Retaining Wall at East End and Whitehall Stairs is a Grade II listed building in the Bath and North East Somerset local planning authority area, England. First listed on 15 October 2010. Retaining wall.

Retaining Wall at East End and Whitehall Stairs

WRENN ID
ancient-chalk-sorrel
Grade
II
Local Planning Authority
Bath and North East Somerset
Constituency
Bath MP: Wera Hobhouse (LD)
Country
England
Date first listed
15 October 2010
Type
Retaining wall
Address
Retaining Wall at East End and Whitehall Stairs, South Parade
OS grid reference
ST 753 646
Coordinates
51.38, -2.35518
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The retaining wall at the east end of South Parade and the Whitehall Stairs were built in the early 19th century. They are made of coursed limestone rubble with ashlar coping and feature wrought iron railings. This structure serves as the retaining wall outside No. 14 South Parade. The street was originally laid out by John Wood the Elder, with building plots leased between 1743 and 1749, though the east end was completed later. The current wall and steps were constructed even later; an engraving from 1790 shows the wall set further back, with a flight of steps that came directly away from the wall rather than running parallel to it as they do now. Despite these changes, the wall and steps are significant as they are remnants of the former ferry that served Spring Gardens and Widcombe, which was a charming departure point for pleasure trips.

Local climate

Retaining Wall at East End and Whitehall Stairs receives an average of 860 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 60% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 64% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 34 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 52% of listed buildings. Of these, 15 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. 14, South Parade Grade I 24 m
  2. Roman Catholic Church of St John Grade II* 34 m
  3. Nos. 3, 4 and 5 and Attached Railings Grade I 60 m
  4. Georgian House and Attached Railings Grade I 79 m
  5. Delia's Grotto in Garden of No. 14 Grade I 80 m
  6. 14, North Parade Grade I 84 m
  7. Pratt's Hotel Grade I 89 m
  8. Administration Building within the 1935 Building, Royal Mail Sorting Office Grade II 93 m
  9. North Parade Bridge Grade II 96 m
  10. North Parade House Grade I 102 m