Joinery profiles for a room in a house in Bath of 1789 Case study exercise, AR50226.

Submitted by 179432125 towards the degree of Master of Science in the Conservation of Historic Buildings at the University of Bath. Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering. Session 2017-18.

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Contents & List of Illustrations* Cover…….Door of house sketch 3……………Introduction

Classical proportions sketch 4…………..All Elevations Fold-down Plan (1:60) 5..............North Elevation (1:50) Wallpaper detail photograph Joinery colour detail photograph Curtain detail photograph 6…………...East Elevation (1:50) East elevation photograph 7………..….South Elevation (1:50) South elevation photograph 8…………..West Elevation (1:50) Fireplace photograph Built-in shelving photograph 9…………...Skirting (1:1) 10.……..….Dado Rail (1:1) Dado rail photograph 11……..…..Glazing Bar (1:1) 12.…….....Door Architrave (1:1) 13……..…..Window Architrave Detail (south elevation) (1:1) Window architrave photograph 14………....Additional Features Fireplace detail photograph Cornice photograph 15…………Conclusion Door of house photograph 16…….…..Appendix: Sketches & Measurements 22…….…..References 22………...Bibliography

*All illustrations and photographs by the author, 2018.

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Introduction The city of Bath is best known as a Georgian city. Visitors and local residents alike are attracted to the stylish and uniquely uniform town planning of the historic spa town, much of which was implemented during the Georgian period (1714-1837). The period is stylistically a fusion of, and transition between, extravagant free-formed detail and restrained classical order. As a World Heritage Site, Bath prides itself on the retention of many original, or well replicated, interior and exterior features which typify what life in this period would have been like. This case study looks at the interior features of a room in a historic Georgian townhouse, built in 1789. The room would have been the formal siting room of the house on the ground floor level. This report illustrates the relationship between joinery features, and suggests what would have been original features of the room at the time of construction. Rooms were enhanced and defined by their details, which were implemented in the form of joinery. Joinery is the collection of carved or moulded features of a room. Specialist craftsmen, known as joiners, were brought in and challenged with designing and installing unique yet fashionable wood and plaster details. By the start of the 18th c. wood was in short supply in England, and therefore joinery became a status symbol because of the expense of carving.1 Once carving was completed the wood was often painted to mask the relatively poor quality of material used.2 The room height was divided by joinery features corresponding to the parts and proportions of a classical column.3 This ordered design supplied a room with a level of formal symmetry, then allowed for ornamental features to be incorporated as elaboration to the room.4

1 Museum of Bath Architecture visit, by the author 2 Clifton-Taylor (1987), p. 329 3 Bath Preservation Trust, p. 33 4 Spencer-Churchill (1997), p. 67

CLASSICAL PROPORTIONS

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All Elevations Fold-down Plan (1:60)

This fold-down plan shows the relationship between joinery features of the room. Features of the room are typical of late 18th c. fashionable design influenced by Robert Adam, which incorporated low-relief, neo-classical, small, and repetitive motifs.5

5 Ramsey & Harvey (1972), p. 9 & 17; Museum of Bath Architecture visit, by the author

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North Elevation (1:50)

The north wall of the room is plain, with few features punctuating the elevation. The only notable joinery feature beyond the dado rail, skirting, and cornice which all run the perimeter of the room is the main entrance door. This door leads into the room off of an entrance hall and staircase. The door is a period-appropriate six-panel design replacement, surrounded by an original architrave, based on the condition of the wood and carved features.

Aesthetic of the room The walls are covered with a golden-cream coloured floral wallpaper, and the joinery features are painted white. The room is accented with thick red curtains covered in multi-coloured floral motifs. These decorations are not original having seen many past changes of ownership, changing fashions, and high traffic over the years since construction.

WALLPAPER JOINERY COLOUR CURTAINS

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East Elevation (1:50)

This elevation of the room is a curved wall punctuated by flat window openings. The curve is un-interrupted when seen from the exterior of the building. The window furthest to the left has been filled in, likely to evade a Window Tax (1696-1851). This window set retains a Georgian six-over-six window pane layout, and the sills align with the height of the dado rail as they was typical of the period.6

6 Forsyth (2018), presentation

EAST ELEVATION

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South Elevation (1:50)

The most unique joinery feature of the room is on the south elevation. A set of windows framed by decorative, Corinthian-inspired pilasters (for detail see p. 12). A small service room, added at a later date, has replaced the left-most window. These windows would have been six-over-six panes to match the set on the east elevation, but have been replaced with larger plate glass panes which are more typical of the Victorian period or later.7

7 Forsyth (2018), presentation

SOUTH ELEVATION

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West Elevation (1:50)

The west elevation features a central fireplace and built-in shelving units. The shelves are designed to match the dado rail in section. Built-in features and recesses were not uncommon in Georgian houses, but these features would likely have been lined with wood paneling or plaster rather than wallpaper like in this example. The fireplace is understated. Although some houses of the time may have had an additional, larger surround to draw more attention and make the feature appear grander, the author assumes this fireplace stood as-is based on the level of attention given to other features of the room.

