St James’s Square, Bath, was built in 1790-1794 as a communal garden square. Designed by architect John Palmer, it comprises forty-five terraced town houses, each facing the private communal garden with lawn, mature trees, spring bulbs and seating.
It remains today as one of the only Grade I listed residential Georgian squares in the nation.
Around 20 of the houses are occupied as family homes by their owners; the remaining 25 houses are converted into approximately 100 flats and are owned either by their flat leaseholders or by non-resident landlords. An estimated 60% of the residents are tenants.
No 35, on the east side, has 2 bronze plaques installed in the early 20th century at the instigation of alderman Thomas Sturge Cotterell, similar to others around Bath.
One attests to the residence of William Savage Landor, prior to emigrating to Florence, Italy where he is buried in the English Cemetery.
Amongst his close friends were Robert and Elizabeth Browning and Charles Dickens, and Dickens stayed with Landor at No 35 on several occasions, once together with the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who was visiting Dickens at the time. Indeed Landor was Godfather to one of Dickens' sons, Walter Landor Dickens. It is said that, whilst staying with Landor in 1840 Dickens first thought of Little Nell, and the Old Curiosity Shop was fashioned on No 34, whilst the character of Boythorn in Dombey and Son was modelled on Landor.
@shazzym Thanks for your comments. Bath is a great city. Not too big - but has lots of things going , great places to visit & great places to eat & drink.
