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Survey of London, Volume 05 (of 14), the parish of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, part 2 cover

Survey of London, Volume 05 (of 14), the parish of St. Giles-in-the-Fields, part 2

Chapter 166: Biographical notes.
By William Edward Riley
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About This Book

The volume presents a detailed architectural and historical survey of a central London parish, documenting boundaries, streets and individual buildings. It pairs descriptive history with measured drawings, elevations, photographs and maps to record houses, churches, public and institutional sites, and their notable features. Arranged street by street, entries trace development, alterations and former uses, and the work includes plate descriptions, plans and an index. The combined illustrations and text enable readers to follow the parish’s changing built fabric and to identify architectural details and surviving monuments.

LXXIV.—No. 13, BEDFORD SQUARE.

Ground landlord and lessee.

Ground landlord, His Grace the Duke of Bedford, K.G.; lessee, Halsey Ricardo, Esq., F.R.I.B.A.

General description and date of structure.

Thomas Leverton, the architect, took the building lease of these premises in 1775,[730] and subsequently resided here. The house, however, is not mentioned in the parish ratebooks until 1781. It has been much altered by the original staircase having been removed, and a wooden one substituted, enabling some small rooms to be formed at the front and rear.

The front room on the ground floor has a white marble chimneypiece with Ionic columns, having Siena marble shafts. The frieze is omitted in this case with good effect. The cornice of the room is similar to that of the ground floor back room of No. 1, being decorated with diminutive Greek Doric columns, suspended by their capitals, as in No. 1.

The first floor front room has a white marble chimneypiece of 19th-century design, but the ornamental plaster ceiling (Plate 78) is original. It has painted panels after the manner of Antonio Zucchi or Angelica Kauffmann, and is probably by the latter artist.

Condition of repair.

The premises are in good repair.

Biographical notes.

The occupants of this house during the end of the 18th century were, according to the ratebooks, as follows:—

1781. Jas. Richardson.
1782–83. Richard Walker.
1784–91. Marchant Tubb.
1791–95. Mrs. Royal.
1796– Thos. Leverton.

Thomas Leverton, son of Lancelot Leverton, a builder, was born in 1743 at Woodford. He became an architect and gradually acquired an extensive practice. His share in the design of houses in Bedford Square has already been noticed.[731]

Before settling at No. 13, Bedford Square, his chief residences seem to have been in Great Queen Street and Charlotte Street.[732] He died at the house in Bedford Square in 1824.

In the Council’s collection are:—

Marble chimneypiece in front room on ground floor (photograph).

[733]Ornamental plaster ceiling with painted panels in front room on first floor (photograph).