CENTRAL FIREPLACE BUILT-IN SHELVING

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Skirting (1:1)

Dado Rail (1:1) SECTION ELEVATION

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Dado Rail (1:1)

ELEVATION SECTION

DADO RAIL

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Glazing Bar (1:1) Six-over-six single-paned sash windows with ovolo glazing bars are typical of the Georgian period.8 Double-hung sash windows were viewed as a modern comfort, as well as a status symbol, since the windows employed the most modern technology of the time, and allowed healthy light and air into the room.9

8 Spencer-Churchill (1997), p. 60 9 Bath Preservation Trust, p. 31

ELEVATION

SECTION

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Door Architrave (1:1)

The door architrave is in keeping with the delicate and simple moulding details of late 18th c. houses.10 It is assumed to be original based on other examples seen in Georgian rooms in the city of Bath.

10 Ramsey & Harvey (1972), p. 1

SECTION

ELEVATION

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Window Architrave Detail (south elevation) (1:1)

Later Georgian design preferences tended towards Greek Ionic, Corinthian, and Doric details, so it is fitting to see a variant on a Corinthian column in the pilasters framing the south elevation window set.11 Low-relief carvings and floral or leafy designs, particularly the acanthus as is seen in this room, were typical. Although the design is inspired by nature, after 1770 the Adamesque fashion was to use formal and classical motifs, rather than heavily naturalistic ones.12

11 Ramsey & Harvey (1972), p. 9 12 Museum of Bath Architecture visit, by the author

WINDOW ARCHITRAVE

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Additional Features The fireplace surround is carved out of marble, and features shallow, simple linear pattern with a leafy motif on either side. By the middle of the 18th c. moulded plaster cornices began to replace carved wooden ones.13 It was typical for the cornice, which drew attention to the juncture of the ceiling and wall, to be given much design attention because it emphasized the ceiling height.14 This cornice is taller than similar examples seen around Bath. It is further accentuated by the wallpaper stopping prematurely without reaching all the way to the base of the cornice. The moulding of the cornice features several variations of floral motif, a band of egg and dart pattern, and dentils.

13 Bath Preservation Trust, p. 35 14 Ramsey & Harvey (1972), p. 16

FIREPLACE

CORNICE

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Conclusion Overall, this room retains several period-appropriate features. Being late 18th c. the low-relief and restrained details of the joinery features are in-keeping with Adamesque design and other examples seen in similar rooms of the city of Bath. Joinery in Georgian buildings is susceptible to change and destruction due to changing fashions, fires, and general use. Dado rails were commonly replaced by picture rails in Victorian times, and Georgian dado rails tend to be reinstated higher than what is historically accurate.15 The author noticed many plaster cornices losing definition of detail due to the application of several coats of paint over time. In any conservation or restoration efforts of Georgian interiors care should be taken to understand the nuances and history of joinery features, because these features not only define the rooms they decorate, but also have a place in understanding the broader context of Georgian design in history. The author would like to thank Charlotte Johnson for her assistance in this project.

15 Forsyth (2018), presentation

DOOR OF HOUSE

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Appendix: Sketches & Measurements

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References Bath Preservation Trust. The Building of Bath. Published for the Museum of Bath Architecture. Clifton-Taylor, Alec. The Pattern of English Building. 4th Edition, edited by Jack Simmons. Faber &

Faber Limited, London, England. 1987. Forsyth, Michael. “Historic Joinery” Presentation. For the MSc Conservation of Historic Buildings

course, University of Bath. 9 September, 2018. Museum of Bath Architecture visit, by the author. 10 February, 2018. Ramsey, Stanley C. & JDM Harvey. Small Georgian Houses and Their Details 1750-1820. The

Architectural Press, London, England. Volume 2, Third Edition. 1972. Spencer-Churchill, Henrietta. Classic Georgian Style. Collins & Brown Limited, London, England. 1997.

Bibliography Eveleigh, David J. Town House Architecture. Shire Library Publications, Great Britain. 2011. Forsyth, Michael. Bath Pevsner Architectural Guide. Yale University Press, London, England. 2003.