Paragon Street

Paragon Street in Bath is a street of one house. Formally, this house consists of 38 townhouses, but they merged into a single continuous arc repeating the contour of the terrain.

The land here originally belonged to Mrs Hooper, who leased it for 99 years to Thomas Atwood, an architect and city councillor. The latter had large plans for land development, which in 1768 were successfully approved by the mayor of Bath. The place for the construction of apartment houses was not very convenient: a narrow strip was located between two roads with a difference in height of 12 meters and had some curvature. That's why Atwood built a house that wasn't quite the usual shape. Houses numbered 1 to 21 were built during Atwood's lifetime. These were three-storey buildings with attics, made of local stone. Each of them had a separate entrance decorated with a pediment and Tuscan pilasters.

After the tragic death of the architect in 1775, construction continued under the direction of Joseph Exford, a local talented mason. Thus, there were only 37 townhouses in Georgian style. Thirty-eighth number received the house church.

Today, Paragon is a luxury apartment for rent. Prices are not as affordable here, but many are willing to pay for the opportunity to live in Bath's historic neighborhood, and spend evenings by a real fireplace, re-reading the novels of Jane Austen, who once lived in No. 1.