Details
NORTHUMBERLAND BUILDINGS
(South side)
Nos.1-7 (Consec)
with railings
(Formerly Listed as:
WOOD STREET
Nos 1-7 (consec)
including No.5A
Northumberland Buildings)
12/06/50
GV II*
Seven terrace houses, now mainly offices. 1778, by Thomas Baldwin.
MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, slate roofs.
PLAN: Terrace, which returns to Queen Street and Barton Street at ends, occupies full length of Wood Street on south side, units at middle and each end slightly stepped forward, and rear has three low pitched gables and half gable each end.
EXTERIOR: Three storeys, full attic, and basement, twenty-one windows, originally all twelve or fifteen-pane sashes in plain reveals, except to attic storey, with small bolection mould architraves, at attic level each house has central blind panel flanked by small six or twelve-pane. Bays ten-fifteen have plain sash, except to ground floor, with balconettes to fifteen-pane at first floor, where all windows except to No.7 have been extended down through plinth-band. Each end ground floor openings sunk arched panels flanking sunk square panel, and reversed to middle three-bays, also bays two and twenty at first floor have sunk arched panels, and windows have architraves to flared feet and frieze with pediment. First floor central three windows have architraves and framed by flat Corinthianesque pilasters, with frieze with swags and small cornice. Paired doors to bays six/seven and fifteen/sixteen are in deep plain reveals, six-panelled under deep three-pane transom lights. No.4 has similar door and transom light, but with architrave surround, and balanced by plain sash to right of centre. Basement, with generally twelve-pane sashes, painted. First floor has sill band, and under guilloche band, arched panel at each end has swag decoration to spandrel. Second floor also has sill band, and between this and guilloche band series of bold elliptical rosettes, thirteen in all. Above frieze-band with cornice, raised to low pediment over ends and centre, attic has small cornice with blocking course and parapet. Four ashlar stacks, at each of elevational breaks. Return to Queen Street in three-bays, with sashes to plain reveals, two large C20 display windows and triple sash to ground floor, first floor sill band, and cornice above second floor, with parapet to attic. Return to Barton Street also in three-bays, with nine-pane to attic, twelve-pane flanked by blind lights at first and second floors, and sixteen-pane with blind lights to ground floor. Rear, ashlar, has scatter of lights, mainly glazing bar sashes and full height canted bay near centre.
INTERIORS: Not inspected.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Basement areas are enclosed by spearhead iron railings on stone curb, returned at doorways, but removed from first three-bays.
HISTORY: A speculative development by Baldwin, the range remains externally little altered, and makes an interesting contrast with Wood's terrace on the other side of Wood Street, built nearly 50 years before; in the original scheme the street was to be twice as wide as was built. The 1750 map of Bath shows the area to have been gardens at that time. Architecturally, the row shows the clear influence of Robert Adam in terms of its scale and detailing.
SOURCES: Ison W: The Georgian Buildings of Bath: London: 1948-: 160;.
Listing NGR: ST7487264960
