Nos. 1–3 (consec.) Tavistock Row
Site of Flower Market extension on south side of Piazza
Although most of the south side of the Piazza
was originally open to the raised terrace walk of
Bedford House garden, room was found for two
houses between the east side of the garden and the
south-east corner (see fig. 45). The more
easterly site, later known as No. 1 Tavistock
Row, was let in January 1633/4 to Robert
Scawen, gentleman, servant to the fourth Earl of
Bedford, as part of a large plot in Charles Street.
Scawen covenanted to build three houses there,
two facing Charles Street and one fronting the
Piazza. The latter house was to be two storeys
high with cellars and garrets.
(ref. 5)
On the north side of the site was a passage leading into Charles Street which the tenants of No.1
Tavistock Row had the right to use during the
daytime. (ref. 146) By 1714 privies had been built on
the south side of this passage, apparently for the
tenants of houses in Charles Street. (ref. 147) Although
no building lease had been granted it is clear from
Plate 31a that the house must have been rebuilt
or refaced in the early eighteenth century; probably at about the same time as No. 2–3 (see
below).
At some time prior to February 1730/1 No.
1 Tavistock Row was converted into a tavern,
called the Bedford Arms. (ref. 148) The premises were
damaged by the fire which destroyed the Little
Piazza in 1769, but were reconstructed by the
lessee and continued under the name of the
Bedford Arms. The passage into Charles Street
was from 1769 closed at both ends by doors,
which were kept locked between midnight and
eight o'clock in the morning. (ref. 149)
In c. 1800 the lessee, John Stacie, converted
the tavern into a hotel called the Imperial which
survived until 1859–60 when the building was
demolished to make room for a temporary
flower market (see page 137). (ref. 150)
The site of Nos. 2 and 3 Tavistock Row, on
which there was originally only one house, was
let to Robert Hope, tailor, of St. Giles in the
Fields, at some time before 14 January 1633/4. (ref. 151)
The house built by Hope abutted westwards upon
the wall of Bedford House garden and on one of
the banqueting houses in the garden, and, after
the demolition of Bedford House in 1705–6,
upon a footway from Tavistock Street into the
Piazza called Tavistock Court.
In 1715 the site of Hope's house was let to
William Sudbury, carpenter, who built two
houses there—a tall narrow one, two bays wide
with a long return front to Tavistock Court,
called No. 3 Tavistock Row, and another house,
three bays wide, No. 2. (ref. 152) Both houses continued
to be let separately until their demolition in
1859–60, although from 1805 to 1839, No. 2
was leased together with the Imperial Hotel at
No. 1. (ref. 153)
Nos. 1–3 Tavistock Row are all depicted on a
watercolour of 1837 reproduced on Plate 47b.
Here and in another watercolour reproduced on
Plate 32b No. 1 is shown with a front of c. 1769
in the style of James Paine, its second and third
storeys each containing a Venetian window set in
an arched recess: the use of comparable features
in houses now or formerly occupying similar
positions in Soho Square may be noted. (ref. 154) Nos.
2 and 3 had segmentally arched windows, no
storey-bands, and a moulded cornice below the
top storey.
Nos. 4–6 And 8–14 (consec.)
Tavistock Row, 20 Southampton
Street and 1–3 (consec.) Henrietta
Street
See pages 222, 232.