Place    From 1768  To 1935

Adelphi Terrace

Categories: Architecture

The Adam brothers built a very large development including a run of houses with a terrace that over-looked the river, which was much closer before the Embankment was built. It was this terrace that caused the word "terrace" to take on the meaning of a row of houses. Torn down in 1935 and replaced with the art deco New Adelphi building. It was the demolition of the Adelphi that was, at least partially, responsible for the creation of the Georgian Society in 1937.

The Rise and Fall of the Adelphi is a very useful page with excellent photos.

While thinking of how London has changed the English language, in the field of architecture at least, let's examine "Mews". From the French, it used to mean a place where hawks (kept for hunting) were confined during their moulting seasons. From 1377 the King's Mews was at Charing Cross, about where Trafalgar Square now is. In 1537 Henry VIII had it converted to be the royal stables. And hence Mews became the term for all service streets in London built as stables, converted into garages and then converted into rather chic homes for fashionable Londoners, such as John Steed.

The image on this page shows a plainer front elevation than that on the Garrick page. We have to assume that the Victorians added some decorative features, around the windows and the central attic pediment, for example.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Adelphi Terrace

Commemorated ati

Adam, Hood, Galsworthy, Barrie, etc.

We understand the "here" on the plaque to refer to the whole of Adelphi Terra...

Read More

Lost Garrick plaque

David Garrick, actor, lived here. B: 1716. D: 1779. {Almost hidden in the dec...

Read More

The Adelphi

The Adelphi This building stands on the site of Adelphi Terrace built by the...

Read More

Other Subjects

W. Gilbee Scott

W. Gilbee Scott

William Gilbee Scott had a practice at 25, Bedford Row.  The only building, apart from the How Gateway, we can find by him is the Salvation Army Citadel in Sheffield. 2016: via Facebook Neil Jacks...

Person, Architecture, Scotland

1 memorial
Monmouth House

Monmouth House

The Duke of Monmouth obtained a site on the south side of Soho Square (then called King’s Square) in 1681 on which the house was built. After his execution it was owned by the Bateman family and be...

Building, Architecture

1 memorial
Tonkin Zulaikha Greer
1 memorial
C. A. Hart

C. A. Hart

Active in 1988.

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Survey of London

Survey of London

Founded by C. R. Ashbee in 1894, the first volume being published in 1900. With over 28 volumes published so far this is a research work-in-progress aiming to produce a comprehensive architectural ...

Concept, Architecture, History

1 memorial