The Royal Crescent Bath England UK Palladian Design

Another major example of urban renewal that took place in Bath in the late XVIIIth Century. This Crescent can be simply called stunning and is often chosen to be on postcards of the city. Situated next to the Royal Victoria Park, it consists of 30 glorious houses, decorated with a facade of columns and built of pale-gold Bath stone. All is on a grand scale and designed to take your breath away.

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The architects were the same as those who designed and built the Circus, the elder and younger John Wood. Construction began in 1767 and was completed by 1774. There is more input of John Wood the younger in the Royal Crescent as his father had only begun thinking of this project prior to his death. In front of the semi-elliptical sweep of more than 100 metres, there is a long a long slope of green lawns, and many of the neighbouring trees were kept as they were very old and this only adds to the grandeur. The sweep resembles a moon and was hailed as a new piece of architectural design.

The style used was a Palladian design that was popular in the United Kingdom during the early decades of the XVIIIth Century. It was named after Andrea Palladio, an XVIth Century Italian architect who used many Roman elements in his designs. English artisans picked up on this quality, for instance decorating chests and cupboards with architectural features such as columns, ornamental mouldings called cornices, and triangular top sections called pediments that are normally reserved for buildings but were reduced in size. The Royal Crescent is widely considered to epitomise the impressive nature of XVIIIth Century Palladian architecture.

Bath Preservation Trust has restored No.1 Royal Crescent to be viewed as an authentic example of XVIIIth Century decor and style. Here, visitors can enjoy a glimpse into the former home of, among others, the Duke of York, son of George III. This was the first town house of the Royal Crescent to be completed. Decorated with handsome hand-painted marbled wallpaper, the rooms contain furniture and artefacts representing XVIIIth century daily life. On the ground floor, there is a dining room and a study where the men took their port and card games, while on the first floor, a drawing room and a bedroom are carefully preserved. The basement kitchen, with its many utensils and long wooden bench table, seems still alive and working, right down to the old-fashioned mousetraps.

For more information on the Royal Crescent click here

Welcome to Bath and a bit of history to do with some of the most spectacular architecture in the city for you to visit.