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.

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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Lost Garrick plaque

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

Alfred Waterhouse

Alfred Waterhouse

Born Aigburth, Liverpool, Lancashire. Died Yattendon Court, Berkshire. Most notable buildings are the Natural History Museum, London and many of the major offices of the Prudential Assurance Compan...

Person, Architecture

2 memorials
Adam brothers

Adam brothers

The four Adam brothers: John (1721-1792, born Edinburgh), Robert - the important one, James and William, (1738-1822, suicide) together designed classical buildings. Father was an architect. Ini...

Group, Architecture, Property, Scotland

1 memorial
William Jefferies Collins

William Jefferies Collins

Architect and housing developer. He purchased twenty three acres at the foot of Muswell Hill in 1899, and began to build traditional family sized houses. This area had been occupied by Rookfield, A...

Person, Architecture, Property

1 memorial
George Highton
1 memorial
Cecil Claude Brewer

Cecil Claude Brewer

Architect in partnership with A. Dunbar Smith - go there for details. Born at 9 Endsleigh Street, Bloomsbury. Cecil's mother was Ann Heal and his father, Alfred, was a partner in Heal & Son.  C...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial