5 and 6, Lambridge

Nos. 5 and 6 Lambridge are a pair of terrace houses dating from 1816. They were built for the Kegan family and constructed by John Tanner, a carpenter, and Charles Viner, a master builder.

The houses are built of limestone ashlar with double-pitched slate roofs and moulded stacks to the central party wall. They are of double depth plan. The two-storey, basemented houses present a symmetrical five-window front, with the outer entrance bays slightly recessed and separated by a central three-window break. The ground floor break is rusticated with tall voussoirs, and quarter pilasters with small Corinthian capitals flank the outer bays to the first floor. A moulded sill course, lintel, projecting moulded cornice, and parapet run along the facade. Unusual trellised balconettes are found to the first floor, with an acorn-moulded band cutting through the recessed four-pane French windows. The outer entrance bays have recessed French windows with consoles on triglyph consoles and guttae. Semicircular arches frame the fanlights above the two-panel doors, which feature hexagonal upper panels.

The interior of No. 5, recorded by the Bath Preservation Trust in 1993, features a flagged-stone entrance hall with black diamond stone inserts, reeded architraves with acanthus rosettes and paterae, a cantilevered stone staircase with a mahogany rail and wrought iron stringing, and curved stone stairs to the basement with wooden banisters. One ground floor rear drawing room has a window which can be raised for access to the garden. The room features a reeded cornice with a floral ceiling frieze, alcove cupboards and bookshelves, a cast iron fireplace with a grey marble surround and decorative tiling, and skirting boards with lozenge-shaped beading. The front sitting room retains an Adam-style painted wooden surround and a cast iron fireplace, along with French-style windows. The first floor has front French windows, a small door off to a storage room with small-paned sash windows, and rear alcove cupboards. A narrow, winding staircase leads from the first floor landing up to a third floor. The second floor front bedroom has a stone surround to a cast iron fireplace and a two/four pane sliding window. No. 6 features a particularly unusual newel post with mahogany rungs. A working well is located to the rear.

Historically, Nos. 4, 5, and 6 were built by Keegan for his twin daughters and son, all of whom were unmarried at the time. The gardens of Nos. 5 and 6 were shared between the daughters’ houses.