to be continued ...............
If an opinion is expressed here it is my own!
The monument to the architect/builder/ Plumber, glazier and property developer, Thomas Warr Atwood, (Sometimes spelt Attwood) died 1775, in Weston churchyard, Bath, almost certainly designed by Thomas Baldwin and carved by The Parsons workshop of Widcombe.
Not dissimilar to the Weston monument is the Chest tomb at St Nicholas Church Winsley surmounted with a classical urn, c1810, ashlar, elongated hexagon plan with reeded strips at angles and oval south plaque with rosettes in spandrels. Husk drop in canted sections. High raised concave curved and fluted top with urn.
South side is the inscription to Richard Atwood of Turleigh Manor, died 1808. T.W. Atwood was younger brother.
The Urn and therefore the monument were almost certainly carved in the Yard of the parsons at Claverton Street, Widcombe.
The Urn is no. 96 from the Parsons Book of Drawings - Bath Central Library, ref. B731.7 PAR 38:18
In the preface it is described as Baldwin along with 93, 94, 95, and 97.
See my previous posts for the complete illustrated contents of Thomas Parsons illustrated manuscript-
https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-parsons-of-bath-18th-century-stone.html
Thomas Warr Atwood was first elected a Common Councillor at a meeting of the Corporation on 20th September 1760.
Councilman 1760 -75 - Constable 1762-63, 1772-73 - Bailiff 1764-65, 1773-74
The office of Mayor was held by a member of the Atwood family for twelve of the years between 1724 and 1769, twice by Thomas Warr Atwood.
For many years four Atwoods were on the Council: Thomas Atwood, his son Thomas Warr, Henry and James.
One or more Atwoods were usually Mayor, Chamberlain and a Justice at this period and if they worked together (which is the Bath way) they would have been a force to be reckoned with.
It is apparent that certain local families maintained a strong presence on the Council across several generations, a tradition sometimes stemming from well back in the troubled 17th century.
From 1700 onwards 10 Chapmans, 8 Gibbses and 7 Atwoods thus served their turn in the Council chamber, together with 4 members each from the Bush, Hicks and Horton families, 3 each from the Biggs, Crook, Morgan, Phillott, Spry and Woolmer clans, and these on top of many cases of fathers followed by sons.
His career was terminated when he fell through the floor of a building in the Market Place which was in the process of being demolished for the development of the Guild Hall and Markets.
After his death, his assistant, the precocious Thomas Baldwin (c. 1750 - 1820), was chosen
to be the new City Architect and City Surveyor.
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Some known Atwood Buildings in Bath
The Paragon (1768).
It is one of the finest set pieces of Bath but tends to be ignored as it on a main road taking much through traffic through the city.
They have large foundations built on three storey stone vaults at the back (south east side) which were used as stables and storage and into the hillside at the front and a steep drop to Walcot Street at the rear.
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Oxford Row.
The two terraces on the West side of Lansdown Road broken by Alfred Street. (1773). The return from Oxford Row, Lansdown Road into the terrace of 7 houses in Alfred St (Alfred Buildings) first mentioned in the rate books for 1774 is possibly an Atwood Project - the terrace (6 -19) on the North side of Alfred St returning from Oxford Row was perhaps also designed by Atwoods office - he owned the land called the Hand and Flower Ground from 1773 previously owned by a Mr Rogers.
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The New Gaol, Bathwick (1772-3).
Built on the flood plane of the River Avon. The land was part of the Pulteney Estates.
A new prison was needed in order to accommodate prisoners previously incarcerated in the old church tower which was to be demolished in order to provide access and to build Pulteney Bridge so that the estate could be developed for housing prior to its building access was either by ferry or the long way around from the bridge at the end of Southgate Street.
The Ground floor entrance was originally entered by steps from Grove St. What an improvement if they were replaced.
It is now flats.
For an excellent history and overview see - Essay by Chris Noble.
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Walcot Parade.
This terrace has been attributed to Atwood but it does not have a cohesive design - certainly Thomas Jelly was involved with some of the houses but it appears to be a piecemeal development albeit very picturesque and must have been a fine place to live, the pavement is built on vaults into the hillside and the terrace is elevated above the London Road. when it was built the views across the Avon valley must have been spectacular before the terraces of London street were built
The Guildhall, Bath.
There is a minute book containing a record of the activities of the Committee for finishing the Markets and rebuilding the Guildhall from 13 December 1774 to 13 March 1779, making it clear that Thomas Baldwin was supervising much of the work on the Markets and had designed the present Guildhall well before Atwood was killed on 15 November 1775.
Other works.
It appears that he was also in partnership with Thomas Jelly or with Wood the Younger, Milsom Street (west side), and was involved with Bladud Buildings, Rivers Street, and Axford Buildings (east end of the Paragon.
This needs to be checked.
The Atwood Family
HarryAtwood (1741 - 1814).
