Bathwick Villa (10-15 Forester Road)

Picture
Bathwick Villa c1890 by George Hobson

​Bathwick Villa was a substantial Gothic-style house built in 1777 for Alderman James Ferry situated roughly where numbers 10-15 Forester Road stand today.  The house and gardens were laid out as a place for public entertainment and refreshment.  Business declined in the early 1790's due mainly to competition from other resorts and transport difficulties as a result of Georgian development in Bathwick.  By 1799 the future of Bathwick Villa was uncertain and the 19th century saw a steady decline in its fortunes, resulting in its demolition in 1897 to make way for the Bathwick Estate.

Curious ornaments thought to have come from Bathwick Villa

This ornamental arch is believed to have been the entrance to the grounds of the pleasure villa

19 - 28 Forester Road circa 1935

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