No.2 And Attached Railings And Vaults

OXFORD ROW 656-1//30/1162 No.2 and attached railings and vaults (Formerly Listed as: LANSDOWN ROAD (West side) Nos 1-12 (consec) Oxford Row) 12/06/50

GV II

House, now flats. c1775 with C20 alterations. Probably designed by Thomas Warr Atwood, who certainly developed land, see below. MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar to front, rubble below basement windows, not visible to rear, double pile parapeted roof, artificial slate to front, not visible to rear, with single long ashlar stack with some early clay pots to left shared with No.1 Oxford Row (qv). Staircase to front. EXTERIOR: Four storeys and basement, two window front. First floor has two nine/nine horned sashes in splayed ovolo moulded architraves rising from stone sills and with friezes and cornices, second floor has two six/six horned sashes in ovolo moulded architraves rising from stone sills. Third floor has two six/six sashes in plain reveals with stone sills with simple guards. Ground floor has to left six/six horned sash in plain reveal with splayed jambs with stone sill with simple wrought iron balconette, to right six panel door with flush, fielded and single glazed panel in doorcase with cyma moulded architrave on flat surround with moulded brackets to moulded cornice, small single-pane window in plain reveal to right, two steps to crossover paved with two large pennant slabs with opening in wall of house for former footscraper. Basement has C20 plate glass sash in plain reveal with stone sill, C20 door infilling under crossover, doorway to vaults, C20 area steps. Band course over ground floor, modillion former eaves cornice over second floor, hollow eaves cornice and coped parapet. Lead hopperhead at eaves to right. Rear elevation not visible. INTERIOR: Not inspected. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Attached wrought iron railings and gate with shaped heads on limestone bases. HISTORY: These houses were developed on Council land by Thomas Warr Atwood, who obtained the ground in 1773 (Council Minutes 02.03.1773). They are standard Palladian designs for the 1770's, and could be the work of Atwood, of John Wood the Younger, or of Thomas Jelly; but the evidence suggests that Atwood is the most likely. `Atwood was a competent though conservative architect whose elevations are excellent examples of the English Palladian tradition as applied to street architecture.' (Colvin). SOURCES: H. Colvin, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1660-1840 (1978), 77; W. Ison, The Georgian Buildings of Bath (1948), 35 and 159.

Listing NGR: ST7494165310