12-20, Walcot Buildings

Nos. 12-20 Walcot Buildings

Nine consecutive terrace shops stepped downhill from No. 12 to the right, built in the late 18th century with 20th century additions.

The buildings are constructed of limestone ashlar. Originally they had slate mansard roofs hipped to the left with raking dormers and moulded stacks set to party walls, though some roofs have since been altered.

All units follow a double-depth plan with rear additions. The elevation comprises three storeys and basements, with each unit containing a two-window range. The roofs, coped parapets, and ground floor platbands step down in pairs, with No. 20 almost level with the pair to its right. The upper floors have six/six-pane sash windows and doors to accommodation, positioned to the right of each shop.

No. 12 features a painted stone pedimented doorcase with Tuscan pilasters, with a raised and fielded six-panel door glazed to the top positioned to the right. A 20th century six-panel shop door and overlight occupy the main ground floor entrance. The projecting shop window, dated 1879 and credited to Lord, Builder, has lead roofing with curved corners to the fascia and cornice. The shop window was formerly two panes with semi-elliptical heads and foliate spandrels, now altered to a single pane with glazed plinth providing light to the basement.

No. 13 has a two/two-pane sash window to the dormer and a similar pedimented door to that of No. 12. The early 19th century shop window is altered, lacking the original ornamented heads, with a half-glazed door with raised panel to the base and overlight.

No. 14 displays fluted consoles over panelled pilasters and a cyma moulded cornice to the fascia. A half-glazed set back door stands to the right of a two-pane shop window dated 1896 by Spackman. To the right is a raised and fielded five-panel door with glazed horizontal panel to the top and plain chamfered architrave.

No. 15 is similar, with a projecting shop window of 1896 by Spackman and a six-panel door glazed to the top to the right. Nos. 14 and 15 both have double Roman tiled roofs without stacks.

No. 16 lacks chimney pots to its stacks. The sill of the first floor left window with six/nine panes has been lowered. A pedimented doorcase similar to that of No. 12 is positioned to the right. The mid to late 19th century shop window is altered, featuring panelled pilasters to a boxed-in fascia and a half-glazed door to the right. The house was offered for sale in 1794.

No. 17, formerly the National Provincial Bank, was built in 1926 to designs by Mowbray A. Green. It has plate glass sash windows to two dormers. Two oak six-panel doors with circular panes to overlights flank a small-paned bowed shopfront and are flanked by Tuscan columns. The projecting fascia and cornice support a 20th century Regency-style cast iron trellised balustrade to a shallow balcony spanning the facade.

No. 18 lacks chimney pots to its stacks and features a plate glass sash window to the dormer. The ground floor is painted ashlar with a 20th century door to the far right. The projecting mid 19th century shop window is altered, supported by iron rods to the left with three plate glass panes and moulded fascia, positioned to the right of a former shop door now converted to a window.

No. 19 has a double Roman tile roof and a six/six-pane sash window to the dormer. Paired plate glass sash windows appear to the upper floors. A six-panel door with raised and fielded panels is positioned to the right. The projecting mid to late 19th century shop window is altered, with a boxed-in fascia, plate glass window below a four-pane overlight each with semi-elliptical head and sunk spandrels, and a 20th century shop door.

No. 20 features paired six/six-pane sash windows to the dormer and upper floors. An early 19th century shop to the side has a cyma moulded cornice over a pierced narrow cast iron frieze. A mid 19th century shop to the front has a central door.

The interiors were not inspected.

This terrace was originally called Albemarle Buildings and is shown on Harcourt Masters's plan of Bath, 1793. No. 16 was offered for sale in 1794.