compared it to the serpentine `line of beauty' defined by Hogarth in his 1753 treatise `Analysis of Beauty' but this picturesque effect is more the consequence of setting than of intention. Its lofty position and grassed foreground give it a detached and picturesque setting that is the pinnacle of the Georgian suburban dream of `rus in urbs' and it forms the northern culmination of the sequence of Bath's urban set-pieces.
HISTORY: INDIVIDUAL HOUSES: No. 3: Bath Chronicle records that this house was "in a forward state of completion" in March 1794 when Trembath was declared bankrupt. It was Miss Fossiter's Seminary for Young Ladies in 1809. No 9: The rear wing was extended to the back basement area wall and is thus shown on the Harcourt Masters map of 1808. From 1795 to 1799 the artist John Saunders lived there. No.10: this was occupied by Miss Coobar's `British Boarding School' in 1809. No. 15: was first occupied by Mrs Margaret Graves (1727-1808). She was the widow of Admiral Samuel Graves and she moved into the newly built house. Her letters have been serialised in `Bath History'. No. 19 was purchased by William Beckford in 1836 and amalgamated with No.20. It was extensively altered in 1838 with H.E. Goodridge as architect. In 1844 he also occupied No. 18 (rate books), using it as a storage repository for his furniture. This was converted into flats in 1970. No.20 was unfinished in 1794 when its builder, Samuel Rabey, was declared bankrupt. It was Miss Habershon's School for Young Ladies in 1809. It was William Beckford's home from soon after he left Fonthill in 1822 until shortly before his death in 1844 (see plaque); more recently, it was the home of James Lees-Milne, historian and diarist. Beckford also acquired No.1 Lansdown Place West (qv) and built a bridge across the carriageway to the mews (qv).
SOURCES: (Ison W: The Georgian Buildings of Bath: Bath: 1948-: 98; James Lees-Milne, `William Beckford' (1976) 77 ff. Country Life: April 29, 1976, Beckford in Bath (No. 19);Christopher Pound: Genius of Bath: Bath 199? ).
Listing NGR: ST7464566021
