The Regina and attached railings

Summary

Originally four houses built in c1771-1773 by John Wood the Younger, converted into The Regina Hotel in the late C19, and restored and converted into flats after it was partially destroyed during WWII.

Reasons for Designation

* Architectural interest: as an interesting and important example of late-C18 town planning;
* Historic interest: as an example of an early post-war restoration scheme;
* Group value: very considerable group value with a large number of listed buildings; in particular with the Grade I listed Assembly Rooms.

History

This block was badly hit during the Baedeker Raids of 1942. Photographs taken shortly afterwards indicate that it lost six out of its twelve bays. The building was amongst the first large post-war restoration schemes in Bath, and its lost bays were virtually rebuilt as a replica. The building forms part of one of the approaches to The Circus, and forms the visual termination of the square in front of the Assembly Rooms. As such it has very considerable group value, in particular with the Assembly Rooms. It also shows the continuation of Wood’s Palladian idiom from public to private use and is thus an interesting and important example of late-C18 town planning. Additionally, its historic interest as a building situated within one of the principal bomb sites within Bath city centre, and as an interesting example of an early post-war restoration scheme, is considerable. Photographs from 1942 show that the first five windows from the corner survived, this is up to the second party wall (No.15 Bennett Street and No.1 Russell Street).

Details

Part of this asset was previously listed twice also at List Entry 1394796. That entry was removed from the List on 12 October 2023.

MATERIALS: limestone ashlar to front and left and right sides, ashlar, rubble and reconstituted Bath Stone to rear; parapeted. Welsh slate mansard roof to front and left and right side returns, artificial slate to rear, with flat roof to rear, covering not visible; three ashlar ridge stacks, large ashlar stack with some early clay pots on coped party wall to rear right, adjacent to No. 2 Russell Street (qv).

EXTERIOR: three storeys, attic and basement; twelve-window front. First floor has twelve six/nine horned sashes in splayed ovolo-moulded architraves with lowered moulded stone sills on console brackets with friezes and moulded cornices over. Second floor has twelve six/six horned sashes in ovolo-moulded architraves with stone sills. Ground floor has twelve six/six horned sashes in splayed reveals with stone sills. Basement has two C20 doors in plain reveals to left and centre left; nine six/six horned sashes and one similar unhorned sash in plain reveals, three to right in splayed reveals, with stone sills, three in former doorways. Ten single dormers with six/six sashes. Continuous band course over ground floor and modillion eaves cornice and coped parapet. Right side to Russell Street is three storeys, attic and basement; three bay seven window range. First floor has to right Venetian window with six/six, nine/nine, six/six horned sashes with fan glazing to head of upper centre sash in splayed reveals with continuous lowered stone sills, to left similar blind Venetian window in plain reveals with continuous stone sill; to centre nine/nine horned sash in plain reveal with lowered stone sill. Second floor has to right three grouped four/four, six/six, four/four horned sashes in plain reveals with continuous stone sill, similar blind windows to left; to centre six/six horned sash in plain reveal with stone sill. Ground floor has to left and right three grouped four/four, six/six, four/four horned sashes to left in plain reveals to right in splayed reveals each with continuous stone sill, to centre pair of C20 doors in timber surround with side lights with simple fanlight in round headed reveal with recessed chamfered and flat surround (cf. No.18 Russell Street qv), Pennant paved crossover flush with pavement. Basement has to right pair C20 plank doors to electricity sub-station, C20 door under crossover. Two double and one single dormer with six/six horned sashes. Band course over ground floor, with RUSSELL-STREET incised to the left, modillion eaves cornice and a coped parapet. Left side rebuilt in similar style. The rear elevation has C20 windows and shows clear evidence of the level of bomb damage to this part of the building.

INTERIOR: not inspected.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: attached railings and two gates with shaped heads on a limestone bases.

Sources

Books and journals
Ison, W, The Georgian Buildings of Bath, (1980)
Wainwright, M, The Bath Blitz, (1992)
Rothnie, N, The Baedeker Blitz: Hitler's Attack on Britain's Historic Cities, (1992)
The Bath Chronicle in Images of Bath, (1994)

End of official list entry

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