Clifton Hill House | |
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Clifton Hill House |
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General information | |
Architectural style | Palladian |
Town or city | Bristol |
Country | England |
Coordinates | |
Construction started | 1746 |
Completed | 1750 |
Technical details | |
Size | 250 student rooms |
Design and construction | |
Client | Paul Fisher |
Architect | Isaac Ware |
Clifton Hill House is a grade I listed[1] Palladian villa in the Clifton area of Bristol, England which is now used as a hall of residence by the University of Bristol. The warden is Dr. Thomas Richardson, lecturer in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University.
The house was built between 1746 and 1750 for the wealthy merchant and philanthropist Paul Fisher, by Isaac Ware, a nationally renowned architect and translator of Palladio's works. Thomas Paty, later a notable Bristol architect, worked as a mason during its construction. The house stands on a steep slope, so that while only three stories face the street, the five-bay garden front is four stories tall with low wings (both raised from one story to two during the nineteenth century) and a double flight of steps down to the garden. Original rococo plasterwork, by Joseph Thomas, survives in a number of interior rooms.[2]
The house was later home to the nineteenth century 'man-of-letters', John Addington Symonds, whose father had bought the house in 1851. The university bought the house from the Symonds family in 1909 to create the first hall of residence for women in south-west England. The university has since bought adjacent property and added modern accommodation blocks to form four areas: Old Clifton, Callander, Fry and South Wings. It houses approximately 230 students.
The Hall has been used by the BBC as a film location for the 'The House of Eliott' and for episodes of 'Casualty'.[3]
Callandar House which dates from the late 18th century is itself grade II listed.[4]
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