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

John Belcher

John Belcher

Belcher was born at 3 Montague Terrace (now 8 Brockham Street, SE1). His father, also John, was an architect and Jnr. was made a partner in 1845. The firm was known as J. & J. Belcher. Snr. ret...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Gravesend Pier

Gravesend Pier

Designed by William Tierney Clark. During its early years it was used by millions of passengers, but by the turn of the century, it had fallen into disuse owing to the arrival of the railways. A Gr...

Building, Architecture

1 memorial
William Lee and F. J. Smith

William Lee and F. J. Smith

Architects active in 1882.

Group, Architecture

2 memorials
Thomas Henry Wyatt

Thomas Henry Wyatt

Architect - Gothic Revival specialist.

Person, Architecture

2 memorials
Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace

Originally erected in Hyde Park to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. It was on the section south of Rotten Row and east of West Carriage Drive with the mid-point opposite Rutland Gate.  The cast-...

Building, Architecture, Music / songs, TV & Radio

4 memorials