Description

BRISTOL

ST5773SE RICHMOND HILL, Clifton 901-1/9/985 (North side) 20/03/74 Nos.22 AND 23 Widcombe House (22), Bedford House (23) and attached railings, walls and piers (Formerly Listed as: RICHMOND HILL (North side) Nos.22 AND 23)

GV II

Pair of attached houses. Deeds dated 1831. By Charles Dyer. Limestone ashlar, lateral and party wall stacks and a slate hipped roof. Double-depth plan. Neoclassical style with Greek Revival details. Each of 2 storeys, attic and basement; 4-window range. A fine symmetrical pair with 4 elevations; that to the front has a broad central pilaster, with a pedimented die over the parapet above; outer sections broken forward with doorways 1 window in from the ends, frieze, cornice and coped attic storey. Good open porticos with fluted Ionic columns to an entablature and cornice, plate-glass overlights and 6-panel doors. Architraves to windows, with a pediment to the first-floor window over the porches, narrow outer blind windows, to 6/6-pane sashes; 2-light plate-glass attic casements. The rendered return has a symmetrical 3-window range, the middle broken forward, giant pilasters to a cornice, parapet with blind outer balustrades and middle with flanking stacks and balustrade between. A small porch has a segmental-arched doorway, an overlight with glazing bars and half-glazed door; above is a large stair window with fine glazing bars, blind windows to the right and grilles to basement windows. Symmetrical rear elevation has a 4-window range, the ends broken forward with paired pilasters to a deep frieze, central pilaster to frieze forming sunken first-floor panels. Balustrade in 2 sections to the middle, and outer attic storeys with flanking paired panels with pediments. Inner shallow bays have tripartite windows with panelled heads, tripartite windows above, architraves to outer windows; 6/6-pane sashes, and 3/3-pane attic sashes. INTERIOR: entrance hall, a semicircular arch with Greek key soffit to a large stair hall with a lateral open dogleg stair, cast-iron balusters with palmettes, and a wreathed rail to curtail; panelled reveals, panelled shutters, 6-panel doors, cornices with guilloche, and marble fireplaces. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: attached cast-iron front basement area railings with diagonal bars, and low panelled piers and walls to the porticos; panelled, round-topped entrance piers and squared, coursed front rubble walls extending between. Part of a fine group of three 4-sided villas to the N side of Richmond Hill which "..set a new standard for suburban aspirations" (Mowl). (Mowl T: To Build The Second City: Bristol: 1991-: 159; Gomme A, Jenner M and Little B: Bristol, An Architectural History: Bristol: 1979-: 275).

Listing NGR: ST5762173364

External Links

• Wikidata Q26498098

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Farrow & Ball How to Decorate: Transform your home with paint & paper
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)