Description

BAILBROOK LANE
(South side)

No.172 Batheaston Villa
and attached wall
(Formerly Listed as: LONDON ROAD WEST
(North side) Batheaston Villa)
01/02/56
II

Large house facing north-west. Early C18 altered early and late C19.

MATERIALS: Squared limestone ashlar with freestone dressings, hipped slate roof with moulded stacks to the centres of the returns (that to the right is axial) and late C19 dormers.
PLAN: Double depth with two C19 wings to the left.
EXTERIOR: Two storeys with attics; symmetrical five window range to the main block with the central three bays stepped slightly forward. Plinth, cornice and parapet which is swept up to meet chamfered and banded quoins. Moulded architraves to six/six pane sash windows with crown glass, those to the first floor with thick glazing bars. The window to the ground floor left is late C19, mullioned and transomed with leaded lights. A fine prostyle porch has an entablature supported by paired Ionic columns to the front, single Ionic pilasters to the rear and a C18 moulded architrave to a late C19 studded door. The right return is two window range with a plate glass window to the first floor left and a fixed six pane window to the right. The ground floor has a central coved niche containing a draped statue of a female figure, flanked by a six/six pane sash window to the left and a full height nine/nine pane sash to the right. The rear, formerly similar to the front, has an early C19 large central stepped out semicircular bay. It has a castellated parapet; three French windows to the first floor which open onto a balcony around the bay, the supports and anthemion panels are cast iron, the trellis is wrought iron, probably with lead details. The balcony is supported by timber columns with carved Corinthian capitals; nine/nine pane sash windows below. To the right (rear of front left) is a late C19 mullioned and transomed window.
INTERIOR: Not inspected but the house is reputed to have a fine interior, including early C18 full height panelling, dado and six panel doors to the ground floor, and panelled shutters to all windows. Interior recorded by Bath Preservation Trust in 2001: oak staircase with barley sugar rails, square fluted newels, veneered hand rail.
SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: A rubblestone wall rises from 1.5m to 4m and extends westward for approx 150m.
HISTORY: In this house in the second half of C18 (1769-1776), Sir John (d1798) and Lady Miller (d1781) held their fortnightly poetical contests attended by Garrick, Anstey and others. Mentioned in Walpole's letters. See also "Bath" by Edith Sitwell.

Listing NGR: ST7723667158

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26673272

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

• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)