No. 15 And Attached Railings

No. 15 Russell Street is a house, now converted into flats, built circa 1771-1773. It was designed by John Wood the Younger, as part of the development of Russell Street alongside the Assembly Rooms and Rivers Street. The front of the building is faced with limestone ashlar, while the rear is of ashlar and rubble construction. It has a double-pile, parapeted mansard roof, with Welsh slate to the front and concrete tile to the rear, and incorporates a coped party wall with two ashlar stacks, some featuring early clay pots.

The house is three storeys high, with an attic and basement, and has a three-window front. The first floor has three two-over-two sashes with horns, set within splayed, ovolo moulded architraves with friezes and cornices, and supported by console brackets with wrought iron balconettes. The second floor features three plate glass horned sashes in similar ovolo moulded architraves with stone sills. The ground floor has two plate glass horned sashes to the right within splayed reveals, stone sills, and to the left, a six-panel door with flush reeded, fielded and single glazed panels. The door is set within a cyma moulded architrave with a flat surround, heavy console brackets and a projecting moulded cornice forming a hood. There are two steps leading to a cement-covered crossover. The basement has two six-over-six sashes in plain reveals with stone sills, and modern area steps. Two single dormers with plate glass sashes are visible in the roof. Architectural details include a band course over the ground floor, a modillion eaves cornice, and a coped parapet. A lead hopperhead and downpipe are attached to the right side, shared with No. 16 Russell Street. The rear elevation, partially visible, has glazing bar sashes, and plate glass to the dormers. The interior remains uninspected.

Attached to the property are wrought iron railings and a gate, with shaped heads on limestone bases. Russell Street was developed by John Wood and Andrew Sproule, his trustee, on land previously known as Holdstock’s Garden or Russell’s Close. Supporting documents can be found in the Bath City Record Office and the work of Walter Ison.