Charles Edward Davis (1827–1902) was an English architect and antiquary. Charles Edward Davis Skeats

Life

Born near

Bath, Somerset Bath () is a city in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary area in the county of Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman-built baths. At the 2021 Census, the population was 101,557. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, ...

on 29 August 1827, he was son of Edward Davis, an architect there and pupil of Sir John Soane, and his wife Dorothy Walker, widow of Captain Johnston of the Madras cavalry. He began as his father's pupil, and in 1863, having recently won a competition for the cemetery buildings on the lower Bristol Road, was appointed city architect and surveyor to the corporation of Bath. He held these posts for forty years. To collect information on the nature and management of

spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneothe ...

s, Davis in 1885 made a tour of major European watering places. He applied his knowledge to improvements at Bath, and was consulted by English corporations with natural baths, including Harrogate and Droitwich. Difficulties with the corporation regarding his official duties led in 1900 to the transfer to another person of the supervision of the corporate property; the baths and the provision markets were left in Davis's charge. Davis was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1850. He died at his residence, Bathwick Hill, on 10 May 1902. The rank of major by which Davis was generally addressed arose from his commission in the Worcestershire militia; he was also a member of the Bath volunteer rifles.

Works

Davis worked on redevelopment of the Roman Baths. Exploring in 1869 the site of the hot springs of the old King's Bath, he found remains of Roman thermal work and published a descriptive account. In 1877–8 he exposed the Roman well beneath the King's bath, a discovery that had been foreshadowed; Alexander Sutherland, M.D. (''An attempt to ascertain and extend the virtues of Bath and Bristol waters'' 2nd edit. 1764) had followed the researches made by Charles Lucas in 1755. In 1880-1 Davis found the Great Bath and in 1884–6 the Circular Bath, both Roman. The old Queen's Bath, constructed in 1597 and named after Anne of Denmark, was removed in the course of the Roman discoveries of 1885. Davis's main original design was the new Queen's Bath, begun in 1886, and completed in 1889. The work and incidental restoration met with criticism on structural as well as archaeological grounds. Reports were made on behalf of the Society of Antiquaries by John Henry Middleton and

William Henry St John Hope Sir William Henry St John Hope (1854–1919) was an English antiquary. Life Hope was born in Derby, the son of the Reverend William Hope, vicar of Saint Peter's Church. He was educated at Derby Grammar School and entered Peterhouse, Cambri ...

, but local debate grew heated; an independent opinion sought from

Alfred Waterhouse Alfred Waterhouse (19 July 1830 – 22 August 1905) was an English architect, particularly associated with the Victorian Gothic Revival architecture, although he designed using other architectural styles as well. He is perhaps best known f ...

, who in a report dated 14 January 1887 came to anodyne conclusions. Besides his work for the corporation Davis had a private practice. He designed and restored churches, including St Peter's in Freshford and St Mary Magdalene's Church in Langridge, Charlcombe. He was the architect of the Empire Hotel, Bath, opened in 1901, and the Colonnades, balustrading, steps and kiosk at Parade Gardens opposite the hotel. Davis published ''Mineral Baths of Bath; the Bath of Bathes Ayde in the Reign of Charles II'' (Bath, 1883), and other several pamphlets on the same subject. In 1863 he designed an

escritoire A secretary desk or escritoire is made of a base of wide drawers topped by a desk with a hinged desktop surface, which is in turn topped by a bookcase usually closed with a pair of doors, often made of glass. The whole is usually a single, tall ...

, Bath's wedding gift to Alexandra of Denmark, presented in 1869; it incorporated Royal Worcester designed by Arthur Murch.

Family

Davis married in 1858 Selina Anne, eldest daughter of Captain Howarth, who survived him without issue.

Notes

Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Davis, Charles Edward 1827 births 1902 deaths 19th-century English architects English antiquarians Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London Architects from Bath, Somerset