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.

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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...

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Lost Garrick plaque

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

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The Adelphi

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

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Other Subjects

Frederick Atkinson Powell

Frederick Atkinson Powell

Architect. Mayor of Lambeth 1905-6 and 1906-7. Died at home at 344 Kennington Road.

Person, Architecture, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
C. W. Reeves

C. W. Reeves

Discussing St Mary Magdelene (Ridgeway/Windmill Hill) British History Online gives: "The adjacent vicarage, in 1974 no longer used for the purpose, was designed by Butterfield, while the church hal...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Charles Fitzroy Doll

Charles Fitzroy Doll

From 1885 until at least 1908 he was the Bedford Estate surveyor. Specialised in designing hotels, such as Hotel Russell. Other London work includes: Imperial Hotel next to Hotel Russell (demolishe...

Person, Architecture

2 memorials
Patrick McEvoy

Patrick McEvoy

Architect. He has won two London Festival of Architecture competitions in consecutive years: with the bench 'Here Lies Geoffrey Barkington' in 2018 and the parklet ‘Pavement Art Gallery’ in 2019. O...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Sir Herbert Baker and Scott

Sir Herbert Baker and Scott

Architects.  Later Vernon Helbing joined the firm. Sir Herbert Baker was one of the four principal architects of the Imperial War Graves Commission, See Blomfield for the others.

Group, Architecture

1 memorial