Description

BATHWICK HILL
(South side)

Combe Royal
05/08/75

GV II

Large detached Jacobean Revival villa. c1855.
MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, slate roofs.
PLAN: The main range is a compact square plan with symmetrical entrance front, with high shaped gables with counter-curves, in two storeys, attic and basement; to the south is a lower and simpler double depth two storey service range.
EXTERIOR: Windows are all casements, with horizontal bars to the main front, but mostly plain elsewhere, with recessed ovolo moulded mullions and transoms; the entrance front (east) has small two light to the gables, two light with transom at first floor above three light with transom and central porch with stepped gable over a moulded doorway to flat four centred head. To each side is a small railed basement area, with deep three light windows. There are moulded strings above ground and first floors, coped parapet and face gables, and to the left a deep ashlar stack with five octagonal shafts. The right return has a gable to the right, above a canted two storey bay with one:three:one lights with transom at each level; to the left a two above three light with transoms. To the left of the bay a stack with three octagonal shafts. The rear is two gabled with similar bay and fenestration, but with an early hipped glazed conservatory with splayed outer end, to the left, set to an ashlar plinth wall. This front has a two and a three shaft stack. Each of the decorative gables has an open square finial. The service range has a plain eaves roof with coped outer gable-ends. To the left of the entrance front it has three and two light casements above a lean-to porch and a three light, with a double octagonal stack to the left; the rear facade has three two light above two light with transom, and a ridge stack with four octagonal shafts. The gable ends have small quatrefoil lights above one and two light casements, and a lean-to conservatory. Apart from the loss of bars to the casements, this remains a very complete design externally.
INTERIOR: Not inspected.
HISTORY: The former list referred to a foundation stone (now plastered over) dated 1815: this was probably a misreading of 1855, in which year a design for a Jacobean Revival design was submitted to the Bathwick Estate Office. The original house named Combe Royal dated from 1814 and was part of the early development of Bathwick Hill. The present building constitutes a move (highly characteristic of the time) towards a more picturesque and historicist style for edge-of-town villas. It has certain similarities with J. Elkington Gill¿s Bluecoat School in Saw Close of 1859-60.
SOURCES: `Beyond Mr Pulteney¿s Bridge¿ exhib. Cat. (Bath Preservation Trust 1987), 37 & 48.

Listing NGR: ST7697164168

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26673347

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

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)