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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Garrick plaque - gone

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

Viacheslav Bukhaev

Viacheslav Bukhaev

Architect.  Member of the Russian Academy of Arts.

Person, Architecture, Russia

2 memorials
William Holford, Baron Holford

William Holford, Baron Holford

Architect and town planner. Born South Africa. Designed a rejected plan for pedestrians to be raised on walkways around Piccadilly Circus, and a much-loathed Paternoster Square which was, partly, b...

Person, Architecture, South Africa

1 memorial
Alan Brace

Alan Brace

Architect active 1927 and 1937. An Alan Brace was the architect for Rio Tinto Company Limited and carried out work for them in south west Spain, though if this was in the late 1800s, then he was ei...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Chelsea Society

Chelsea Society

The Chelsea Society was founded by the Chelsea author Reginald Blunt (son of Gerald), with the aim of protecting the historical fabric of Chelsea and of influencing future environmental changes.

Group, Architecture, Community / Clubs, History

1 memorial
Lord Norman Foster

Lord Norman Foster

Architect. Born Stockport. London works include: Great Court at the British Museum, London City Hall on the river, the Millennium Bridge, Sainsbury building at Holborn Circus, 8 Canada Square in ...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Dr John Lettsom

Dr John Lettsom

Physician, philanthropist, abolitionist and entomologist. Born British Virgin Islands into a Quaker family. Aged 6 was sent to England to be educated. Came to London in 1766 to train at St Thomas' ...

Person, Medicine, Philanthropy, Race Issues, Virgin Islands

2 memorials