imported>Entranced98: Adding local short description: "Georgian house in Bath, Somerset, England", overriding Wikidata description "Grade I listed architectural structure in Bath and North East Somerset, England, UK"

2025-02-10T11:48:01Z

Adding local short description: "Georgian house in Bath, Somerset, England", overriding Wikidata description "Grade I listed architectural structure in Bath and North East Somerset, England, UK"

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{{Short description|Georgian house in Bath, Somerset, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Historic building
|image=Widcombemanor restored.jpg
|caption=
|name=Widcombe Manor House
|location_town=[[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]
|location_country=[[England]]
|map_type=Somerset
|coordinates = {{coord|51.3735|-2.3471|display=inline,title}}
|architect=
|client=Philip Bennet
|engineer=
|construction_start_date=
|completion_date=1727
|date_demolished=
|cost=
|structural_system=
|style=
|size=
}}
'''Widcombe Manor''' is a [[Grade I listed building|grade I listed]] [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] house in [[Widcombe, Bath]], England, built in 1656<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bathintime.co.uk/image.php?id=205262 |title=Widcombe Manor House and St. Thomas a Becket Church |accessdate=23 November 2008 |work=Bath in Time |publisher=Dan Brown |date= }}</ref> and then rebuilt in 1727 for Philip Bennet the local MP.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=442436 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121015011920/http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=442436 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 October 2012 |title=Widcombe Manor House |accessdate=23 November 2008 |work=Images of England |publisher=English Heritage }}</ref> The crest of the Bennet family can be seen surmounting the two pedestals at the entrance gates.<ref>{{cite book |title=Discovering Widcombe and Lyncombe| author=Maurice Scott| year=1984|ISBN = 0-9520876-0-X}}</ref> The manor is located on Church Street adjacent to [[St Thomas à Becket Church, Widcombe|St Thomas à Becket Church]].

The house has a south-facing front which is in its original condition. In around 1850, the west front was altered and now includes a bay window and stone balconies at the first floor windows.

The fountain in front of the house is Italian and thought to date from the 15th century. It was installed in its present position in the early twentieth century.<ref>{{cite book |title=Discovering Widcombe and Lyncombe| author=Maurice Scott| year=1984|ISBN = 0-9520876-0-X }}</ref> It is also Grade I listed.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1394134|desc= Fountain at Widcombe Manor House|accessdate=28 October 2014}}</ref>

The property was acquired in 1839 by Major-General William Clapham, husband of Ellen Jones-Parry, and brother-in-law of Lt. Gen. [[Love Jones-Parry (British Army officer)|Sir Love Jones-Parry]].<ref>{{Cite NBD1849 |wstitle= Jones-Parry, Thomas Parry |volume= 17.1 | page= 865 |short=}}</ref> In 1880, the manor was let to [[Viscount Weymouth]], who became [[Thomas Thynne, 5th Marquess of Bath]] of [[Longleat House]].<ref>[http://www.widcombeassociation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/HN15-Widcombe-Manor-v2.pdf Widcombe Manor - The Golden House, Widcombe Manor, Church Street, Widcombe, Bath, Compiled by Elizabeth Holland, for the Survey of Old Bath and the Widcombe and Lyncombe Local History Society]</ref>

It was then inherited by Deputy Lieutenant [[William Corbet Yale]] of [[Madryn Castle]], born Jones-Parry, member of the [[Yale (surname)|Yale family]].<ref name="Yale Parri2"/> It was transmitted to his daughter, Margaret Jones-Parry in 1917, and thereafter to his son, Col. James Corbet Yale, born Jones-Parry, heir of Plas-yn-[[ial|Yale]].<ref name="Yale Parri2">[https://www.newspapers.com/image/787603386/?terms=%22Corbet%20yale%22%20widcombe%20yale%20widcombe%20house&match=1 The Bath Chronicle], 20 May 1909, Thu ·Page 3</ref><ref>[http://www.widcombeassociation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/HN15-Widcombe-Manor-v2.pdf Widcombe Manor - The Golden House, Widcombe Manor, Church Street, Widcombe, Bath, Compiled by Elizabeth Holland, for the Survey of Old Bath and the Widcombe and Lyncombe Local History Society]</ref>

The house was home to [[Horace Annesley Vachell]] who based his novel ''Golden House'' on the property.<ref>{{cite book|last=Greenwood|first=Charles|title=Famous houses of the West Country|year=1977|publisher=Kingsmead Press|location=Bath|isbn=978-0-901571-87-8|pages=99–101}}</ref>

From 1955, it was the home to the entrepreneur and inventor [[Jeremy Fry]]. [[Princess Margaret]] of the [[House of Windsor]] and Earl [[Tony Armstrong-Jones]] were frequent visitors,<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article1080812.ece Jeremy Fry Obituary]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, ''[[The Times]]''.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090815103917/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/jeremy-fry-500318.html Jeremy Fry Obituary], ''[[The Independent]]''.</ref> and it was the location of the 1972 [[Widcombe Manor Festival]] at which [[Hawkwind]] were scheduled to play.<ref>[http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/bath-free-fest-72.html Bath Free festivals 1972–1979].</ref>

The façade was closely replicated on a South Australian home by Hennessey Builders in 2000.<ref>Country Home Ideas Magazine, Susannah Hardy, ''Vol''.8 ''No''.10, pp. 94-103, Express Media Group</ref><ref>[https://www.realestateview.com.au/property-360/property/105-milan-terrace-aldgate-sa-5154/ 105 Milan Terrace Aldgate SA 5154], realestateview.com.au. Accessed 11/12/2022.</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="160px" heights="160px">
Widcombe Manor House, Bath (geograph 2810372) restored.jpg
Widcombe Manor House, England, Rijksmuseum.png
Widcombe House, Later Renaissance Widcombe Bath Plate 89 0070.jpg
Widcombe Manor House and church - geograph.org.uk - 2810339 restored.jpg
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:1656 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in Bath, Somerset]]
[[Category:History of Bath, Somerset]]
[[Category:Yale family]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1727]]

Widcombe Manor House - Revision history

imported>Entranced98: Adding local short description: "Georgian house in Bath, Somerset, England", overriding Wikidata description "Grade I listed architectural structure in Bath and North East Somerset, England, UK"