Sion Hill, Bath, Somerset, BA1

Doric House is a unique Grade II* listed property of significant importance to Bath’s cultural heritage. Once home to renowned artist Thomas Barker and still featuring one of his frescoes.

Description

Doric House is a unique property of significant importance, both in itself and to the city's cultural heritage. John Britton described it as a "notable landmark in the architectural history of Bath." The name "Doric House" comes from the Greek classical Doric columns on its front façade. The house was constructed during the late Georgian era, embodying the principles of Neo-Classicism and the Greek Revival.

Extensively renovated in the past few years, Doric House is now presented in excellent condition. It beautifully combines abundant period features with contemporary modern living.

The main gallery/drawing room of this house retains its original fireplace, cornicing, and ceiling rose, complemented by a fresco by Thomas Barker.

This distinctive house spans four floors. Visitors are greeted by a magnificent reception hall featuring an imposing cantilevered helical stone staircase and a stunning domed skylight overhead.

The drawing/gallery room, which houses the expansive fresco, offers nearly 600 square feet of entertaining space. The gallery opens onto a balustraded terrace that overlooks the garden and offers views over Victoria Park, perfect for summer dining. The ground floor also includes a unique oval-shaped dining room that mirrors the entrance hall, as well as a study.

The lower ground floor, which is at garden level, includes a stylish modern shaker-style kitchen with bespoke joinery, which leads out to the garden and adjoining pantry. Adjacent is an additional reception room, ideal as a media room or living room. This floor also features a delightful guest bedroom suite overlooking the garden with a large en suite bathroom. There is also a utility room, separate WC and the original wine cellar which has been restored beautifully.

The principal bedroom suite on the first floor is dual-aspect with views to the east over Cavendish Crescent and to the south across Victoria Park and the city beyond. The suite includes an en suite bathroom and dressing room. Two further bedrooms (one with en suite shower room) are arranged on this level and the floor above, both with delightful far reaching views.

Outside, there is a south-facing landscaped garden with far reaching southerly views over Bath and steps down to a garage.

Agents Note

The adjoining property, 1 Sion Hill, is available by separate negotiation.

Location

Doric House is situated on Cavendish Road, close to Sion Hill and enjoys a peaceful position on the northern slopes of Bath with magnificent views over Royal Victoria Park and beyond.

This is one of Bath’s most sought after residential locations on the north side of the city. Local recreational pursuits include Lansdown Tennis Club, Lansdown Golf Course and Bath Race Course. Local amenities are situated in St James’s Square, whilst the centre of Bath is approximately a mile away with a variety of excellent restaurants and shops.

Bath is a World Heritage Site famed for its Georgian architecture and Roman heritage and enjoys a wealth of cultural, business and recreational facilities.

J18 of the M4 is approximately 10 miles north and a high speed train service operates from Bath Spa to London Paddington (journey time from 75 mins).

There are popular local schools including Kingswood, The Royal High School and St Stephen’s Primary School and Bath Spa Sion Hill campus is very close by, with a regular bus service to the city centre.





Additional Info

History

In 1802, Thomas Barker commissioned architect Joseph Gandy to design a painting room and gallery on land that had formerly been the garden of 1 Sion Hill. This land was gifted to Barker and his future wife, Priscilla, contingent on their marriage. They wed and took up residence in the new building in 1803.
Thomas Barker (1769-1847) was a British painter renowned for his landscapes and depictions of rural life. He was described by art critic Roger Fry as "one of the original colourists of the British School."

Barker is credited with reviving the ancient art of fresco painting. In 1826, he produced "The Massacre of the Sciotes" at Doric House, which is considered the first fresco created in England in 300 years. The piece was crafted from wet plaster and took six months to complete, with assistance from two Italian plasterers. Barker lived and worked at Doric House for 15 years and opened it to the public to exhibit his fresco. The fresco was restored in 1920 and remains a significant feature of the principal drawing room.

Art historian Iain McCallum has stated that Barker's best works can be favourably compared with those of his contemporaries, such as Gainsborough and Thomas Lawrence. Barker's works are well represented in major collections, including The National Gallery, Tate, Royal Academy, Holburne Museum, Victoria Art Gallery in Bath, and many national and private collections worldwide.

Joseph Gandy was a visionary Architect best known for his brilliant and romantic depictions of Sir John Soane’s Architecture. As a private practitioner Gandy built very little, however Doric House (1803) in its historical and mythological themes was much influenced by the work of Soane and inspired, as was Gandy, by the visions of Piranesi, Coleridge and Turner.