Details
ENTRY HILL DRIVE
(West side)
Granville House
05/08/75
II
Detached villa. Deeds dated 1827, with C20 additions, by Edward Davis, architect.
MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, slate roofs.
PLAN: Symmetrical block with central staircase hall in flat H-plan.
EXTERIOR: Two storeys with three storeys to north west generated by sloping site. Windows are generally three-light casements, many with horizontal bars, with chamfered mullions. Entrance front in three broad bays, centre recessed. Flanking bays have quoin pilasters, stepped out and corbelled as chimneys above parapeted gables. Stacks to apex of both gables, each with two decorated terracotta pots, and carried on plain corbel brackets at first floor level. Flanking bays have small single casements at ground floor, with large square plain light inserted to right, with coved strings at ground and first floor levels, left hand bay has reset fragments of medieval stonework and tracery at ground floor level. Recessed centre has three-light stone mullioned window over entrance with four centred arched moulded opening with glazed door on set of five+one stone steps with solid balustrade stopped to square piers with small stone lion finials, and flanked by low coped walls enclosing basement areas, both of which have corrugated plastic laylights. Right return has strings continued, with two three-light casements in deep splays, but blind to right, and with drips to splayed stops at ground floor level. Central corbelled external chimney with triple stack, quoin pilaster extended as chimney with crenellated cresting. Elaborately carved panel with coat of arms in centre of first floor. Left return similar, with two three-light windows above C20 flat roofed extension, and three-light with drip course, and three-light windows to lower ground level. Wide central stack in three shafts which have been raised, and carry decorative pots. Built into lower wall of extension is a second heraldic panel similar to that on other side (on origins of which, see below). Other Gothic fragments re-used here too. Garden front has tall central recess under moulded flat four-centred arch, flanked by low gabled wings. Top floor has three three-light windows, in the outer bays with drips to splayed stops, above deep oriels with 1:3:1-light windows with transom and flat four-centred heads to lights; the oriels have stepped stone roofs with heavy bracketed eaves cornices, and flat cantilevered bases carried on plain triangular brackets. three-light windows to lower ground floor. Recessed centre was originally blank, but has low level door, and inserted door to main level, with approach stair in concrete. Strings continue from other fronts, gables are simply coped, and pierced balustrade to centre bay. To right returned front of C20 extension.
INTERIOR: Inspected by Bath Council 1979 has Tudor style details. Ground floor Georgian cornices and Tudor style recesses, original marble fireplace.
HISTORY: Of particular interest for the re-use of carved fragments, which enliven an otherwise rather austere Baronial Gothic composition. Such re-use is eminently Romantic in motivation in its appeal to the historical imagination through aged fragments. Peach says that the heraldic panels came from the Granville monument on Lansdown: Davis was indeed responsible for its overhaul at this time, and recycled the heraldic panels here. Davis himself lived here with his family in 1835-41. An extraordinary Mannerist version of Tudor design, with minimal external alteration, and characteristic of the free approach to the villas developed in the area (qv also Entry Hill House). Davis showed designs for seventeen houses here at the 1828 Royal Academy, but only five were built. This speculative development, funded by lawyer Richard Else, was laid out off the old Warminster Road. Stylistically advanced, they form an interesting counterpart to Goodridge's work on Bathwick Hill.
SOURCES: [M. Forsyth, 'Edward Davis' in Bath History VII (1998), 110-11; R.E.M. Peach, 'Street Lore of Bath' (1870)].
Listing NGR: ST7478363147
