Media    From 1769  To 1833

Coade Stone

Categories: Architecture

A ceramic material called an artificial stone, and created by Mrs Eleanor Coade. It became popular in the mid-nineteenth century when there was a high demand for decorative features on buildings. Its unique features were that it could be moulded into complex shapes and survived British weather very well. The secret of its composition was lost for a period but in modern times was reverse-engineered and is now successfully made again. The secret was the inclusion of ground glass. Other London examples: the figures above the entrance to the Twinings tea shop in the Strand, the caryatides on St. Pancras Church in Euston Road, the (lazy) caryatides on Pitzhanger House in Ealing. London My London has more information and photos of Coade items.

The Coade factory was on the South Bank, about where Hungerford Bridge lands.

In 1799 Coade appointed her cousin John Sealy (her mother’s sister Mary’s son), already working as a modeller, as a partner in her business, which then traded as 'Coade and Sealy' until his death in 1813 when it reverted to just 'Coade'.

When Coade died in 1821 she made bequests to various married women, stipulating that their husbands were not to touch the funds.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Coade Stone

Commemorated ati

Norwegian Embassy

{On a metal plaque below the left hand relief:} In 1796 these two Coade stone...

Read More

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Coade Stone

Creations i

South Bank Lion

We've left the punctuation unchanged in our transcription of the plaque: miss...

Read More

St Botolph’s - charity boy

{On the base of the statue:} COADE LAMBETH 1821

Read More

Other Subjects

A. J. Phelps

A. J. Phelps

Architect associated with Surbiton. Also built  the 1871 Church of St John, Grove Lane, Kingston upon Thames.

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
John Johnson

John Johnson

Architect. Born Hoxton. Our information comes from the Victorian Web which names many buildings that Johnson worked on.

Person, Architecture

2 memorials
James Robb Scott

James Robb Scott

Architect. Born Glasgow. Also designed Richmond station. In addition to the information contained in his biography on the Scottish Architects website, he was shown in the April 1891 census as a sc...

Person, Architecture, Scotland

2 memorials
Denys Lasdun

Denys Lasdun

Architect.  Born 17 Pembridge Place, Kensington.  Died at Charing Cross Hospital, Fulham. Works in London: Hallfield primary school Paddington; Keeling House Bethnal Green; Royal College of Physici...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Robert Hooke

Robert Hooke

Natural philosopher (or scientist, in today's terminology) and architect. Born Isle of Wight. Curator of Experiments at the Royal Society, Professor of Geometry at Gresham College, Surveyor to the ...

Person, Architecture, Science

1 memorial