Museum Shop, Formerly Concert Room

Museum Shop, formerly Concert Room

Abbey Church Yard

A concert room with offices, now forming part of the Roman Baths Museum, designed by John McKean Brydon and completed in 1897. The building is constructed in Bath limestone ashlar with a lead-covered dome, the remainder of the roof being Westmoreland slate.

The plan comprises a large rectangular single-cell space topped with a glazed lantern, surrounded by corridors and rooms, with a single-storey projection extending to the east. The building was built as an eastward continuation to the Grand Pump Room, to which it is connected by a link building to the west.

The north-facing entrance elevation features a rusticated ground floor with central doors set within Gibbs surrounds, flanked by six-pane windows. Above this rises a tetrastyle portico of engaged Corinthian columns supporting a full entablature and pediment. The outer bays contain arched niches with pedimented heads on consoles and balustraded aprons. The central bay contains a Venetian window with Ionic pilasters and balustraded apron, with a cross-framed window above featuring a rusticated arched head. A swagged band runs across all three bays, and the pediment displays a central oculus surrounded by palm fronds and scrollwork in the manner of James Gibbs. To the right is a three-bay single-storey link to the Grand Pump Room, fronted by wrought iron railings, six-pane windows in architraves, and a balustrade at platband level. A further blind wall with balustraded parapet is set back behind, providing first-floor linkage between the two buildings.

The east elevation features a seven-bay ground floor façade with curving corner, six-pane windows set between engaged Ionic columns and balustraded parapet above. The main east front is symmetrical with seven bays, a central blind arched niche flanked by four-pane and four-pane windows within moulded surrounds beneath a balustraded parapet. The upper storey is articulated with three arch-headed windows in moulded surrounds, the central one larger, beneath another balustraded parapet. A one-and-a-half-storey pavilion at the south-east corner has a rusticated ground floor and a round window within a relieving arch to the east and south sides. The south wall features a large Diocletian window with raised surround on the upper storey, topped by a pediment with oculus. The west wall displays similar window treatment to the east wall.

The interior consists principally of the former Concert Room, now serving as the entrance and shop for the Roman Baths Museum. The design appears to be based on the planning and decorative treatment of St Stephen, Walbrook by Sir Christopher Wren. The space is centrally planned with a large coffered dome topped by a central glazed lantern. The coffering rises in three tiers above a modillion cornice. Below this, the squinches and soffits of arches display relief stucco work. Apsed ends with half-domes, also coffered, are lit by a Venetian window at the north end and a Diocletian window at the south end. The north end contains a small gallery, while the south end features triple doorways with the central one having a segmental pediment. The main cornice is supported by attached composite columns of exotic marble. Surrounding the former Concert Room on the north and east sides is a vaulted corridor with porphyry Tuscan columns and paired Tuscan pilasters, with a black and white marble floor.

The design was selected through a competition held in 1894, though the executed building differs significantly from Brydon's competition-winning scheme, which was more grandiose. Following a dispute, the building was not erected until 1897. Brydon had previously won the competition for the Bath Guildhall extensions in 1891. The building represents a notable example of contextual Late Victorian design seeking to balance Roman and Georgian influences, forming a worthy adjunct to the Roman Baths. The Roman Baths beneath are a scheduled monument.