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

Tom Stuart-Smith
1 memorial
William Nisbet Blair

William Nisbet Blair

Architect. Born Morpeth, Northumberland. Appointed St Pancras Borough Engineer in 1893 and still in post in 1906. Lived at 23 West Hill. Father of the entomologist, Kenneth Blair. Died Middlesex. H...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Temple Bar Trust

Temple Bar Trust

The successful story of this group's project is told at the Picture Source website.

Group, Architecture, History

2 memorials
Harry W. Ford

Harry W. Ford

Born Harry Wharton Ford.  Architect to the District Railway from 1900-11 and designed a number of stations on the District Line including: Earl's Court, Barons Court, Hammersmith and Walham Green. ...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Hughes Mansions

Hughes Mansions

Flats built in honour of Judge Thomas Hughes. On 27 March 1945 part of the building was destroyed by the last V2 rocket to hit London (another one fell on Orpington, Kent on the same date), killing...

Building, Architecture, Tragedy

2 memorials