No. 1 Royal Crescent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids No. 1 Royal Crescent |
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| Type | Townhouse |
| Location | Royal Crescent, Bath |
| Built | 1767–1774 |
| Original use | Private residence |
| Restored | 2012–2013 |
| Current use | Historic house museum |
| Architect | John Wood, the Younger |
| Architectural style(s) | Georgian, Palladian |
| Owner | Bath Preservation Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: No. 1, Royal Crescent | |
| Designated | 12 June 1950 |
| Part of | Nos. 1-30, Royal Crescent |
| Reference no. | 1394736 |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: 1A, Royal Crescent | |
| Designated | 5 August 1975 |
| Reference no. | 1394740 |
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No. 1 Royal Crescent is a very important building in Bath, Somerset. It's the first house at the eastern end of the famous Royal Crescent. Today, it's a museum where you can see what life was like in the Georgian era (the 1700s). You can explore rooms set up just as they would have been, showing how wealthy families lived "above stairs" and how their servants worked "below stairs." This house is also the main office for the Bath Preservation Trust, a group that helps protect historic places.
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A Look Back: The History of No. 1 Royal Crescent
No. 1 Royal Crescent was built between 1767 and 1774. It was designed by a famous architect named John Wood, the Younger. The Royal Crescent is one of the most amazing buildings from the 18th century. No. 1 is special because it shows off the best of Palladian architecture in Bath. This style uses grand, balanced designs, often with columns.
The house has a front with five windows that are perfectly even. It also has a fancy main door with Doric columns. The first person to rent the house was Thomas Brock in 1769. Later, in 1776, Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany stayed there. The first person to live there for a long time was Henry Sandford. He was a retired politician from Ireland. He lived in the house with his family from 1777 until he passed away in 1796.
No. 1 Royal Crescent as a Museum
Today, No. 1 Royal Crescent is a museum. Most of the rooms are set up to show what life was like for wealthy people in Bath during the 1700s. The Bath Preservation Trust owns and takes care of the museum. They use money from members and donations to keep it running.
In 1967, Major Bernard Cayzer bought the house. He was part of the family that owned the Clan shipping line. He gave the house to the Bath Preservation Trust. He also gave money to help restore and furnish it.
Bringing the House Back to Life: The Restoration Project
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For a while, No. 1 Royal Crescent was split into two separate parts. The original service wing, where the servants worked, became a different house called No. 1A Royal Crescent. In 2006, the Brownsword Charitable Foundation bought No. 1A. They wanted to put the two parts back together. This allowed the Bath Preservation Trust to make the house more like it was originally. It also helped them make the museum better for visitors and school groups.
With help from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other donations, the big restoration work started in January 2012. Outside, the special windows on the side facing Upper Church Street were fixed. They were made to look like they did when people like Jane Austen walked by. The old door to No. 1A was also opened again in its original spot.
Inside, the museum added more rooms that look like they did in the Georgian era. The old kitchens were found and restored. A special learning center was made for school groups. There's also a new exhibition gallery and a gift shop. A lift was added to make the museum easy to access for everyone. The museum reopened in June 2013. Mary Berry helped celebrate by cutting the ribbon.
During the restoration, old journals belonging to Henry Sandford were found. He was the first long-term resident of the house. These journals helped the museum understand his life and interests. Now, visitors can really feel what 18th-century life was like. You can see a fancy meal set on the dining table. The bedrooms are ready for their owners. The drawing room sparkles with mirrors. The kitchens look busy, as if servants are preparing food.
The museum also has paintings of famous people. These include Alexander Pope, Ralph Allen, and Thomas Betterton.
Bath Preservation Trust Offices
The Bath Preservation Trust has its offices on the upper floors of No. 1 Royal Crescent. This is where they do their important work to protect Bath's history.
No. 1 Royal Crescent on Screen
No. 1 Royal Crescent has been a popular spot for movies and TV shows. Sometimes it's the main location, and other times it's just part of the beautiful background.
- 1964: The BBC TV series The Count of Monte Cristo filmed here.
- 1974: The movie Barry Lyndon by Stanley Kubrick was filmed outside No. 1. They even removed a lamp-post and put up old-fashioned wooden scaffolds for the movie!
- 1976: The movie Joseph Andrews was filmed both inside and outside the house.
- 1987: The BBC TV series of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey used No. 1 for filming.
- 2014: BBC TV's Countryfile Christmas Special had a scene filmed inside.
- 2016: An episode of Michael Portillo's Great British Railway Journeys was filmed in the house.
- 2019: The popular Netflix show Bridgerton used No. 1 as the home of the Featherington family.
