NOS. 19, 20 AND 21 WITH RAILINGS

Nos. 19, 20 and 21 with railings form a terrace of three houses built around 1730 by John Strahan. No. 21 was reconstructed around 1950 after bomb damage. The houses are constructed of limestone ashlar, with a rendered rear elevation, and have pantile or slate roofs.

The houses are two storeys, with an attic and basement, each with two windows. The windows are sash windows. Nos. 19 and 20 have two two-light, small-pane casement dormers in pantile mansards. They have eighteen-pane sashes on the ground and first floors, with eared architraves to the first floor and a pulvinated frieze and cornice hood above the ground floor windows. No. 19 has paired sashes to the left of each floor, with plain splayed reveals, and a single sash above the doorway to the right. No. 20 has a blind light above the door, and No. 21 has two sashes in full detail at each level. The basement of No. 19 has two twelve-pane sashes in splayed openings, while No. 20 has two casements in splayed openings. The doors are six-panel fielded, with three-pane transom lights, set in architraves and topped with segmental pediments on fluted pilasters with consoles. A full entablature runs along the front, featuring a triglyph frieze and a blocking course with a parapet that curves upwards at the ends and centre of each house. Deep paired stacks are to the left, and the party-division wall between Nos. 19 and 20 is coped. No. 21 has a slate mansard with a hipped end and no coped division. The rear elevation is rendered and contains small-pane casement dormers above eighteen and twenty four pane sashes.

The basement areas to Nos. 19 and 20 are enclosed by railings on a stone curb, which return to the door surrounds. The development, dating back to around 1727, represents a significant attempt to create an architecturally unified square, differing in style from that of John Wood. It marks an important period in the development of Bath, and contributes greatly to the area’s group value, particularly concerning the Theatre Royal. No. 21 is included within the listing as it forms the end stop to the terrace and is now part of adjacent office accommodation.