Bath, Art and Architecture: 10/19/26

Monday, 19 October 2026

A Pair of Coade Artificial Stone Reliefs formerly with Hawker Antiques.

These two very fine reliefs appear to be unique.

https://www.bada.org/object/pair-eighteenth-century-coade-stone-oval-plaques

......................

The Coade Relief of the Death of Cato.

Formerly with Arabesque Antiques.

https://www.arabesqueantiques.co.uk/content/viewing-room/25/artworks-9521-coade-stone-tablet-depicting-the-death-of-cato/

Bacchanalian Scene.

Coade Artificial Stone relief;

stamped 'Coade Lambeth./ 1792' at lower right.

60.7 x 24.7 cm.

Sold Christie's 30 July 2020 - Lot 129

https://onlineonly.christies.com/s/old-masters-paintings-sculpture/coade-manufactory-1792-129/93670

......................

The Rutland Fountain, Merrion Square, Dublin.

The Rutland Fountain Dublin was erected in memory of the Duke of Rutland, the Lord Lieutenant, who died of Dublin fever in 1787 at the age of 33. Recent research has confirmed it as the work of Francis Sandys and constructed by Arthur Darley, one of the stonemasons from the Dublin Customs House.

Charles Manners, Duke of Rutland. (1754 -1787).

The fountain, officially the ‘Duke of Rutland Memorial Fountain,’ was commissioned before his death by the Duke ‘to provide drinking water for the city’s poor.’

It was designed by the architect Francis Sandys, and built of Granite with Portland Stone dressings and Coade Artificial Stone embelishments in 1791 - 1792 by Arthur Darley, a stonemason who had worked on the Dublin Custom House.

It was decorated with 4 Coade artificial stone lidded urns and a larger oval lidded urn, two portrait reliefs - and a central figurative relief showing a younger Duke of Rutland as Marquess of Granby, relieving a distressed soldier and his family (much distressed) two further female reliefs (below) and the Water Goddess (or Naiad).

As MP for Cambridge University (1774-1779), Manners vehemently opposed the taxation of America. At he age of 25, he succeeded his father as Duke of Rutland in 1779, and he was appointed the Viceroy or Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1784, before he had reached the age of 30. He died of Liver Disease 24 October 1787.

The works were carried out under the direction of the Paving Board in 1792.

Images below from -

https://www.cbsconservation.co.uk/projects/the_rutland_memorial_fountain_dublin_ireland/

See my previos post for the Water Godess originally the main feature of the fountain.

https://bathartandarchitecture.blogspot.com/2026/08/the-coade-artificial-stone-river-gods.html

A very fine Coade Stone Pedestal formerly with Arabesque Antiques.

Sizes H 45”x W 35” x D 35”.

It is not inscribed.

Suggested as 1780's.

https://www.arabesqueantiques.co.uk/archive/

There are four other known examples of this pedestal, these can be found at Weston Park, Syon Lodge, Audley End and Wardour Castle.

https://www.historichouses.org/news/weston-parks-restoration-of-a-rare-coade-stone-sundial-plinth/

Coade at the Assembly Rooms in Truro, Cornwall.

13 High Cross, Truro.

The Former Assembly Rooms.

The money was raised for the erection by the sale of 28 shares costing £55 each. Lord Falmouth bought three. The Assembly Rooms opened in 1789, and among the people attending the ceremony was the actress Sarah Siddons.

It appears to have been planned and built to be dual-purpose. Surviving photos taken in 1923 (now in the local Museum ???) show that beneath the dance floor was a theatre Pit (what we now call "stalls') complete with raked floor and a row of curved 9 inch wide benches. When Box Fronts were slotted between the Assembly Room columns, it transformed instantly into a theatre - complete with front and side galleries.

The design by Christopher Ebdon (1744 - 1824) ? according to Dan Cruikshank.

Ebdon seems to have c

ome from Durham and is buried there.

Ebdon exhibited at the Society of Artists. 1767 giving his address as at Mr. Paines, Salisbury Street. no 237, View of the inside of Durham Cathedral.

In 1770 he was at Mr. Hewits, Little May Buildings.

Ebdon was elected a member of the Florentine Academy whilst in Italy 1776 - giving his address as at Earl Cowpers he exhibited viiews of Roman Temples at the Society of Artists in 1778, 1780 and 1783. No. 89 and 90 Designs for Lodges to Tehidy Park, Cornwall seat of Sir Francis Basset, Bart.

He was employed on and off as an assistant by his friend John Soane 1787 (Chillington) - 1792 they had both worked in the office of Henry Holland.

The internet gives various dates for the Assembly Rooms construction but the date on the central Coade Stone gryphon Relief and on the round relief of the Muse would suggest around 1786.

I was unable to access the building but the interior appears to have been destroyed when it became the Cathedral Garage.

This has so far been a particularly difficult building to research and the treatment of the property and surrounding buildings like many town centres in England in the 20th Century has been woeful.

......................

A Photograph of the Assembly Rooms probably late 19th Century.

Showing the original fenestration on the ground floor.

The sign above the ground floor (The Post and?) Telegraph Office.

..........................

Burton's China Galleries and Furniture Warehouse.

Burtons were established there by 1889.

Conveyance 18 September 1886 of 14 High Cross, formerly in occupation of Richard Andrews, postmaster, now unoccupied, bounded north by road leading from Chapel Yard to Union Place, on east by St Mary's rectory, on south by High Cross and on west by Assembly Rooms.

From Right Honourable Evelyn, Viscount Falmouth to Edward Joseph Burton of city of Truro, china dealer for the Consideration: £750.

Photographs below probably of around 1903.