Details
GROSVENOR PLACE
656-1/0/0 (South side)
Nos.1-41 (Consec) and attached area railings (Formerly Listed as: LONDON ROAD (South side) Grosvenor House & Nos 1-41 (consec) Grosvenor Place)
12/06/50
GV I
Forty-one terrace houses and hotel, now flats or commercial premises. 1791-1819 with mid C19 and C20 alterations. Designed by John Eveleigh.
MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar to fronts, limestone rubble with ashlar dressings to rears, double pitched slate mansard roofs with moulded stacks to party walls and various dormers.
PLAN: Double depth plans with few rear additions.
EXTERIOR: Three storeys with attics and lower ground floors, three-window range to majority. Imposing central building, designed as hotel, flanked by serpentine curved terraces punctuated by stepped forward pavilions of three houses, one to left hand terrace, two to right. Pavilions and six-window range central hotel have chamfered rustication and platbands to ground floor, house to centre of each pavilion has five-window range. Houses were originally of similar design. Continuous cornice, parapet and moulded sill string courses to upper floors, flat arches to six/six-pane sash windows, those to first and ground floors with horizontally stepped voussoirs. Nos 1 to 22 have doors to left, Nos 24 to 41 have doors to right. Windows to first floor rear are six/nine-pane sashes, mostly with balconettes or balconies with view over proposed pleasure gardens. Variations are as follows: No.1 has six/six-pane sash windows to second floor, plate glass sashes to first and ground floors and eight/eight-pane sashes to lower ground floor. Mid C19 six-panel door with roundels to two central panels. No.2 facade painted to ground and lower ground floors. Plate glass windows, horned six/six-pane sashes to lower ground floor. Six-panel door with circular central pane surrounded by border of segmental panes to overlight. Nos 3,4 and 5 (Bath High School) comprise right hand pavilion. Painted ground floor and basement, plate glass windows with balconettes to first floor, six/six-pane sashes to lower ground floor. No.3 to right has early C19 projecting porch with paired Saonian pilasters supporting triglyph frieze, cornice and blocking course, vermiculated plinth, C20 door. No.4 similar windows and six-panel door with blocked overlight of semicircular panels. No.5 similar windows, six-panel door glazed to top under blocked overlight with square central panel flanked by glyph frieze. No.6 has six/six-pane sash windows to second, first and lower ground floor, plate glass sashes to ground floor. Mid C19 six-panel door with margin panes to blocked overlight below heavy cornice on consoles with raised anthemion and scroll motive between, possibly painted cast iron. Original voussoirs remain above cornice. Balconettes to second and first floors. No.7 similar with plain blocked overlight. No.8 has six/six-pane sash windows to upper floors with two balconettes to right of first and second floors. Plate glass windows to ground and lower ground floors. No.9 has plate glass sash windows with chamfered architraves to first and second floors. Six-panel door with similar overlight and cornice to No.6. No.10 has six/six-pane sash windows with two balconettes to second floor right and three to first floor. Plate glass sashes to ground floor. Six-panel door glazed to top with similar cornice to No.6. No.11 has plate glass sash windows except six/six-pane sashes to second floor. Six-panel door with blocked overlight. Nos 12, 13 and 14 form stepped-forward rusticated right hand pavilion. No.12 has plate glass windows, six/six-pane sashes to lower ground floor, six-panel door glazed to top, blocked overlight, simple balconettes to upper floors. No.13 to centre of right hand pavilion taller, cornice and parapet sweep down to meet those of flanking houses. Six/six-pane sash windows with some crown glass, late C19 cast iron balconettes to second floor and similar continuous stone balcony with cast iron brackets and balustrade to first floor with margin paned French windows and Two-pane overlights. (balcony formerly had swept canopy). Large late C19 projecting porch to left-of-centre with six-panel door in recess flanked by Ionic columns supporting dentil cornice and blocking course, plate glass sash windows to returns and cast iron boot scrapers to sides. No.14 has plate glass sash windows to ground floor and first floors and six/six-pane sashes to second floor and basement. C19 eight-panel door and blocked overlight. No.15 similar windows, Doric doorcase with triglyph frieze and C20 window to left. No.16 has C19 horned six/six-pane sash windows, six-panel door glazed to top under blocked overlight. No.17 similar door with raised wreath to blocked overlight, plate glass windows with six/six-pane sashes to basement. No.18 has six/six-pane sash windows to second floor and plate glass to rest. No.19 has two early C19 trellised balconettes to both ground floor and first floor right. Plate glass sash windows to ground floor and six/six-pane sashes to rest. C19 enclosed projecting porch with chamfered corners, cornice on consoles, Roman numeral XIX over door and pointed-arched windows on corners. Architraves to windows of Nos 19 to 26 chamfered except for basement. No.20 has C20 six/six-pane sash windows, set back Doric doorcase with triglyph frieze over six-panel door glazed to top and two-pane overlight with margin panes. No.21 similar doorcase, six-panel door with overlight, C19 plate glass windows with balconettes to three upper floors. No.22 has early C19 projecting enclosed porch with paired Saonian pilasters supporting triglyph