Details
CAVENDISH CRESCENT
Nos.1-11 (Consec)
12/06/50
GV II
Crescent of eleven terrace houses. 1815-1830 with C19 and C20 alterations. By John Pinch the Elder, for William Broom, builder.
MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, double pitched slate mansard roofs hipped to ends with moulded stacks to party walls and left return.
PLAN: Double depth.
EXTERIOR: Four storeys including an attic storey, and basements, each house has three-window range. Returned coped parapet, slightly returned attic cornice, fully returned second floor cornice, slightly returned ground floor platband, three/three-pane sash windows to the attic, six/nine-pane sashes in raised surrounds to the first floor with sills at platband level and trellised balconettes, those to the centre of each house has a cornice on consoles, six/six-pane sashes in plain openings to the second, ground floors and basements, eight-panel doors with inverted corners to upper panel, reeded lower panels and lintels. Nos 2-11 have rusticated surrounds to semicircular arches and simple cobweb fanlights over doors. Nos 1-10 have doors to left. Basements all retain six/six-pane sash windows. No.1 to left has flat arch over three-pane overlight above double four-panel doors to left. Left return in Cavendish Road has small late C19 windows, rear wing has C20 glazed first floor above pedimented Tuscan doorcase flanked by pair of scrolled lampholders. No.2 has horned plate glass sash windows, plain fanlight, and eight-panel door. No.3 unaltered except for swept canopy over the door. William Broom, the builder, was living at this house in 1815; he went bankrupt in 1825 with the Crescent still unfinished. No.4 unaltered except for swept canopy over door and plate glass windows to attic. No.5 unaltered except for swept canopy over door and dog gate. No.6 has horned plate glass windows to main floors. 1979 sale particulars (National Monuments Record) report the presence on the stairs of murals by the well-known mid-C20 church murallist Hans Feibusch. No.7 has plate glass sash windows to attic. No.8 is unaltered. No.9 is unaltered. Regency cast iron balcony to first floor. 1984 sales particulars (National Monuments Record) report presence in entrance hall and dining room of three/four height painted oak panelling, displayed at 1900 Paris Exposition as part of the 'Prince of Wales' rooms. No.10 is unaltered except for canopy. 1984 sale particulars (National Monuments Record) report presence of stone staircase with inlaid mahogany handrail; vaulted ceilings to passages; surviving ceiling plasterwork and fireplaces; basement in separate occupation. There is a hanging water closet at the rear of the house. No.11, right terminal, has plate glass windows to main floors, single storey double depth porch to right return with returned coped parapet and cornice. Late C19 wing to rear. Nos 10 and 11 were still unfinished when sold after Broom's bankruptcy in 1825.
INTERIORS: No. 2 inspected by Bath Council 1973. Ground floor moulding survives in most rooms, marble fireplace with Victorian firehood in front room, fine cornices on first floor. Timber fireplace with oval mirror on second floor, blocked in with C20 gas fire. No. 3 inspected by Bath Council 1985, has a fine fanlight over front door, inner six-panel door with four top panels glazed with ornate leading and ribbed surrounds. Original white marble fireplace with grey inserts and pilasters. Double three-panel connecting doors, and one floor above. Original stone staircase two balusters per tread. No. 4 inspected by Bath Council 1978, has most of its original marble fireplaces. Fine fanlight over the front door and very fine ceiling plaster detail with raised rosettes and egg and cup edging. An oak and a walnut mantlepiece with red tiles, c1914, in the ground floor front rooms, one rear room has an original marble fireplace with a black shelf, and another grey and white marble fireplace in the remaining room. No. 6 recorded by Bath Council 1972 and Bath Preservation Trust in 1998. Fine detailing throughout. Highly decorated fireplace in the Ground floor front room. Vaulted ceiling on the stairs and a half landing with a vaulted ceiling. Elaborate ceiling rose with acanthus leaves in first floor drawing room, ornate cornice and frieze detailing. Library has wooden fireplace mantle with central Medusa head and similar detailing to the drawing room. No. 8 was partially inspected by Bath Council in 1988, and had the original fireplace in the second floor front room, and fine cornicing. There is a glazed square fanlight in the hall and a fine fireplace in the main room. No. 9 recorded by Bath Preservation Trust 1990¿s. Fine stone cantilevered staircase, Dining room panelling and ornate carved fireplace brought from Paris Exhibition. Drawing room first floor has original fireplace with art nouveau tiles. Kitchen cupboards and bookcases in study built from pews from St Marks, Widcombe circa 1970. No. 10 recorded by Bath Preservation Trust 1990¿s. Original mouldings throughout, ornate decorated arch in the inner hallway, with tulip and tongue detail. Fine cantilevered stone staircase, white stone painted fireplace in Dining room.
HISTORY: An austere crescent designed by Pinch ¿his only such design- for the developer William Broome, who lived at No.3. He was declared bankrupt in 1825, at which time the crescent was still unfinished, nos. 10 & 11 being offered for sale in an uncompleted state in 1829. It takes full advantage of the fine south-westerly prospect of the site, and was one of the last set-piece Georgian terraces to have been completed in Bath.
SOURCES: Ison W: The Georgian Buildings of Bath: Bath: 1980-: 186; .
Listing NGR: ST7437965976
