29a, Monmouth Street with screen wall

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 23/02/2018

MONMOUTH STREET (North side) No.29a with screen wall

(Formerly listed as Building at rear of No.29, with screen wall)

21/05/86

GV II Small backyard house. Mid C18 with C20 alterations.

MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, flat felt roof.

PLAN: Double fronted and only one room deep, probably built as extension to rear wing of now rebuilt building, unusual feature of plan rear closet on each floor behind stair-well linking flanking rooms on each floor.

EXTERIOR: Three storeys with platband over ground floor, three-bays, outer tripartite glazing bar sash windows to ground and first floors (except ground floor left), single windows to second floor, altered in C20, coved cornice and remains of parapet returned to sides, central six-panel door in slightly chamfered surround, lower four raised and fielded, upper two cut away and glazed.

INTERIOR: Displays some characteristics of local builders' vernacular of time, second floor stone fireplaces with flat surrounds and outer edge moulds, also stone fireplaces on first floor with moulded architraves. Stairs have continuous newel, straight flights and landings between floors, turned balusters, lower flight with (typically) reduced balusters below string of flight above, upper flights with ramped handrails to landings. Complete dado-rail to first floor North room. Six-panel doors to rooms, two-panel doors to cupboards.

SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Attached to front, to left of facade, and at right angles to it, remains of screen or facade in ashlar, one storey high, with plain central opening flanked by narrow side openings, to paired incised pilasters with Greek key terminations to head and foot, on small plinth, and carrying plain frieze-band and heavy parapet.

HISTORY: An unusually complete little house to have survived in `backland' in relatively inaccessible area bounded on all sides by built up streets; such backyard houses are now rare in Bath. Picturesque setting with a paved courtyard in front to east reached by archway in Princes Street (No.3A).

Listing NGR: ST7476064886