268 



THE STONE HOUSES OF BATH 





FIG. 185. The Royal Crescent, Bath, 1769. 



example of a row of houses dealt with as a piece of architec- 

 ture, and one which has suffered little, if at all, from change, 

 is the Royal Crescent (Fig. 185). It was designed by the 

 younger Wood in 1769. 



The abundance and excellent quality of the stone in the 

 Bath district greatly facilitated the erection of new houses both 

 in the city and the neighbourhood. It was susceptible of delicate 

 detail, and lent itself admirably to the classic work then in 

 vogue, which indeed could never have obtained a footing save 

 through the medium of stone. Throughout the district there 

 are to be found good houses of the time of the Woods, houses 

 which are not large, which have no pretensions to vie with Prior 

 Park, yet which are handsomely treated, and have had consider- 

 able skill and some learning bestowed upon their design. Such 

 a one is Widcombe Manor House (Fig. 187), of which, however, 

 it must be observed that it would be useless to undertake such a 

 house unless one were prepared to spend a considerable amount 

 for the sake of architectural effect. It is interesting to contrast 

 with this product of the stone district a house in the adjoining 

 county of Wilts. Reddish Manor, Broad Chalk (Fig. 186). The 



