The White Hart Public House, With Boundary Wall

WIDCOMBE HILL 656-1/42/1912 (South side) The White Hart Public House, with boundary wall 05/08/75

GV II

Public house. Mid C18, later alterations. MATERIALS: Coursed rubble, some rendered, pantile and slate roofs. PLAN: Parallel range, rear probably earlier than front range, lower service wing at angle, to left. EXTERIOR: Rendered front three storeys, second floor has five six pane sashes in deep reveals, second blind and painted in, at first and ground floors two large plain sashes in splayed reveals. Centred to ground floor part-glazed door with slab hood on heavy brackets, line of hood carried across as deep platband, above plain quoin pilasters, to moulded eaves course. High pitched slate roof with coped gables and stacks. To left pantiled two storey wing with twelve pane sash and further painted blind opening above pub front, with four pairs of pilasters, fascia and cornice, with two two-light and four pane window, and pair of panelled doors with transom light. End coped gable at acute angle to street. Return to Prior Park Road double gabled, with two plain sash at ground floor, with run of boundary wall approx 3.5m high in coursed rubble, including pair of plank doors, and stopped to garage doors at right hand end. Rear of main ranges has two small four pane above two twelve paned and central door to escape stair at first floor. INTERIOR: Not inspected, much altered; recently (1998) extensively modernised, when former skittle alley was adapted for use as accommodation. HISTORY: The site' proximity to Allen's stone wharf, as well as to the turnpike road to Bradford and Trowbridge, made it an obvious location for a pub. It shares some of the stylistic features of Ralph Allen's Cottages nearby, and conceivably forms part of Wood the Elder's master plan for Allen's stone-mason related housing development. It is thus an important feature in this C18 artisan/industrial area. SOURCE: Peter Addison, Around Combe Down (1998), 20; Bath Archaeological Trust/RCHM England, Georgian Bath Historical Map (1989).

Listing NGR: ST7552364204