Today we will be looking at Rodney House and Courtfield House as part of our series on Brilliant Buildings.
Rodney House
Rodney House was built in a severe Grecian style in 1789 on the site of an existing farmhouse for James Selfe, retired clothier, who lived there until his death in 1815. It is a three-story building in Roundstone Street made of Bath stone with stable yard and garden railings, stable buildings and walls. The site was made up of three adjoining building, on in 1791 and the other two in 1794. It is said to have been named after Admiral Rodney who had won several sea victories at the time.
The image above show the extent of the original garden on Roundstone Street. Rodney House was bought by John Stancomb, who occupied the house throughout the 1820’s and 1830’s. Samuel Brown, clothier, moved into the house in 1850 and he lived there until his death. His widow and son-in-law became the owners of Rodney House at this time. The house remained with the family until 1919 when it became the Registered Office of the Trowbridge and District Co-opertive Industrial and Provident Society. In 1937 Roundstone Street was widened and the grounds in front of the house were turned in to the parking spaces you see there today. It was home to the Co-op until 1972 when it became the home Farnfield and Nicholls solicitors, then Bishop, Longfield and Bagnell, solicitors.
Courtfield House
The original house, to the rear, was bought by clothier John Cockes in 1754. This house probably dates from the late 17th and early 18th centuries and has a fine weaver’s window in the upper floor. John Cockes extensively remodelled and extended the property which is how it came to have its Georgian frontage. The house and surrounding grounds passed through several owners, all of whom added to the mills and dye houses on the complex. The house became the centre of what was the finest industrial complex in the area. Eventually the property passed to William Roger Brown after the death of his uncle Samuel. The mill complex attached to the property was, at that time, Palmer Brown, later to become Palmer and Mackay until it ceased to operate in 1963.
The house was put up for auction in 1964 and later became Roundstone Preparatory school. The prep school was closed in 2012 and the last owner of the house, Mary Pearce, died in 2015. There are plans to develop the site that has been largely left derelict since 2015.
