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

William Henry Boney

William Henry Boney

Architect.  Also designed the Jackson's Lane Methodist church, Highgate and Little Stanmore Church.  Active 1889 and 1905. Since we first published this article we have, in November 2024, been con...

Person, Architecture, Commerce

1 memorial
Liam O'Connor

Liam O'Connor

Architect, specialising in memorials, see the practice's website.

Person, Architecture

2 memorials
C. H. James

C. H. James

Architect. Born Gloucester. War & Son provides the rest of this page: Charles Holloway James was born in Gloucestershire in 1893 and worked as a draughtsman for local architect, Walter Brian W...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
James Morton Lethbridge

James Morton Lethbridge

Born London, a son of George Lethbridge. He articled in architecture under his father for four years (September 1894 to early 1898). After assisting several British architects, including Charles F....

Person, Architecture, Armed Forces, Canada

1 memorial
John William Charles Darbourne CBE

John William Charles Darbourne CBE

Architect. He and fellow architect Geoffrey Darke founded the firm of Darbourne and Darke, specifically, to design the Lillington Gardens Estate in Pimlico. They also designed much of the landscapi...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial

Previously viewed

King Henry VI

King Henry VI

Born Windsor, son of Henry V. King of England 1422 - 1461 and 1470 - 1471. Madness and the Wars of the Roses explain the gap. Also King of France 1422 - 1453. As a child king there were regents unt...

Person, Royalty

3 memorials
Rev. Allen T. Edwards

Rev. Allen T. Edwards

1835 vicar of All Saints South Lambeth. In the 1910 "A history of the British and Foreign Bible Society" by William Canton, Edwards is named as the District Secretary for "Middlesex and places wit...

Person, Religion

1 memorial