frieze, cornice and blocking course. Door and windows are mid C19 margin paned. Ground floors and basements of Nos 22 to 32 are painted ashlar. No.23 designed as central hotel building with wide segmental arch to carriage entrance flanked by two semicircular arched windows. Arch now covered by tetrastyle porch. Six-window range with six/six-pane sash windows, stone balustraded parapet articulated by projecting pedestals over rich modillion cornice that steps out over giant order of seven engaged Ionic columns, frieze has oval paterae above capitals, columns, on similar but larger pedestals, have pendant garlands between volutes, level with second floor sills and half-way up, plain bands near bases were intended to be carved, oval panels below second floor windows, three are carved, others are blank, blind balustraded aprons to first floor windows. Ground floor has vermiculated rusticated piers below moulded impost stringcourse and icicle keystones in chamfered rustication between string and ground floor platband. Central archway intended as entrance to Grosvenor Gardens Vauxhall, which was laid out on slope behind going down to river. Lasted until at least 1810 and layout shown on map of 1808. House restored in 1970 by R. Smith and J. Bull Associates. No.24 similar porch to No.22 with late C19 six-panel door, chamfered architraves to ground and first floor, six/six-pane sash windows some with crown glass. No.25 has early C19 six-panel door with blocked overlight, simple balconettes to ground floor and chamfered architraves above basement. No.26 has chamfered architraves to ground and first floor, plate glass sash windows, six/six-pane sashes to basement. No.27 similar chamfering, two early C19 balconettes with lead ornaments to left of first floor, late C19 enclosed projecting porch to six-panel door, cornice on consoles under returned cornice and blocking course. No.28 has plate glass windows and six-panel door with overlight. No.29 has similar windows with eight/eight-pane sashes to basement, six-panel door with reeded panelling to blocked overlight. No.30 has plate glass sash windows, six-panel door and overlight with small circular window to right. No.31 on convex curve, has plate glass windows, six-panel door with blocked overlight and circular window to right. Jambs to ground floor have late C19 run-out stopped chamfers. Nos 32, 33 and 34 comprise stepped forward rusticated pavilion to left hand terrace. No.32 has plate glass windows without horns, small circular window to upper right hand corner and blocked overlight to late C19 three-panel door. No.33 has taller five-window range with six/six-pane sash windows, that to centre of first floor under cornice on consoles with elliptical paterae to sides and one to centre over festoon. No.34 has doorcase with Doric pilasters supporting triglyph frieze entablature. No.35 has plate glass windows and six-panel door with three-pane overlight. No.36 has plate glass windows, six/six-pane sashes to basement, Tuscan pedimented doorcase, late C19 black-and-white tiled threshold and fire insurance disc. No.37 has plate glass windows to first and ground floor and six/six-pane sashes to second and lower ground floor, six-panel door glazed to top and large plain overlight. No.38 painted up to sill stringcourse, plate glass windows, six-panel door with good projecting lamp in overlight. No.39 has six/six-pane sash windows some with crown glass, early C19 six-panel door with moulded panels and large overlight with lead ornaments to margin panes. No.40 similar with some crown glass and narrow overlight. No.41 left hand terminal house stepped slightly forward with chamfered rustication to ground floor, platband and early C19 balconettes to ground floor. Altered six-panel door.
INTERIORS: Several of the houses have been inspected by Bath Council in the early 1980¿s and Bath Preservation Trust and almost all Grosvenor Place retain their panelled shutters. No. 1 inspected 1979 has original fireplace, interesting maple graining of doors and painting of cornice in different colours ¿ pink roses, green leaves etc. deep C20 frieze below cornice. first floor fine double doors between front and back rooms. Numbers 3,4 and 5 were recorded by Bath Preservation Trust in the 1990¿s. No.3¿s ground floor front room has a fine frieze of grapes and vine leaves and original cornice, with a grey marble fireplace with side pilasters. Reeded architrave with rosette patera in upper corners, doors and windows. The rear room has little remaining except for windows and shutters, frieze and cornice. Stone cantilevered staircase with wooden balusters, the sixth metal and mahogany handrail. There are random Dutch tiles in the porch extension lavatory. First floor has a simple stone fireplace at the front and marble fireplace with geometric pattern above the fireplace. Most of the original mouldings remain. No. 4¿s has similar mouldings, but the ground floor fireplaces have been removed. The first floor has elaborate plasterwork to ceilings; the fireplaces are simple dark grey marble. Arched entrance to front room, reeded pilasters within opening, eight reeds. Capitals decorated with enclosed acanthus on top and elongated acanthus leaves beneath. Large roundel panels either end, and large central roundel panel to rear. No. 5¿s ground floor has a pale grey marble fireplace with raised reeded columns with flower patera enclosed in a square at the top. Cast iron grate. Rear grey marble fireplace, pilasters each side with narrow three-reeded border. Classical urn motif above each pilaster. Stone cantilevered staircase with wooden balusters, the sixth metal and mahogany handrail