Details
NORFOLK BUILDINGS
(West side)
Nos.1-12 (Consec)
and attached railings
12/05/72
GV II
Twelve terrace houses. c1810-1820 with late C19 and C20 alterations. Builder Richard Orchard, landowner Sir Joseph Huddart and Richard Bowsher.
MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar with ashlar dressings, coursed and squared stone in part to rear, slate roofs.
EXTERIOR: Austere terrace, previously slightly longer, but abbreviated as result of war damage. Nos 1-7 are double depth, and Nos 8-12 single depth plans, all with three storeys and basement, developing to full four storeys to rear through fall in site. Two or three-bays each, varied sashes, those at ground and first floors in slightly recessed arched panels, and to sill bands at first and second floor. Most second floor lights are six-pane, except to Nos 7 and 8, original sixteen-pane remain at first and ground floors to Nos 1, 3, 5, 9 and 10, in the basements except to Nos 2, 7, 8 and 9. First floor balconettes, in various patterns, remain except to Nos 2,7,8 and 9. Also blind lights, two at first and second floors to No.1, over doorway to No.4, and centred over paired doors to Nos 5 and 6. Panelled doors, some original, are set in plain reveals, to left in No.1, right in Nos 2, 3 and 4, and paired, under single wide elliptical recessed panel to Nos 5 and 6. In Nos 7-12 doors are set slightly off-centre, between windows. No.8 has added attic mansard, with three replacement sash, also has second door. Listel, frieze, cornice, blocking course and parapet run full length of terrace, and ashlar stacks to coped party divisions. Rear, also with continuous cornice, blocking course and parapet has mostly six and twelve-pane sashes, stepped at stairways and there are some extensions, including prominent three storey bay with splayed corners and pilasters to No.7, and No.8 has full attic storey to parapet. At left hand end, adjacent to river, wall, in squared coursed stone, cranked, with various sashes, at north end return rendered. Formerly continued to street return.
INTERIORS: Not inspected. Except No.1 by Bath Preservation trust in 1996. Basement, now converted to separate flat, has several vaulted cellars beneath road with access at far end to former pleasure ground at Green Park. Front door has a number of iron security bars fitted horizontally. Attic floor has interior boxed rainwater drain running to double-hipped roof outside. Six flight wooden staircase with stone steps to basement. No. 6 (inspected 1973) has panelled doors with Greek key design surrounding each panel. No. 7 (inspected 1985) has very fine original door with flush beading and intricate fanlight over.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Across frontage, returned to each of doorways, simple spearhead railing, to ashlar curb with rounded top, and with gateway to inserted basement stairs to Nos 2, 5, 8, 11 and 12.
HISTORY: Indenture for No. 1 from 1765 includes Thomas Jelly¿s name. It was built in 1819. Norfolk Buildings were the subject of compulsory purchase for a road building scheme in the 1960¿s. They were put back on the market in 1981 in a ruinous condition. William Meybohmn Rider Haggard (father of Rider Haggard the author of King Solomon¿s Mines) was one of the parties to a deed of settlement made by the owner of No. 1 to his son in 1843. The colonial administrator Sir Bartle Frere lived at No. 7 in 1829 ¿ 1832: he became High Commissioner to South Africa and knew Rider Haggard well. HISTORY: This forms a characteristically staggered development, following a standardised front elevation design. The terrace forms an important element in the monumental Norfolk Crescent ensemble, and stands on the edge of the Georgian city.
Listing NGR: ST7440464843