Councilman Aug 1776.-.99 (resigned Sep 1779, made Freeman, re-elected)
Constable 1777-78, 1787.-.88.
Bailiff 1779-80,
1789.-.90.
Alderman Nov
1799 -1814.
Mayor 1800-01,
1807 -.08.
J.P. Dec 1795-1800,
1801-07, 1808-14.
Baptised 11 May 1741, son of the master baker Henry Atwood (q.v.), he trained as a surgeon. He married the daughter of John Hickes I in 1770. By 1787 he had moved from Gay Street to the west side of Queen Square, but also leased properties outside the East Gate, in Walcot Street, Wade’s Passage, Cock Lane, Bell Tree Lane (next to the Bell Inn), Sawclose, and Barton Lane – partly inherited from his father.
By 1794 he had acquired Cranhill near Weston Lane. He was a governor of Bath General Hospital from 1778 and a surgeon to that institution from 1781 to 1806. He was a member of the 1st Bath Philosophical Society. He died on 4 Dec 1814 – apparently at Cranhill House, Weston. [Peach].
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Henry Atwood (1700 - 63)
Councilman Mar
1725 - 1740.
Constable 1725-26,
1739 - 40.
Bailiff 1727 - 28.
Alderman Oct 1740 - 63.
Three times Mayor 1741-42,
1750-51, 1758-59.
J.P. 1742-43,
1748-49, 1751-52, 1754-55, 1757-58, 1759-60.
Born c.1700, he was the son of the master baker Thomas
Atwood I (q.v.) to whom he was apprenticed in 1715.
His wife was Elizabeth who bore his son Harry Atwood (q.v.) and daughter Elizabeth. He leased properties outside the East Gate and in Northgate Street, Wade’s Passage, Southgate Street, and Sawclose. Until 1752 he was a Surveyor of the City Lands. He died on 8 May 1763 aged 63. His oil portrait by J.B.Van Diest is in the Victoria Art Gallery collection.
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Atwood, James, 1721-60.
Councilman Oct
1721-36
Constable 1722-23
Bailiff 1724-25,
Feb-Oct 1732
Chamberlain 1733-36
Alderman 1736-60
Mayor 1737-38,
1748-49
J.P. 1738-39,
1742-44, 1746-47, 1749-50, 1752-53
He was a plumber and glazier, occupying a property in Southgate Street, and may have been the brother of Thomas Atwood II (q.v.). He also leased a house in Stall Street and a brewery in Bimbery Lane.
Esteemed, sociable and humane, he was a trustee of Bath Bluecoats School. One of the plumber-and-glazier Atwoods (James, Thomas II or Thomas III) seems to have had Turleigh House near Bradford-on-Avon, and on at least one occasion (in 1752) entertained the politician Edmund Burke there. James Atwood died on 19 Aug 1760 after a long illness. His oil portrait by J.B.Van Diest is in the VAG collection. [Peach].
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Atwood, Thomas, I, 1706-32
Councilman 1706-23
Constable 1706-07,
1720-21
Bailiff 1708-09,
1717-18
Chamberlain 1722-23
Alderman Jan 1723-32
Mayor 1724-25
J.P. 1725-26, 1729-30
A master baker, he held properties in Northgate Street,
Wade’s Passage and upper Orange Grove, and outside
the East Gate. He died in Jun 1732. His oil portrait by
J.B.Van Diest is in the VAG collection.
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Atwood, Thomas, II, 1717-53
Councilman Dec
1717-33
Constable 1718-19,
1725-26
Bailiff 1720-21,
1730-31
Chamberlain 1732-33
Alderman Apr 1733-53
Mayor 1735-36,
1746-47, 1752-53
J.P. 1736-37,
1740-41, 1743-45, 1747-48, 1753-54
A master plumber and glazier, he was perhaps the brother of
James Atwood (q.v.). In 1718 he and Walter
Chapman built a common sewer through Orange Grove. He leased
properties in Stall Street and Southgate Street
(including the Full Moon – also called the Ship Inn). In his
will of 1752 he left the Royal Oak at the corner of
Stall Street and Lower Borough Walls to Rachel, widow of his
son James. He died by Dec 1753. His oil portrait
by J.B.Van Diest is in the VAG collection.
Atwood, Thomas, III (d1770).
Councilman Aug
1732-51.
Constable 1734-35.
Bailiff 1736-37.
Chamberlain 1750-52.
Alderman Oct 1751-70.
Mayor 1753-54, 1760-61, 1769-70 .
J.P. 1754-55, 1756-57, 1759-60, 1761-62, 1765-66, 1768-69,
1770.
He was probably the son of Thomas Atwood II (q.v.) and so, like him, a plumber and glazier and the lessee of the Full Moon inn.
By 1756 he had a house in Bladud Buildings and by 1762 three newly-built tenements inSouthgate Street. He died on 2 Dec 1770.