with painted newel. Ceiling rose with cornhusk detail, white/grey marble fireplace with large bracket with acanthus decoration supporting mantle first floor front, with arched space for double doors, now blocked. There are some pennant flagged-stones in the basement. No. 7 has a fine pair of double doors on the first floor and the original fireplaces. No. 8 has a good flagged bath stone floor in the basement. No. 9 has stone fireplace, several C19 console fireplaces and a pretty ceiling rose in the entrance hall. No. 11 has the large original dresser in the basement, fine ceilings and mouldings on the first floor. No.12¿s first floor flat was originally a drawing room and small ante-room, connected through an archway which may have had double doors. Originally the door from the staircase (now blocked) opened into the ante-room. Most of the original mouldings still exist despite partitioning. Front window casements open inward, probably C19 replacements. Waist high cast iron grille outside. Possible C19 white fireplace with grey veining, modern grate, similar surround in ante-room which also has original shutters with replacement windows. Ceiling above staircase has quite elaborate frieze, cornice and ceiling bad. Cantilever wooden staircase, open string with square section balusters, turned newel posts and original mahogany rail. No. 13: National Monument Record photos show daringly cantilevered stone stair with metal rails to No.13 with further fine Greek Revival plasterwork, and double doors to stair landing set beneath a Sonia segmental glazed arch, with moulded surrounds. Also has stone flagged floor with slate insets. Inner hall ceilings have been lowered about three feet. Most of the fireplaces have been retained, eight of them marble. Flagged stone basement with working well to the rear. The two rear balconies were restored at the end of C20. No.15 Original hall now front room. Original timber stair and inlaid mahogany rail with Doric newels. Good Georgian fireplace with Turkish tiles, and very elaborate cornice in Ground floor drawing room. The basement retains its wine cellar. No.16 has original timber staircase with Doric newel, Regency fireplace on ground floor and fine white marble one with vine leaves and grapes. No.18 has vine leaf soffit cornice with grape swags. Original staircase same as No. 19 has original squared stone wine bins in the sub-basement. Green/gold marble fireplace. No.21 has flagged-stone basement and most of the original reeded mouldings throughout the house. Original stone staircase. No.26 has a very fine pine Georgian fireplace with Rococo frieze and central head, with egg and dart edging in basement. Original marble fireplace and deep arch on ground floor, staircase has barley sugar colonnettes over baluster. No. 33 has a very ornate Georgian fireplace with a central stone staircase and well. Unusual original reeded fireplace, with reeding interspersed with lozenge motif. No. 36 in 1989 has very fine Georgian marble fireplace with striped Sienna and whiter inlaid fireplace with a carved plaque in the centre, and a front room with high Art Nouveau anaglypta dado and architraving. Hall has a Moorish anaglypta dado with fine ceiling rose. Fine mouldings and fireplaces throughout. No. 39: National Monument Record photos of interior contains a remarkable painted room, probably late Georgian, showing a picturesque estuary scene with castles on crags and mountainous distances. No.41 has elaborate cornices and several fine Regency and early Victorian fireplaces. Stone staircase with fine mahogany handrail. Range of cupboards in basement with lozenge motif and brick vaults in sub basement.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Some of area railings are original, others are C20 replacements.
HISTORY: Grosvenor Place was first stage of a hugely ambitious plan to build 143 houses along the London Road and the River Avon, bordering about 20 acres of luxurious pleasure gardens to be called the Vauxhall gardens. The grand entrance was through a large carriage arch to the centre of the hotel. The scheme failed due to the unfortunate choice of a low-lying site which was prone to mists and floods, and its relative distance from town; Sydney Gardens, nearer to the city was preferred. `The first Stone of Grosvenor House, Vauxhall, was laid on June 24th, 1791, by John Eveleigh, Architect, being the centre of 143 intended houses, and at the entrance of Vauxhall Gardens, which will be build by subscription, laid out with taste and elegance for the reception of Nobility, Gentry and the Public in general¿, ran the inscription placed beneath the foundation stone. Eveleigh¿s project was dependent upon subscribers to Vauxhall coming forward: their failure to do so, combined with the slump in the building trade, doomed the scheme and he sold his interest in 1794. Many of the buildings were still incomplete in 1819. The centrepiece of the scheme was intended as a hotel: Ison describes it as `one of the most exciting buildings in Bath¿ and its remarkable sculpted decoration (some of which is unfinished), combined with its richness of surface and its relationship with the flanking ranges combine to make Grosvenor one of the most remarkable incidents in High Georgian Bath. Some of the Greek Revival features such as the porch to the former hotel were added on the building¿s completion in the early C19.
SOURCES: (Ison W: The Georgian Buildings of Bath: Bath: 1980-: 80; Colvin H: A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1660-1840: London: 1978-: 302 Pound C: Genius of Bath The City and its Landscape: Bath: 1986-: 54-55).
Listing NGR: ST7608266221
