Description

ST 86 SE NEWTON ST. LOE NEWTON PARK

7/133 Newton Park, the Country House
of the College only
G.V.
I

Country house, now the administrative centre and music rooms of the City of
Bath College of Higher Education. 1762-5 by Stiff Leadbetter for Joseph
Langton. Bath stone ashlar, hipped and mansard slate roof behind balustraded
parapet and dentilled cornice to centre block, hipped roofs behind blocking
course and moulded cornice to service wings, ashlar stacks. The house plan
consists of a central block linked by quadrant arcades which curve forward to
identical service ranges. Central block. 2 storeys on a basement and with
attics in dormers. 2:3:2 bays, the central 3 project slightly and are
surmounted by a pediment which has a Diocletian window in the tympanum.
Glazing bar sash windows in moulded architraves, the ground floor windows are
surmounted by alternate triangular and segmental pediments which are surmounted
on consoles, continuous cill band. Central panelled door in moulded
architrave and under a pediment on consoles. The linking Quadrant have tall
balustraded parapets: arcades of 5 bays, recessed glazed windows and central
panelled door, all with imposts and dripmoulds; cornice and wrought iron lamp
brackets over the doors. Service Wings. 1:3:1 bays, the central 3 being
advanced and surmounted by a pediment, the west wing has a clock in the
tympanum and the east has a compass: octagonal bell turrets surmounted by ball
finials and a windvane. Some downpipes with moulded hoppers. The West and
North elevations of the main block are similar to the entrance front but have
full-height canted bays to the centre and pediments over the central windows
only. To the rear of the east-quadrant is a 3 bay loggia with Tuscan columns
in antis (1906). Interior. The house retains most of its original fine
plasterwork, although some was remodelled or redecorated in 1893. Panelled
doors in enriched architraves to most rooms. Hall. Ox-skull and triglyph
frieze: ceiling in 3 parts, lozenges to the outer parts and a circular central
motif with intertwined foliage. Ground Floor Right. Inner part with oval
motif in octagonal border and delicate scrollwork; modillioned cornice;
enriched friezes over the doors; marble fireplace with enriched central
plaque. Staircase Hall. Open well cantilever staircase and enriched wrought
iron balustrade of S pattern; glazed domical lantern on enriched plaster
pendentives; screens of Tuscan columns on both floors. Rear north-west room.
Enriched frieze with shells and urns; enriched friezes over the doors and to
the fireplace: the ceiling has a central relief rose and 16 large and small
Wedgwood style plaques depicting the Seasons and various mythological events.
West or Octagon Room. Panelled octagonal ceiling with arabesques: anthemion
frieze and dentilled cornice with swags. North (central) Room: Circular
ceiling panels, feathers in the spandrels and arabesques; modillioned cornice
and enriched frieze; marble fireplace with terms and swags and a central
figure panel of a sacrifice. Most of the first floor rooms retain modillioned
and dentilled cornices and enriched fireplaces. (N. Pevsner, The Buildings of
England : North Somerset and Bristol, 1958. G. Davis, The Langtons of Newton
Park, n.d.).

Listing NGR: ST6956664184

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17524592

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

• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings