| Ralph Allen's Town House | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location within Somerset | |
| Former names | The Post House, The Old Post House |
| Alternative names | Ralph Allen's House |
| General information | |
| Location | Bath, England |
| Coordinates | 51°22′51″N 2°21′31″W / 51.3808°N 2.3586°W |
| Construction started | 1727 |
| Client | Ralph Allen |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | John Wood, the Elder or Burlington |
Ralph Allen's Town House is a grade I listed townhouse in Bath, Somerset, England.
Ralph Allen commenced building it in or shortly after 1727,[1] although it is unlikely he ever lived there. At the time Allen was living in Lilliput Alley, in a house of some 15 rooms, then known as "Lease 7 on the Kingston rental (Countess of Kingston on Hull)", which is now 1 and 2 North Parade Passage.[2] In 1745, Allen moved to Prior Park. His brother Phillip took over the Kingston Lease and continued to run the Postal business.[1]
Opinion is divided as to whether John Wood the Elder designed the "Town House",[3][4] however the ostentatious decoration is not a style he uses elsewhere in Bath. Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington, has also been suggested as the architect.[5][6] The enhanced decoration with rustication, Corinthian pillars and decorated pediment may have been incorporated purely to demonstrate the fine carving qualities of Bath Stone.[7]
John Wood the Elder, in his 1742 writing in his Essay towards the future of Bath he says:[8]
While Mr. Allen was making the Addition to the North Part of his House in Lilliput Alley he new fronted and raised the old Building a full Story higher; it consists of a Basement Story sustaining a double Story under the Crowning; and this is surmounted by an Attick, which created a sixth Rate House, and a Sample for the greatest Magnificence that was ever proposed by me for our City Houses.
Because of the modern use of "magnificent" it is often thought that in this passage Wood is referring to the Town House. But elsewhere in his Essay, Wood explains that his use of magnificence refers to size. He refers to decoration as "ornament" or "dress".
A closer examination of Wood's words and the number of floors in the Town House reveal that he was not referring to this building. A 6th rate house is the largest in Wood's list. The Town House does not comply with his description. Wood was talking about the House in Lilliput Alley where Allen was then living.
- ^ a b "060219.Bath, A Room with a View". Bath Daily Photos. Retrieved 16 April 2009.
- ^ Kingston archives University of Nottingham
- ^ "Ralph Allen's House, Terrace Walk, Bath". Images of England. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 18 October 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
- ^ "Appendix. Part 2" (PDF). Listed Building Application, Friends Meeting House. Bath and North East Somerset. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
- ^ The Survey of Bath and District No 22, October 2007
- ^ Holland, Elizabeth (1992). The Kingston Estate Within the Walled City of Bath. Blacket Press.
- ^ "Ralph Allen". Bath Heritage. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ Wood, John (1749). An essay towards a description of Bath. OL 16842454M.