Description

AINSLIE'S BELVEDERE

No. 8 Gainsborough House and attached railings
(Formerly Listed as: LANSDOWN ROAD
(East side) Ainslie's Belvedere
Nos. 2-9 (consec))

05/08/75

GV II

House. c1780, extended to rear early C19.
MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar to front, painted to ground floor, rubble below basement windows, ashlar to rear; double pile parapeted roof, double Romans to front, artificial slate to front slope of rear roof, covering not visible to rear. Has coped party walls to right with large ashlar stack with some early clay pots to left with small ashlar stack to rear slope of rear roof. Staircase to front.
EXTERIOR: Three storeys and basement; two-window front. First floor has to right six/six sash in plain reveal with splayed jambs with wrought iron window guard, to left plate glass sash in plain reveal with splayed jambs. Second floor has two six-pane fixed light windows with opening lights in plain reveals with stone sills. Ground floor has to right plate glass sash in plain reveal with splayed jambs with stone sill, to left C19 ashlar porch with twelve-pane glazed door conceals six-panel door with reeded fielded and recessed panels and cast iron lion's mask knocker in stone doorcase with cyma moulded architrave in flat surround with heavy moulded console brackets, cornice not now visible. eight-pane fixed window with wrought iron bars in plain reveal with stone sill to left of porch. Basement twelve-pane fixed light window in plain reveal with splayed lintel and stone sill, plank door in extension into area from under crossover. Band course over ground floor; sill band to first floor; moulded eaves cornice and coped parapet with dies to left, centre and right. Single storey ashlar extension to left against No. 9 Ainslie's Belvedere (qv). Rear elevation has three grouped sashes, two/three six/eight two/three with stone mullions and continuous wrought iron balconettes to ground floor and first floor, second floor has eight/eight and six/six sashes and third window, two plate glass sashes to basement. Three lead hopperheads and downpipes to left flank wall with long lead gutter.
INTERIOR: Not inspected.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: Attached wrought iron railings with shaped heads on limestone and concrete bases to right, taller railings and gate to left of porch.
HISTORY: Dated by Ison to 1780, the Bath Chronicle reported an `Auction of the estate known as Ainslies's Belvedere, being 6 substantial dwelling houses' on 27.11.1794. A William Ainslie was one of the original lessees of a house in The Circus. Reputed, on uncertain authority, to have been occupied by Thomas Gainsborough (died 1788), but this is unlikely since he returned to London in 1774, before the likely date of construction, and since he is known to have lived elsewhere during his stay in Bath.

Listing NGR: ST7496165619

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26673218

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

• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)