Description

MANVERS STREET
(South side)
Bath Spa Station
11/08/72

GV II*

Railway station. c1840, by IK Brunel, but built under the superintendence of Mr Frere.
MATERIALS: Limestone ashlar, later wing in yellow brick, slate roofs.
PLAN: High level through station with divided platforms, with pedestrian and vehicle underpasses. Main entrance and facilities are on north side, facing city centre.
EXTERIOR: Two storeys, entrance front has central range with three shaped `Flemish' gables (possibly later alterations), swept by shallow quadrant to projecting square wing to left, and stepped back to later wing at angle to right. Windows all small pane casements in double ovolo mould stone mullions and transoms. Upper level has four+one three-light with central transom, central bay brought forward, with four-light oriel under open decorative balustrade, flanked by single lights, and single light to right. Wing, left, has pair of loading doors, single and three-light, centre recessed, part-concealed three-light on return. Right hand end are two small singles on return, brick wing with three and four-light to flush surrounds. Ground floor has series of eight arched openings with decorative radial fanlights above late C20 pairs of glazed doors, formerly an open arcade, with blind arched panel in quadrant. Centre opening, under oriel, flanked by two-light casements, wing has central doors flanked by two-lights, recessed arched panels. Across main entrance section glazed gabled canopy, with central tall fluted cast iron columns carrying bowed cantilever trusses, oriel carried by two similar columns. Each end of ground floor, brought forward in slight bow, walls are stopped to lofty square piers with finials. Moulded mid string, and windows below central gables have strapwork aprons. Full entablature runs across complete frontage, including wings, under blocking course with parapet. Central gable has clock face. To left of wing are two arches, one vaulted in engineering brick, under platforms. South side has straight stepped frontage, mainly in ashlar, but with yellow brick to upper level to left. Upper level has various two, three, and four-light casements with transom, and ground floor various lights, some to shallow recessed arched panels, and some with doors. Bold moulded mid-band, continuous entablature and blocking with parapet. Left section set back, has two through arched passages, and to right main platform canopy exposed at upper level, above arched throughways. Interiors are mainly modified by late C20 fitting. Platform canopies are carried on pairs of square cast iron standards with cantilevered trusses each side carrying trussed purlins, standards carried through to upper trusses with continuous glazed double sided clerestory, each main bay having six four-pane lights each side. Up platform approached by flight of three x thirteen steps, with painted wooden balustrade to upper level, with nineteen-bay canopy, and V-edged valance under slated roofs. Two platforms originally joined by hammerbeam roof similar type to one at Bristol, Temple Meads. Illustrated in Bourne's "Description of the Great Western Railway", but it was removed in 1897. Rear wall has various two and three-light casements with stone mullions, and doors, some with transom lights, each main bay has three windows or doors. Central recess runs back to curved outer wall, with large cambered truss across opening. Platform risers are in engineering brick, with stone nosing, and where there is no back wall, there are iron railings. Down platform is approached by flight of two x nineteen steps, with top balustrade similar to that opposite. Twelve canopied bays, valance cut square, at London end roof returned to hipped end over larger loading area, with fluted standards to enclosing railings. Rear wall with windows and doors similar to other side, Bristol end rear of platform is enclosed by parapeted wall.
HISTORY: This station forms an important episode upon the outstandingly important GWR line to Bristol, and is designed in the same Tudorbethan idiom as Bristol Temple Meads station. The railway Lines run through the station on a long curve, crossing the river in two places, which is set at an angle to the `grid' of town The station faces north along the approach way formed by Manvers Street: it has great townscape setting, being flanked by two buildings, The Argyll and Royal Hotels (qqv), which serve to create a dignified entry to city. This approach was laid out in accordance with the Great Western Railway Act of 1835. Thus did the impact of the railways have a positive impact on the look of the city, as well as adding to its urban amenities.
SOURCES: (Jackson N: Nineteenth Century Bath - Architects and Architecture: Bath: 1991-: 207).

Listing NGR: ST7524564350

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Bath Spa railway station at Wikipedia
• Bath Spa railway station official website
• Wikidata Q637185

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.

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