Look closely at Pitzhanger Manor and you will spot one of the most remarkable materials of Georgian Britain: Coade stone. From the celebrated caryatid figures on the east front to decorative architectural details around the house and gardens, Coade stone helped Sir John Soane achieve the refined classical ornament that gives Pitzhanger so much of its distinctive character.

This page explores what Coade stone is, who Eleanor Coade was, why Sir John Soane used it at Pitzhanger, and where you can still see traces of this extraordinary material during your visit.

What is Coade stone?

Despite its name, Coade stone is not natural stone. It is a highly durable ceramic material, developed and perfected in the late eighteenth century by the pioneering entrepreneur Eleanor Coade. Rather than being carved from a quarry block, Coade stone was made from a carefully prepared mixture of clay, pre-fired terracotta (or grog), silicates and glass, then fired at extremely high temperatures in a kiln. The result was a material capable of capturing crisp detail while standing up exceptionally well to British weather.

In Georgian Britain, this made Coade stone revolutionary. It offered architects and designers a reliable way to create fine classical ornament, sculpture and decorative architectural features at a time when tastes were turning towards increasingly elaborate neoclassical detail. Leading architects of the period, including Sir John Soane, used it widely for façades, monuments, garden ornaments and sculptural decoration.

Eleanor Coade: the woman behind the material

Eleanor Coade (1733–1821) was one of the most remarkable businesswomen of Georgian Britain. In 1769 she took over and transformed an artificial stone manufactory in Lambeth, south London, building it into a highly successful enterprise that supplied architectural and garden ornaments to some of the country’s leading designers. The material became so closely associated with her that it is still known by her name today.

At a time when architecture, construction and industry were overwhelmingly dominated by men, Eleanor Coade ran a major London manufactory and built a reputation for quality, durability and precision. Her products were admired not only for their appearance, but for how well they survived outdoors. This durability is one of the reasons so many Coade stone features still survive across Britain — including at Pitzhanger Manor.

Why Sir John Soane used Coade stone at Pitzhanger?

When Sir John Soane remodelled Pitzhanger Manor between 1800 and 1804, he was creating much more than a family home. Pitzhanger was a showcase of his architectural imagination — a place where clients and visitors could experience his ideas about light, space, classical form and ornament.

Coade stone was perfectly suited to that vision. It allowed Soane to incorporate finely modelled classical decoration with confidence that it would endure. As the son of a bricklayer, Soane was deeply attentive to materials and workmanship. His use of Coade stone at Pitzhanger suggests not only an admiration for the classical world, but also an interest in the most innovative building materials of his own day. The material helped him achieve the crisp, sculptural elegance associated with antiquity, while embracing a thoroughly modern Georgian technology.