72 Hendford
72 Hendford
(West Side) - A fine, simple Regency house
The Regency style of architecture refers primarily to buildings built during the period in the early 19th century when George IV was Prince Regent, and also to later buildings following the same style. This is one of four detached houses in Hendford that were built during this period.
Formerly No 55 Hendford, it was built around 1830 and is shown on Watt's map of 1831 as well as Bidder's map of 1843. The building has simple, elegant proportions and a fine stone porch supported on Ionic columns.
In 1851 it was the residence of glove manufacturer William Rawlings, his wife Ann, their five children, a governess and a domestic servant. In 1871 is was the home of coal merchant Uriah Burt, his two daughters Mary and Eliza, glove manufacturer son Sidney and son Henry, a merchant's clerk, together with two domestic servants. The situation was almost identical in 1881 except that son Sidney had left home and Uriah gave his occupation as 'Coal & Timber Merchant'. In 1891 Mary Burt was listed as a widow 'Living on her own means' with her step-daughter Mary and a general domestic servant. In 1901 73-year old Mary was living with her 75-year old brother William Mark and a general domestic servant.
The following description is from the Somerset Historic Environment Record -
Villa now
dispensing
chemist. Circa
1840 [sic]. Stucco
colour-washed
with band
courses at first
floor and eaves,
hipped Welsh
slate roof with
wide eaves
overhang, and
plain rendered
chimney stacks
at each end.
2-storeys of
3-bays; central
projecting stone
porch with pair
attached and
pair detached
very slender
fluted Ionic
columns, the
entablature
having a Greek
frieze and
capped with
acanthus acroterion type
ornament; the
former 6-panel
door now half
glazed. The
windows 12-pane
to ground floor
and 9-pane to
first floor.
Stone front
boundary wall
has two stone
gate piers with
incised panel
fronts and band
of Greek frieze
ornament and
simple pyramidal
caps.
gallery
Once a fine residence in typical, if simple, Regency style, No 72 Hendford is now a pharmacy. Photographed in 2013.
The striking porch with slim, fluted Ionic columns. This photograph highlights the Greek frieze of the entablature and the acanthus acroterion type ornament, now sadly somewhat deteriorated. Photographed in 2013.
