Hans Price (1835–1912) was the architect responsible for much of the development of Weston-super-Mare, in North Somerset, England, during the Victorian era.

Life

Hans Fowler Price was born in St James's parish, Bristol. He studied under Thomas Barry in Liverpool. By the time that he married Jane Baker in 1862 he had already established his own architectural practice in Weston-super-Mare. Jane's father was the solicitor to the Smyth Pigott family who were major landowners in the town. Price used these connections to build his business and his personal standing. He spent time as a Town Commissioner, a director of the Gaslight Company, and on many other boards and committees.

Style

Price was an eclectic architect who successfully mixed styles such as Classical, Gothic, Moorish and Flemish in different buildings, his works invariably used materials characteristic of the area. Grey Mendip limestone from local quarries formed the walls, generally as squared rubble blocks. These were decorated with pale yellow Bath Stone quoins and details, and roofed with Welsh slate shipped across the River Severn or tiles produced at the Royal Pottery, Weston-super-Mare. Both domestic and public buildings of this description are familiar in Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon, and elsewhere in the area, having been built from the 1840s through to the 1900s. Many of these were designed by other architects and builders who were influenced by Price's work. Although rows of Price's houses have a standardised look, the extensive use of individual details in areas such as gables and windows mean that no two adjacent buildings look the same, although individual details were often repeated further down the road.

Works

Using his wife's family connections, Price was responsible for developing much of the housing on Worlebury Hill to the north of the developing Weston-super-Mare town centre. Many buildings in Church Road, Grove Park Road, Cecil Road, South Road and other roads in the district were designed in his offices. Public buildings designed by Hans Price include:

Weston-super-Mare

Elsewhere

Legacy

An art gallery in Weston College called the Hans Price Gallery was housed in the former School of Science and Art, a building that was designed by Price. The old Weston-super-Mare Hospital dispensary has been named Hans Price House and stands on the corner of Hans Price Close. In 2011, it was announced that Wyvern Community School in Weston-super-Mare was to receive academy funding of £14 million and be renamed to Hans Price Academy. In December 2018, a blue plaque was unveiled at the former School of Science and Art, commemorating Hans Price.